Top News:
Tim Dierkes / MLB Rumors:
2010 Top 50 Free Agents — It's time for the fourth annual MLB Trade Rumors Top 50 Free Agents list! The entire list of available free agents can be found here. — A note before we begin - this is a complicated puzzle, and I'll be satisfied if I'm correct on a quarter of these guesses.
Discussion:
Mariners blog, Bless You Boys, Mack's Mets, Mike Silva's …, Yawkey Way Academy, TedQuarters.net, It's About The Money, The Real Dirty Mets Blog, Bronx Baseball Daily, Camden Chat, Sliding Into Home, Sports Blog Net, Kranepool Society, YanksBlog.com, MetsBlog.com, The 'Ropolitans and MASNsports.com
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Jon Heyman / Sports Illustrated:
Yankees looking at free agent Lackey … CHICAGO — The world champion Yankees have top free-agent pitcher John Lackey on their free-agent shopping list, sources said. The Yankees aren't expected to be as aggressive this winter on the free market as last offseason and they haven't firmed …
Discussion:
Pinstripe Alley
Sports Illustrated:
Beyond the big three free agents, trades may be where the action is … CHICAGO — No team is going to spend or presumably improve via free agency like the Yankees did last winter, when they doled out $423.5 million to three star players alone. Post-parade, and as the GM meetings get underway …
Joe Strauss / St. Louis Post-Dispatch:Cards expect little action at GM meetings
Discussion:
MLB Rumors
Rob Bradford / Full Count:
Red Sox Decline $5 Million Option on Varitek — CHICAGO — The Red Sox declined their one-year, $5 million option for the 2010 season on catcher Jason Varitek, according to a major-league source. Now, Varitek has five days to decide whether to exercise his one-year, $3 million player option …
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Tony Massarotti / Boston Globe:
Wakefield, Sox renegotiating — In the wake of a back injury that required Tim Wakefield to have offseason surgery, the pitcher and the Red Sox are close to finalizing a two-year deal that would give Wakefield the chance to become the club's all-time leader in victories.
Nick Cafardo / Boston Globe:
Sox pick up V-Mart option — CHICAGO — It does not come as a surprise, but it's pleasant news for Red Sox fans nonetheless. — Victor Martinez is officially under contract for next season. — The club has exercised its $7.1 million 2010 option for the 30-year-old catcher/first baseman, according to his agent Alan Nero.
Tony Massarotti / Boston Globe:Sox decline option on Gonzalez
Discussion:
sox1fan.com, Full Count, MVN, SOX & Dawgs, The House That Dewey Built, Sports Blog Net, MLB FanHouse, Over the Monster, MLB Rumors and NESN.com
Bruce Miles / Daily Herald:
Stripped-down GM meetings set to open at O'Hare — STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER — With a nod toward the tough economy, baseball's general managers will give up opulence and luxury for practicality when they convene for their annual meetings, beginning today at O'Hare.
Discussion:
Circling The Bases
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Roy Halladay / Toronto Star:Griffin: Plenty of suitors in chase for Roy Halladay
Discussion:
MetsBlog.com
John Manuel / Baseball America:
Phillies Top 10 Prospects — Philadelphia Phillies … The first Philadelphia entry in the National League, known as the Quakers, went 17-81 way back in 1883. The franchise became the Phillies in 1890 and took 25 years to win its first pennant. Before the franchise captured …
Discussion:
Minor League Ball
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Rhett Bollinger / MLB.com:
Mom of former pitcher Zambrano kidnapped — Abduction took place early on Sunday in Venezuela — The mother of former Major Leaguer Victor Zambrano was kidnapped in Venezuela, The Associated Press reported Sunday. — Zambrano's agent, Peter Greenberg, told the AP that Elizabeth Mendez Zambrano …
Discussion:
24 Hours From Suicide
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Jon Heyman / Sports Illustrated:
Victor Zambrano's mother kidnapped in Venezuela — The mother of former major league pitcher Victor Zambrano was kidnapped Sunday, Zambrano's agent Peter Greenberg said late Sunday night by phone. — Elizabeth Mendez Zambrano was abducted sometime Sunday morning from her son's farm …
Ed Price / MLB FanHouse:
MLB Free-Agent Compensation ‘Elias Rankings’ Released — CHICAGO — The annual Elias rankings are out, determining which free agents could result in draft-pick compensation for their former teams. — Free agents are classified as Type A, Type B or not at all.
Gordon Wittenmyer / Chicago Sun Times:
THE DEAL HUNTERS — Is Milton Bradley still here? — Yeah, and he's holding up some of the decisions the Cubs might make as the hot-stove season gets started in earnest with the general managers meetings this week at the O'Hare Hilton. — But the flip side for the Cubs is that (1) …
Discussion:
MLB Rumors
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Mark Shanahan / Boston Globe:
Artful Dodgers, bleeding, blue — Here, Frank and Jamie McCourt were a formidable team. In LA, their second act may be just about up — Jamie McCourt (far left) and Frank McCourt (far right) at a Dodgers playoff game against the Phillies. (Kevork Djansezian/ Getty Images)
Discussion:
Dodger Thoughts, Circling The Bases, LA Observed, Mike Scioscia's tragic illness and 6-4-2
Bob Dutton / Kansas City Star:
Royals covet a catcher as the next step in offseason overhaul — The next step in the Royals' offseason makeover is to acquire a catcher before Dec. 12 and therefore provide an alternative to offering a contract to arbitration-eligible John Buck. — “We led all of baseball (last season) …
