Top News:
Bob Klapisch / NorthJersey.com:
For Boras and Damon, it's strictly business with Yanks — INDIANAPOLIS - There's a fairly reliable axiom that's stood the test of time with baseball officials. It goes like this: If one of your players is a Scott Boras client, always remember he's about the money.
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Bryan Hoch / MLB.com:
Cashman holding off on next move — Yankees may pursue Damon, but only at right price — INDIANAPOLIS — The Yankees have used the Winter Meetings to move closer to the finish line of the offseason, but they will still have ground to cover if Johnny Damon is to return for the 2010 season.
Discussion:
Bombers Beat
Chad Jennings / The LoHud Yankees Blog:
About Jamie Hoffmann — The Rule 5 draft is a bit of a crapshoot. The Yankees (essentially) had the first pick in today's draft and took Jamie Hoffmann, a guy who was generating absolutely no media buzz until 15 minutes before the selection. I talked to another executive who said his team …
Discussion:
True Blue LA, Dodger Thoughts, The Pinstriper, Respect Jeter's Gangster and Pinstripe Alley
Marc Carig / New Jersey Online:
NY Yankees choose outfielder Jamie Hoffmann in Rule 5 draft … INDIANAPOLIS — The Yankees completed their final order of business at the winter meetings on Thursday morning by acquiring Dodgers minor league outfielder Jamie Hoffmann in the Rule 5 draft. — Technically, Hoffmann, 25 …
Chad Jennings / The LoHud Yankees Blog:
Cashman: “The next step isn't ready to happen now” — Right about now, Brian Cashman is boarding a plane out of Indianapolis, literally putting his active four days of the Winter Meetings behind him. This was the storm before the calm. — “I am definitely not in a position right …
Tony Massarotti / Boston Globe:
Sox reach deal to trade Lowell to Rangers — The Red Sox have agreed in principle with the Rangers to a trade that will send popular third baseman Mike Lowell to Texas for catcher Max Ramirez, according to a baseball source. A money issue has also been resolved, the source said.
Discussion:
Projo Sox Blog, Brownie Points, Over the Monster, The Bottom Line, NESN.com, New York Post, MLB.com and MLB Rumors
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Jack Curry / Bats:
Red Sox Completing Deal to Trade Lowell to Rangers — INDIANAPOLIS - The Red Sox are close to sending third baseman Mike Lowell to the Texas Rangers for minor league catcher Max Ramirez. If the agreement is finalized, the Red Sox are expected to pay $9 million of Lowell's $12 million salary in 2010.
J.J. Cooper / Baseball America:
Rule 5 Draft, Pick By Pick — RULE 5 DRAFT — ROUND ONE — Pick — Selecting — Team — Player — Original Team — The Skinny — Physical grinder with big league experience could stick as extra outfielder. — No. 2 — Pirates — John Raynor, of — Marlins
Discussion:
redsminorleagues.com
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Jose De Jesus Ortiz / Houston Chronicle:
Astros reach one-year deal with third baseman Feliz — INDIANAPOLIS — Heading to the winter meetings Sunday night, Ed Wade's ability to maneuver while trying to build the 2010 Astros revolved around Jose Valverde. Once the star closer declined arbitration late Monday night and LaTroy Hawkins bolted …
Discussion:
Yahoo! Sports
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Brian McTaggart / MLB.com:
Astros ship Rule 5 Draft pick to Marlins — Infielder Jimenez sent to Florida to complete Lindstrom deal — INDIANAPOLIS — The Astros completed their trade with Florida on Thursday by sending infielder Jorge Jimenez, who they selected in the Rule 5 Draft from Boston, to the Marlins as the player to be named later.
John Manuel / Baseball America:Outfielders Hoffmann, Raynor Top Rule 5 Draft
Discussion:
Boston Globe, MLB.com, Minor League Ball, River Avenue Blues, Pinstripe Alley, Talking Chop and Let's Go Tribe!
Jayson Stark / MLB:
Winter meetings end with a lot of unfinished business — Winter meetings ended with lots of unfinished business, and many moves still to come — INDIANAPOLIS — It's one of baseball's most time-honored annual rituals, right up there with Opening Day and Alex Cintron's first designated-for-assignment transaction.
Discussion:
MLB Rumors
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Buster Olney / ESPN:
Dodgers frozen, and falling behind — The wind here in Indianapolis shook light poles, and the snow rode the same horizontal plane as a Lincecum fastball. Winter meetings, indeed. But inside the lobbies at the Marriott, you began to sense the first seeds of optimism that blossom fully by the start of spring training.
Discussion:
MetsBlog.com
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Dan Shaughnessy / Boston Globe:
Sox have a bridge to sell us — Fans shouldn't buy this approach — Storm the gates of Fenway Park. Cancel your NESN package. Stick your head out the window and say, “I'm mad as hell and I'm not going to take it anymore!” — Do not buy the bill of goods the Red Sox are selling.
Discussion:
Keep Your Sox On, The Big Lead, The iYankees Blog, The Yankee Universe and Dan Shaughnessy Watch
Mark Bowman / MLB.com:
Braves trade reliever Soriano to Rays — Atlanta to receive righty Chavez; deal is pending physicals — INDIANAPOLIS — It appears that Braves general manager Frank Wren will be able to exit this year's Winter Meetings on Thursday without having to spend any more time focusing on trading Rafael Soriano.
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Ken Davidoff / Newsday:
Ken Davidoff's baseball insider — Yankees, Mets, trade rumors and more MLB musings … Head home today, weather permitting. It has been an extremely productive week for the Yankees, obviously, and not so much for the Mets. — Found out an interesting nugget about the Mets …
Discussion:
New Jersey Online, Amazin' Avenue, Mets Merized Online, MLB Rumors, Circling The Bases, The 'Ropolitans, Mets Fever and Mets Today
Fox Sports:
Sources: Phils, Angels lead chase for Halladay — To ink Harden? — • Sources: Brewers agree with Wolf | Hawkins — • Sources: Astros nearing 3-year deal with Lyon
Discussion:
The Zo Zone, Batter's Box Interactive …, MLB Rumors, The Real Dirty Mets Blog and NESN.com
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Mark Feinsand / NY Daily News:Anaheim Angels, Philadelphia Phillies join New York Yankees …
Discussion:
Toronto Sun
Dave Cameron / FanGraphs Baseball:
The Worst Signing Of The Winter — I'm one of those people who doesn't really enjoy Saturday Night Live sketches, because to me, the joke is made in the first 15 seconds and then just repeated over and over for the next several minutes. You drive a Dodge Stratus and you think that makes you important - okay.
Jim Caple / ESPN:
The untold tales of the winter meetings — The hot stove league temperature is never higher than during the annual winter meetings. So much baseball news and so many rumors are flying around in Indianapolis this week, you may have missed these items: — Los Angeles Dodgers
Discussion:
BBTF's Baseball Primer …
