Top News:
NY Daily News:
Mets, Yanks: We'll CC you on Sabathia — The latest Subway Series tussle could be over none other than CC Sabathia, the Daily News has learned, as the Mets Thursday apparently joined the Yankees in pursuit of baseball's biggest free agent prize. — A high-placed Yankee source Thursday reacted …
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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.
Discussion:
ESPN, Purple Row, Baseball Crank, The LoHud Yankees Blog, The Futility Infielder, South Side Sox, Beyond the Box Score, Baseball Musings, NJ.com, River Avenue Blues, SOX1FAN, New Jersey Online, Home Run Derby, Yankee Stadium Insider Blog, Bucs Dugout, Baseball America, The Sommer Frieze, Pinstripe Alley, Scott Proctor's Arm, Replacement Level …, Bottom9 Baseball, Can't Stop The Bleeding, Baseball & The Boogie Down, umpbump.com, YanksBlog.com, My Pinstripes, Giambi Mustache Squad, Sliding Into Home, Mets Merized Online, Lone Star Ball, YFSF, bronxbanterblog.com, Pending Pinstripes, Pinstripes, Pa., Hot Foot, MetsBlog.com and It is about the money, stupid
Ken Davidoff / Newsday:
Swisher addition shows Yanks common sense — This baseball winter was supposed to be a feast for Yankees-haters, Exhibit A of How to Buy Friends and Irritate People. Embarrassed by their inexcusable 89-victory season, the Yankees were going to come out like Rambo with a checkbook …
Discussion:
ESPN
Tim Dierkes / MLB Rumors:Yankees Acquire Nick Swisher
Discussion:
ESPN, umpbump.com, Depressed Fan, MLB FanHouse, Walkoff Walk, Over the Monster, YanksBlog.com, New Jersey Online, NJ.com and River Avenue Blues
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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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.
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Chicagosports / Hardball:Cubs wave bye to Wood
Discussion:
GoatRiders of the Apocalypse, Siberian Baseball, Cub Town, The Cub Reporter (TCR) and Ivy Chat
Tom Krasovic / San Diego Union-Tribune:
Towers might have to broaden scope of Peavy trade talks — The Padres have been unable to line up a suitable trade with one of Jake Peavy's preferred teams and now may turn to another club in an attempt to move Peavy's four-year, $63 million guarantee. — “We've had advanced discussions …
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Tim Brown / Yahoo! Sports:‘Nothing is close’ on Peavy deal
Discussion:
Hot Stove Blog, San Diego Union-Tribune, Bottom9 Baseball, Chicago Sun Times and MLB Rumors
Bob Raissman / NY Daily News:
Mazzilli out of SNY studio show — Lee Mazzilli, SportsNet New York's lead studio analyst, won't be returning to the network for the 2009 season. — MLB sources said Mazzilli, whose contract expired following the 2008 season, was informed last week that SNY suits wanted to head in another direction.
Discussion:
Amazin' Avenue
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It is about the money, stupid:
Varitek's a proxy for Jeter — If nothing else about this blog, I try like heck to deliver a fair point of view on the Yanks. The blind homer isn't here. And, if you have been with me for any tiny stretch of time, you know that while I remain a Jeter fan, I am bluntly honest about him (and the Yanks).
Discussion:
ShysterBall
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Ken Tremendous / FIRE JOE MORGAN:
Post #1377: The Relatively Short Goodbye — Hello, everyone. — After 21 years, and almost 40 million posts (we'll have to check those numbers, but it's something like that), we have decided to bring FJM to an end. — Although we have not lost our borderline-sociopathic joy …
Bill Shaikin / Los Angeles Times:
Free agent season starts now — Manny Ramirez is drawing the most notice as all teams are free to negotiate with free agents starting Friday. — We come to talk about Manny Ramirez, and the Dodgers, and free agency. Yet we must first talk about cool scented towels.
Discussion:
Bottom9 Baseball
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Diane Pucin / Los Angeles Times:Arte Moreno injects Angels into Manny Ramirez buzz
Discussion:
MLB Rumors
Marty Noble / MLB.com:
Pitching atop Mets' offseason list — Free agency here, Minaya looks to upgrade rotation, bullen — NEW YORK — After two weeks of window shopping, the Mets now are in position to upgrade their beleaguered bullpen and reinforce the rotation. No longer prohibited from negotiating with all free agents …
Richard Griffin / Toronto Star:
Jays will be hung up waiting for Burnett — Baseball free agents, start your engines. As of midnight, hunting licenses were officially handed out to 30 major-league GMs allowing them to participate in a frenzied free-for-all that is the free-est free-agency in pro sports. No limit on the body count.
Discussion:
MLB Rumors
Steve Gilbert / MLB.com:
Johnson files, unlikely to return in '09 — His agents, D-backs unable to reach agreement on new deal — PHOENIX — It looks like Randy Johnson will not pitch for the D-backs in 2009. — Johnson and the D-backs reached an impasse in negotiations on a new contract …
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Keith Law / ESPN:
Ranking the top free agents (Nos. 1-10) … Following are my scouting reports on the top 50 free agents, and you can see from the top 10 that this year's class includes bigger names than we've seen in recent years. — For more free agent information, go to the Free Agent Tracker …
