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2:45 PM ET, December 2, 2009

Ballbug

 Top News: 
Jon Heyman / Sports Illustrated:
Gilbert the frontrunner to buy Rangers … Former baseball superagent Dennis Gilbert and his ownership group have emerged in recent days as the surprise frontrunner to buy the Texas Rangers, SI has learned.  —  The deal is not believed finalized yet, but the winning bid is expected to be …
RELATED:
David O'Brien / Atlanta Journal-Constitution:
Report: Braves land closer Billy Wagner  —  The Braves didn't even bother waiting until they lost their free-agent closers before reportedly reeling in a highly accomplished replacement - veteran fireballer Billy Wagner.  —  Wagner, who ranks sixth in major league history with 385 saves …
Discussion: Yahoo! Sports and Fenway West
Ben Nicholson-Smith / MLB Rumors:
Braves Sign Billy Wagner  —  11:36am: The Braves officially announced the Wagner signing, tweets MLB.com's Mark Bowman.  That implies he passed his physical.  —  1:28am: The Braves have agreed to sign Billy Wagner, according to Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports.
Gordon Edes / ESPN:
Free agent Jason Bay has no timetable for signing a contract  —  Jason Bay's agent was making no predictions on when the free-agent left fielder will sign after the Red Sox offered him salary arbitration Tuesday, assuring them of receiving two draft picks if he signs elsewhere.
Discussion: MLB Rumors and Fenway West
Jerry Crasnick / ESPN.com:
Free agency: Billy Wagner, Atlanta Braves agree to one-year deal … The Atlanta Braves have agreed on a one-year contract with veteran left-handed reliever Billy Wagner.  —  The deal will pay Wagner $7 million in 2010 and includes a $6.5 million club option for 2011, as well as a $250,000 buyout.
Jordan Bastian / MLB.com:
Jays offer arbitration to Scutaro, Barajas
Discussion: MLB Rumors
Scott Merkin / MLB.com:
Sox decline arbitration to four players
Discussion: MLB Rumors
Ken Davidoff / Newsday:
Arbitration offers: Billy Wagner, Bengie Molina and the Mets
Associated Press:
Braves sign Wagner to one-year, $7 million pact
Discussion: bronxbanterblog.com
Dylan Hernandez / Los Angeles Times:
Dodgers don't offer arbitration to any free agents  —  However, GM Ned Colletti says the team remains interested in re-signing Randy Wolf  —  The decision by the Dodgers not to offer arbitration to pitcher Randy Wolf or any of their other free agents Tuesday should not be viewed as a sign …
RELATED:
Henry Schulman / San Francisco Chronicle:
Giants decline to offer Molina arbitration
Discussion: MetsBlog.com
Rhett Bollinger / MLB.com:
Yanks elect not to offer arbitration to trio
MLB.com:
Dodgers won't offer arbitration to seven
New Jersey Online:
NY Yankees announce they will not offer any players arbitration
New York Post:
3UP: Burrell, Molina and Halladay  —  1. I hear that a trade of Tampa Bay's Pat Burrell for the Cubs' Milton Bradley is still a strong possibility.  Burrell is due $9 million next year while Bradley has two years at $21 million left.  Bradley also makes $9 million next year …
RELATED:
New York Post:
Halladay for a year could be Bombers' best option
Jordan Bastian / MLB.com:
Halladay will block in-season trades
Discussion: Bluebird Banter
Mark Feinsand / NY Daily News:
Derek Jeter gave Brian Cashman input on New York Yankees' player moves  —  Derek Jeter won't need to work when his playing days are over, but if he is interested in a future as a general manager, he's getting some good on-the-job training.  —  Jeter danced around questions …
Discussion: Circling The Bases
RELATED:
Bryan Hoch / MLB.com:   Jeter credits parents for success
Richard Goldstein / New York Times:
Tommy Henrich, Yankees Clutch Hitter, Dies at 96  —  Tommy Henrich, the right fielder known as Old Reliable who helped propel the Yankees to seven World Series championships, died on Tuesday in Dayton, Ohio.  He was 96.  —  His death was announced by the Yankees.
RELATED:
Anthony DiComo / MLB.com:
Henrich, oldest living Yankee, passes away
Dejan Kovacevic / PBC Blog:
Pirates interested in free agent Lowry  —  The Pirates have expressed interest in free-agent pitcher Noah Lowry, who has missed the past two seasons to injury, according to a source close to the talks.  —  Lowry, a 29-year-old left-hander, was a starter for San Francisco in 2003-07 and went 40-31 with a 4.03 ERA.
RELATED:
Troy E. Renck / Denver Post:
Rockies interested in utilityman Crosby
Discussion: MLB Rumors
Buster Olney / ESPN:
Roberto Alomar's brilliance still on display  —  You say you are young, and didn't see Roberto Alomar play?  —  No problem.  You get a chance to witness the brilliance of Roberto Alomar just about every night on a major league baseball field, when infielders make plays that Alomar all but invented and popularized.
Discussion: MLB Rumors and MetsBlog.com
RELATED:
Bill Livingston / Plain Dealer:
This writer won't hustle for Roberto Alomar as a first-ballot Hall …
Discussion: Circling The Bases
Bob Nightengale / USA Today:
Fehr, now enjoying a slice of the retired life, discusses career  —  SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Donald Fehr, executive director of the Major League players association the last 26 years, spent his first day of retirement Tuesday in the emergency room.  He sliced his left thumb cutting a grapefruit …
Maury Brown / The Biz of Baseball:
Inside the Numbers: Average Salary for MLB in 2009  —  The average salary in Major League Baseball was just under $3 million for the 2009 season, based on an annual report released by the MLB Players Association.  The league average of $2,996,106 for 926 players was an increase of 1.37 percent …
Rhett Bollinger / MLB.com:
Girardi teaches Jets QB how to slide  —  Yanks skipper happy to help Sanchez during practice  —  Yankees manager Joe Girardi lent a helping hand to the Jets on Tuesday, when he helped teach quarterback Mark Sanchez how to properly slide during a team meeting.
Alden Gonzalez / MLB.com:
Voting for Frick Award begins on Tuesday  —  Fans can submit their nominations on Hall's Facebook page  —  Starting Tuesday, baseball fans can nominate their favorite broadcasters for the Hall of Fame's prestigious Ford C. Frick Award.  —  Voting begins at 10 a.m. ET on the Hall of Fame's Facebook page …
Discussion: FishStripes
Corey Brock / MLB.com:
Friars seek righty OF at Winter Meetings  —  New GM Hoyer expecting to be busy in Indianapolis  —  SAN DIEGO — Like every general manager, new Padres GM Jed Hoyer will arrive in Indianapolis for the start of the Winter Meetings next week with a wish list of players, needs and areas of improvement he could like to address.
Discussion: Hot Stove Blog
Tim Dierkes / MLB Rumors:
Rosenthal, Morosi On Betancourt, Doumit, Jackson  —  A look at the latest from Ken Rosenthal and Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports...  - The Cubs and Giants were interested in reliever Rafael Betancourt before the Rockies offered arbitration to him yesterday.  The Phillies were named as another suitor.
Dan Steinberg / D.C. Sports Bog:
NFL says hit on Campbell was legal  —  Regarding Juqua Parker's late-game body slam of Jason Campbell, a play that drew no flag, I think Football Outsiders's Doug Farrar said it best:  —  Redskins offensive coordinator Sherman Smith agreed, during his weekly interview with Comcast SportsNet.
 
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 More News: 
Washington Times:
Portis gets OK to play, but return will wait
Adam McCalvy / MLB.com:
Brewers GM ready for market to open
Ian Rapoport / Rap Sheet:
Bill Belichick, on a potential reunion with Charlie Weis …
Discussion: NBC Sports
Kelly Thesier / MLB.com:
Mauer contradicts deadline report
Bill Ladson / MLB.com:
Nats elect not to offer arbitration
 Earlier Picks: 
Joseph Pawlikowski / River Avenue Blues:
“MLB needs a strong Yankee franchise”
Mychael Urban / MLB.com:
A's offer righty Duchscherer arbitration
Discussion: Athletics Nation and MLB Rumors
 

 
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