Top News:
Adam Hirshfield / NESN.com:
Jason Varitek to Exercise Player Option, Will Stay With Red Sox — The Red Sox declined to exercise their $5 million team option on catcher Jason Varitek on Monday, but that doesn't mean the longtime captain will be leaving Boston. — NESN learned on Monday night that the 37-year-old Varitek …
Discussion:
SOX & Dawgs, Red Sox Monster, Circling The Bases, MLB Rumors, Full Count, Over the Monster, MetsBlog.com and Babes Love Baseball
RELATED:
Peter Abraham / Boston Globe:
Varitek still waiting — Just spoke to Theo Epstein. Contrary to a report, Jason Varitek has not yet exercised his $3 million player option for 2010. At least as far as the Sox know. — As Epstein correctly pointed out, Scott Boras usually pushes such decisions until the deadline.
Discussion:
MLB FanHouse
Rob Bradford / Full Count:
Wakefield, Sox Agree on New Two-Year Deal — The Red Sox have chosen not to pick up Tim Wakefield's $4 million option for the 2010 season; instead, the team and the pitcher have come to terms on a two-year deal. The new contract will pay the 43-year-old a guaranteed $5 million …
Peter Abraham / Boston Globe:Red Sox make it all official
Discussion:
The Mighty Quinn Media Machine
Ken Davidoff / Newsday:
Mets underwhelmed by free agent market — GM Omar Minaya, Mets to look for power-hitter in weak market. — CHICAGO - The Mets have — so much to do this offseason. They just wish their list of options looked more attractive. — “Some years are better than others,” …
RELATED:
Adam Rubin / NY Daily News:
Insider says Mets won't pay top dollar for pricey top-tier free agents — CHICAGO - Omar Minaya arrived at the GM meetings Monday night maintaining it was his obligation to investigate the price of top-tier free agents. However, a team insider told the Daily News he expected the salary demands …
Ken Davidoff / Newsday:Omar Minaya on slugging, and Kenny Williams on Hideki Matsui
Discussion:
Unfiltered
Jerry Crasnick / ESPN:
Executives chime in on offseason topics — Sign Holliday or Bay? Should instant replay be expanded? And where will Lackey land? — ESPN.com — CHICAGO — Major League Baseball general managers have a demanding job marked by long hours, stifling pressure and constant second-guessing.
Discussion:
It's About The Money, Mets Merized Online, The LoHud Yankees Blog, MLB Rumors and MetsBlog.com
RELATED:
Jon Heyman / Sports Illustrated:
Yanks eye 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 up all their plans as yet …
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.
Discussion:
Seattle Times, FanGraphs Baseball, AaronGleeman.com, Bronx Baseball Daily, MLB Rumors, Hot Foot, Yahoo! Sports, A Die Hard Yankees Fan, Texas Rangers, DRaysBay, U.S.S. Mariner, Lookout Landing, Circling The Bases, Sliding Into Home, Fack Youk, River Avenue Blues, Hardball Times, Pinstripe Alley and Replacement Level …
Bill Shaikin / Los Angeles Times:
Mark Cuban says he'd be interested in buying the Dodgers — Cuban says he'd base a decision on his ability to buy a controlling share as part of an ownership group. The Dodgers are not for sale, but the McCourt divorce raises questions about team's future.
Discussion:
Circling The Bases, Dodger Divorce, MLB FanHouse, True Blue LA and Memories Of Kevin Malone
Paul Sullivan / Chicago Tribune:
Unloading Milton Bradley without paying steep price won't be easy for Chicago Cubs GM Jim Hendry — Even if Cubs eat salary, Hendry may struggle to find taker for OF — Cubs general manager Jim Hendr shakes hands with Milton Bradley. (M. Spencer Green, Associated Press / January 8, 2009)
RELATED:
Fred Mitchell / Chicago Breaking Sports:Cubs' Billy Williams: Don't give up on Milton Bradley
Discussion:
MVN
The Heater:
Tampa Bay Rays decision on option for LF Carl Crawford, and others, could come soon — View Photo Gallery: All-Star Carl Crawford — While the Tampa Bay Rays have already made some moves to shore up their 2010 roster (like re-signing RF Gabe Kapler), they have more decisions …
RELATED:
Jim Salisbury / Philly.com:
Phils still in the running for Halladay — CHICAGO - Ruben Amaro Jr. arrived at the annual general managers' meetings late this afternoon and listed his priorities for upgrading his team this off-season. — “Third base, bullpen, bench,” the Phillies' GM said in the lobby of the O'Hare Hilton, where the meetings run through tomorrow.
Bill Mitchell / Baseball America:
Veal Deals In AFL — Rule 5 pickup encouraging Pirates — SCOTTSDALE, Ariz.—Scorpions pitching coach Bob Milacki had never seen Donnie Veal pitch before the Pirates lefthander arrived for the Arizona Fall League season. He had read the scouting reports on Veal and knew …
Discussion:
Hardball Times
Rap Sheet:
Can rookie Sebastian Vollmer end the Matt Light Era at left tackle? — It's an old dilemma for a coach. For Patriots fans and coach Bill Belichick, it goes back to up-and-coming Tom Brady vs. franchise QB Drew Bledsoe, circa 2001. — An established veteran goes down with an injury …
Pizza Cutter / Hardball Times:
The triumph of Moneyball — Is there a word in the baseball lexicon that can start an argument faster than Moneyball? It's not really a word, if you think about it, but then neither is the only other thing that springs to mind: DH. It's odd that a book not called “The Bible” …
