Top News:
Yahoo! Sports:
Cuban Arguelles agrees to deal with Royals — The small-market Kansas City Royals are betting big on a free agent they've seen pitch only a handful of times. — Noel Arguelles, a 19-year-old left-hander who last year defected from Cuba, agreed to a five-year, $7 million major league deal …
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Zach Links / MLB Rumors:
Royals To Sign Noel Arguelles — 10:41pm: More detail courtesy of Passan, who says that the two sides have agreed to a pact. On top of the $7MM, Arguelles can earn up to $2MM in incentives as well - and give Passan a dead-on prediction. Of course, the deal will not become official until the youngster passes a physical.
Jerry Crasnick / MLB:
Agent: Rafael Soriano considering returning to Atlanta Braves — Just a week ago, the Atlanta Braves didn't have any surefire late-inning relief options. Now they might have three. — It's been widely speculated that right-hander Rafael Soriano, who was offered salary arbitration …
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Mark Bowman / MLB.com:
Soriano mulling Braves' arbitration offer — Reliever reportedly looks at options prior to Monday deadline — ATLANTA — When the Braves signed Billy Wagner and Takashi Saito earlier this week, they did so without much concern about the possibility that Mike Gonzalez and Rafael Soriano would accept their arbitration offers.
Peter Abraham / Boston Globe:
Yes, there are meetings at the meetings — Baseball's winter meetings get started tomorrow in Indianapolis. Most fans, based on the media coverage, probably assume it's a bunch of general managers and agents getting together in hotel suites to talk about trades and free agents.
Zach Links / MLB Rumors:
Yankees Seek Starter On Open Market — The Yankees are interested in free agent hurlers John Lackey, Rich Harden, Joel Pineiro, and maybe Randy Wolf, according to Ken Rosenthal and Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports. — Although major league sources indicate that the the team is looking …
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Anthony McCarron / NY Daily News:Tough guy John Lackey is ace of free agency; Could be better fit …
Tyler Kepner / New York Times:
After Brief Respite, Longtime G.M. Is Back in Business — When baseball's general managers gathered at an airport hotel in Chicago last month, Kevin Towers was a world away in mind, body and spirit. Towers, who had spent the previous 14 years as general manager of the San Diego Padres, was with his wife, Kelley, in Costa Rica.
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Gordon Wittenmyer / Chicago Sun Times:
Piniella may stay beyond 2010 — After all the drama and speculation last summer about whether Cubs manager Lou Piniella would return for the final year of his contract, it now sounds as though he might be willing to consider staying beyond 2010. — For the first time publicly …
Discussion:
Circling The Bases
Los Angeles Times:
Colleague could see the fall of Troy from months away … “As a die-hard USC supporter, I could have saved myself a lot of misery had I not canceled my newspaper like everyone else in my neighborhood. — “I know Page 2 probably told you what to write, but since you took credit for it …
Richard Sandomir / New York Times:
Bloomberg Technology Embraces Baseball — Bloomberg L.P. has billions in revenue and 280,000 customers for its sophisticated financial software. — So why is it taking a big step into a small niche Monday by introducing player-evaluation software for baseball teams?
Discussion:
Circling The Bases
Andrew Baggarly / Mercury News:
San Francisco Giants look to add a hitter — INDIANAPOLIS — There shouldn't be any question what Giants general manager Brian Sabean needs to find when the checkered flag falls on the winter meetings at the end of this week. — A hitter. Probably two. Or at least a few solid leads.
New York Post:
Mets need to spend wisely, start strong, deal after draft — Mets fans hated their 2009 team. So it is not with blinders that I recommend the Mets bring back the guts of the roster for next year. — It certainly is no marketing concept: You knew them, you loathed them, now come see them again.
DailyTelegraph:
Red Sox heading to Australia — THE Boston Red Sox, one of the world's most famous baseball teams, are coming to Australia for a Major League game at our own field of dreams - the Sydney Cricket Ground - next year. — Red Sox officials watched the Danny Green-Roy Jones Jr fight at Acer Arena …
Discussion:
sox1fan.com, SOX & Dawgs, The Mighty Quinn Media Machine, Boston Globe, Sports Blog Net and The Joy of Sox
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Mark Sheldon / MLB.com:
Baker, Jocketty hold Q&A at Redsfest — Skipper, general manager answer fans' questions Saturday — CINCINNATI — Reporters constantly pepper Reds players and management with tough questions. But at Redsfest on Saturday, you didn't have to be a reporter to get access to manager Dusty Baker …
Adam Rubin / NY Daily News:
New York Mets' Fernando Martinez develops blisters on hands playing in Dominican Winter League — Fernando Martinez, the Mets' highly regarded but oft-injured outfield prospect, returned from summer knee surgery two weeks ago in the Dominican Winter League - only to have another problem.
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