Top News:
Jerry Crasnick / ESPN:
Sources: Yanks acquire Swisher for minor leaguer … The New York Yankees have acquired center fielder-first baseman Nick Swisher in a trade with the Chicago White Sox, baseball sources tell ESPN.com. — Minor league pitcher Jeff Marquez is headed to Chicago in the deal, the source said.
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Tim Dierkes / MLB Rumors:
Yankees Acquire Nick Swisher — By Tim Dierkes [November 13 at 3:02pm CST] — 3:02pm: Rosenthal now says the White Sox will also receive Wilson Betemit and pitching prospect Jhonny Nunez. Betemit could be an option at third base for the Sox. — 2:54pm: Ken Rosenthal says the Yankees …
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Anthony DiComo / MLB.com:
Yanks acquire Swisher from White Sox — On the eve of free agency, New York bolsters 2009 lineup — NEW YORK — Before setting their sights on the rotation holes that are sure to dominate their offseason agenda, the Yankees on Thursday made an acquisition unrelated to their pitching staff.
Peter Abraham / The LoHud Yankees Blog:Cashman talks about the Swisher deal
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Baseball Musings
ESPN:
Sources: Cubs add Gregg to bullpen with trade from Marlins — The Chicago Cubs have acquired Florida Marlins reliever Kevin Gregg, sources told ESPN The Magazine's Buster Olney. — The Marlins received 22-year-old right-hander Jose Ceda in return, according to sources.
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Chicagosports / Hardball:
Cubs wave bye to Wood — The Kerry Wood era in Chicago began with a bang and ended with a thud. — On a cloudy November afternoon in Chicago, the Cubs quietly cut ties with their free-agent closer, who tied a major-league record with 20 strikeouts in his fifth big league start in 1998.
Chicago Breaking News:
Cubs say goodbye to Kerry Wood — Pitcher Kerry Wood and the Cubs will part ways after 14 years with the organization, general manager Jim Hendry said today. — After acquiring a potential closer in Florida's Kevin Gregg this morning, Hendry announced the Cubs would not try to re-sign Wood …
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Carrie Muskat / MLB.com:
As Gregg arrives, Wood likely to depart — Cubs deal Ceda in exchange, hand closer duties to Marmol — CHICAGO — The Cubs most likely have said goodbye to Kerry Wood. — On Thursday, the team traded Minor League pitcher Jose Ceda to the Florida Marlins for reliever Kevin Gregg …
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Bleed Cubbie Blue
Rick Gano / Associated Press:
Cubs acquire Gregg, Wood won't return — CHICAGO (AP)—The Chicago Cubs acquired reliever Kevin Gregg in a trade with the Florida Marlins on Thursday, a move that appears to end Kerry Wood's career with the team. — Wood, the 1998 NL Rookie of the Year who saved 34 games this year, had been the longest-tenured player on the Cubs.
Anthony Castrovince / MLB.com:
Lee wins 2008 AL Cy Young Award — After pacing league in wins and ERA, lefty earns well-deserved honor — The constant quest for perfection drove Cliff Lee to great feats throughout 2008. — “Even if I had won every start, I don't know if I'd be satisfied,” he said near the season's end.
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Fox Sports:
MORE BY KEN ROSENTHAL — FOX SPORTS MLB VIDEO — Rosenthal: Lee earned AL Cy Young — Some may argue that Roy Halladay was more deserving of the AL Cy Young Award than winner Cliff Lee, but Ken Rosenthal says the voters got it right. — Back on Topps: The McBama of Baseball
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Eric Seidman / FanGraphs Baseball:BBWAA, Get Your Act Together!
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Baseball Digest Daily Blog
Richard Griffin / Toronto Star:Deserving Halladay won't win Cy
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Ian Browne / MLB.com:
Pedroia wins Silver Slugger Award — Red Sox second baseman adds another trophy to his collection — BOSTON — Awards season continues to be kind to Dustin Pedroia. The latest piece of hardware for the little second baseman of the Boston Red Sox? A Silver Slugger Award.
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Robert Falkoff / MLB.com:
It's silver and gold for talented quartet — Mauer, Pedroia, Sizemore and Wright earn two coveted awards — At the plate as well as in the field, the quartet of Joe Mauer, Dustin Pedroia, Grady Sizemore and David Wright can always find a way to help win a ballgame.
Discussion:
Talking Chop
Tim Brown / Yahoo! Sports:
‘Nothing is close’ on Peavy deal — The San Diego Padres have nothing on the table that would lead them to trade ace Jake Peavy anytime soon, general manger Kevin Towers said Thursday afternoon. — “Nothing is close,” he said. “I wouldn't say we are even remotely close to pulling the trigger on anything with Jake.”
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Anthony DiComo / MLB.com:
Mussina decision due next week — Right-hander ‘up in the air’ over whether to play in 2009 — NEW YORK — Mike Mussina finally broke his public silence this week, and though his words revealed little about his plans, he did say that he will make a decision by early next week.
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Bart Hubbuch / New York Post:
K-ROD: METS ‘GOOD FIT’ — K-Rod is looking to pitch in the same town as A-Rod. — The Mets will have a new closer next season, and Francisco “K-Rod” Rodriguez wants to be the guy who fills their most pressing need when free agency starts at midnight tonight.
Discussion:
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Nick Cafardo / Boston Globe:
Big Unit likely won't return to D-Backs — Yesterday we told you about a meeting between the Diamondbacks and pitcher Randy Johnson's representatives. Well, it didn't go so well. Sounds as if the Big Unit, three wins shy of 300, won't be back in Arizona. — The following is the statement from his Octagon representatives:
