Top News:
Joe Cowley / Inside the White Sox:
Start spreading the news, Sox eye New York's Gardner — INDIANAPOLIS - It's not a phrase that was coming out of the mouth of Ken Williams for the very first time. — Not by a long shot. — “We don't have any money,” the White Sox general manager said during his Wednesday meeting with the media.
Discussion:
It's About The Money, Pinstripe Alley, Pinstripes, Pa., Blogging The Bombers and The iYankees Blog
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Marc Carig / New Jersey Online:
NY Yankees not in position to make any more deals in immediate future … INDIANAPOLIS — Yankees general manager Brian Cashman capped off a hectic week at the winter meetings with predictions of calm after the storm. — After trading for All-Star center fielder Curtis Granderson …
Discussion:
The LoHud Yankees Blog, River Avenue Blues, New York Post, Circling The Bases, MLB Rumors and Kansas City Star
Ben Nicholson-Smith / MLB Rumors:
White Sox Interested In Brett Gardner — Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times hears from a scout familiar with the situation that the White Sox covet Yankees outfielder Brett Gardner. The Yankees, who just acquired Curtis Granderson, have extra outfielders so the White Sox and Royals have inquired on Gardner.
Chad Jennings / The LoHud Yankees Blog:About Jamie Hoffmann — The Rule 5 draft is a bit of a crapshoot.
Discussion:
lenNY's Yankees, True Blue LA, The Pinstriper, Dodger Thoughts, Respect Jeter's Gangster and Pinstripe Alley
Mark Hale / New York Post:
Francoeur a fan of free-agent targets — Jeff Francoeur has noticed the kind of lineup the Phillies sport. One of their best hitters can't crack the batting order's top five. — “You look at championship teams what they do,” Francoeur told The Post yesterday, talking about the Phils and the Yankees …
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Thomas Boswell / Washington Post:
Nats act like they belong — At the winter meetings this week, the Nats signed a future Hall of Famer as a backup catcher for two years for an above-market price of $6 million. They also traded for a reliever who throws 97 mph, had a 3.25 ERA over his last four years with the Yankees and just pitched in the World Series.
John Tomase / Boston Herald:
Mets 1st to Jason Bay — Bid good for $65M — + Recent Articles + Recent Blog Entries + Email + Bio — INDIANAPOLIS - The Mets have opened the bidding on Jason Bay. — A day after the Herald reported that New York was preparing to enter the fray, the Mets made an offer on the last day of the winter meetings.
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:
Full Count, The Bottom Line, WEEI, Projo Sox Blog, Over the Monster, Brownie Points, NESN.com, New York Post, Red Sox Monster, SOX & Dawgs and MLB Rumors
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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.
Gordon Edes / MLB:Report: Boston Red Sox trade Mike Lowell to Texas Rangers for Max Ramirez
Discussion:
Jorge Says No!, 6-4-2, Lone Star Ball, Texas Rangers Blog, Baseball Beat …, ESPN and Fox Sports
Jayson Stark / ESPN:
Stark: 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.
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Troy Polamalu / Yahoo! Sports:
Winter meetings winners and losers — INDIANAPOLIS - The uncertain economy is the ultimate party-pooper, a real spoilsport. We've all had to acknowledge it on some level. Baseball did so this week at its annual winter meetings, often a time of frenzied spending on free agents …
Discussion:
MLB Rumors
Sports Illustrated:
Phillies boldly raising the bar in NL … INDIANAPOLIS — After Milwaukee general manager Doug Melvin just spent $37.25 million to get veteran pitchers Randy Wolf and LaTroy Hawkins, he had an interesting take on what has happened to the level of competition in the National League.
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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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
RELATED:
John Manuel / Baseball America:Outfielders Hoffmann, Raynor Top Rule 5 Draft
Discussion:
sox1fan.com, Pinstripe Alley, River Avenue Blues, Boston Globe, Minor League Ball, Talking Chop, Let's Go Tribe! and The Good Phight
Reuters:
Taiwanese fans miss injured pitcher Wang — TAIPEI (Reuters) - A chain of injuries suffered by New York Yankees player Wang Chien-ming has thrust a pair of more obscure Taiwan-born Major League Baseball (MLB) pitchers into the limelight as dejected fans in Taiwan seek someone else to support.
ESPN:
Cincinnati confirms Kelly to coach Notre Dame … CINCINNATI — Notre Dame has settled on Brian Kelly as the man who can restore its faded glory, just as he turned Cincinnati into a national title contender. — Just 10 days after Charlie Weis was fired, it's up to Kelly to revive the fortunes …
