Top News:
Fox Sports:
Red Sox take aim at Adrian Gonzalez — The Red Sox are not done yet. — The team, set to announce the signings of free-agent right-hander John Lackey and center fielder Mike Cameron, is working hard to obtain Padres first baseman Adrian Gonzalez, according to major-league sources.
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Bill Center / SignOnSanDiego.com:
Red Sox could be targeting Gonzalez — Speculation swirls with recent moves — Padres General Manager Jed Hoyer recently said he expects Adrian Gonzalez to be at first base when the 2010 season starts in April. — But are the Boston Red Sox positioning themselves for another run …
Discussion:
Circling The Bases
Jon Heyman / Sports Illustrated:
Mets tweak offer to Bay, eye Holliday … Moving aggressively to try to secure a power-hitting left fielder, the Mets tweaked their offer to Jason Bay to give him a five-year option and are getting back into the ballgame for Matt Holliday, as well, SI.com has learned.
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Buster Olney / MLB:Sources: New York Mets, OF Jason Bay remain in serious talks
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Associated Press
John Manuel / Baseball America:
New York Yankees Top 10 Prospects — New York Yankees … Every Yankees team is measured against the amazing, rich history of the franchise, the most championship-laden in American team sports. — The standard for success is clear. Anything less than a World Series title is a failure.
Jose De Jesus Ortiz / Houston Chronicle:
McLane admits he nearly sold Astros — Houston businessman Crane backed out of handshake deal — After a year of denials, Astros owner Drayton McLane admitted Tuesday that he was on the brink of selling the club to Houston businessman Jim Crane after the 2008 season.
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Evan Grant / Texas Rangers:Hicks, Greenberg and Ryan officially on to next step
Discussion:
baseballmusings.com
George A. King III / New York Post:
Damon ready to explore other options; Mets one possibility — Is Johnny Damon following Hideki Matsui out of The Bronx? — With very little contact between the Yankees and the free-agent left fielder, Damon is ready to explore other options. — “I am going to start looking around.
Discussion:
MLB Rumors, River Avenue Blues, Pinstripes, Pa., Pinstripe Alley, Bronx Baseball Daily and Circling The Bases
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Barry M. Bloom / MLB.com:
Commissioner forms advisory committee — Members will analyze ways to improve game on the field — NEW YORK — Commissioner Bud Selig announced on Tuesday that he will chair a new 14-man special committee to analyze ways of improving Major League Baseball on the field.
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Phil Rogers / Chicago Tribune:
MLB sets up mechanism that could ban DH — (Jim Prisching, Associated Press / November 19, 2009) — Commissioner sets up non-binding rules' committee — On Baseball — Is the designated hitter rule finally on its way out with Major League Baseball?
Anthony Castrovince / MLB.com:
Tigers, Santiago agree on two-year deal — Veteran infielder netted career-high seven homers in 2009 — Ramon Santiago figures to be an important piece of the Tigers' middle-infield equation in 2010, spelling Adam Everett at shortstop and rookie Scott Sizemore at second base.
Tim Dierkes / MLB Rumors:
Roy Halladay-Cliff Lee Trade Finalized — 1:48pm: The Mariners announced the trade in a press release, with GM Jack Zdruriencik congratulating the Phillies and Blue Jays on the way the deal was handled. ESPN's Jayson Stark notes that the deal will be complete all-around once Bud Selig signs off on the $6MM going to the Phillies.
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Randy Moss / Yahoo! Sports:
Chapman unveils 97 mph fastball for suitors — For the dozens of baseball men wondering whether Aroldis Chapman's official unveiling was worth the trip, the left-hander had an emphatic, 97-mph answer with his final pitch. — Sure was. — Executives and scouts came out of Tuesday's 30 …
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James Kannengieser / Amazin' Avenue:
Stop Saying Omar Minaya Only Goes After Latino Players — The “Omar Minaya only pursues Latino players” topic has appeared again this offseason and the propagators of this myth are out in full force. Perhaps it was brought on by the signings of Alex Cora, Henry Blanco and Elmer Dessens.
David Waldstein / Bats:
Mets Near a Deal With Ryota Igarashi — The Mets are close to signing Ryota Igarashi, a Japanese pitcher, to a two-year deal, according to a person briefed on the situation. Yes, they need an outfielder to hit in the middle of the batting order and another starting pitcher, but they also needed to improve their bullpen.
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Dan Connolly / Baltimore Sun:
New targets flying low on O's radar, for now — Several nontendered players contacted, but none has risen to top of team's wish list — The Orioles' pool of potential free agents expanded this week, but none of the newly available targets has shot to the top of the club's wish list.
Discussion:
Fox Sports, MLB Rumors, Denver Post, The Schmuck Stops Here, Purple Row and MASNsports.com
Bill Ladson / MLB.com:
Marquis interested in Nationals — Right-hander went 15-13 with 4.04 ERA for Rockies in '09 — Last week at the Winter Meetings, it was revealed that the Nationals had interest in free-agent right-hander Jason Marquis. It turns out that the feelings are mutual.
Discussion:
Circling The Bases, Mets Today, Federal Baseball, Yahoo! Sports, MetsBlog.com, MLB Daily Dish, MLB Rumors and Mets Fever
Photi / Fish Chunks:
Cracked Stat Report: Baseball Verses Football — One of the many problems that is pointed out about the baseball park that for at least the next five minutes is known as LandShark Stadium is that it actually is not really a baseball park. A football team known as the Miami Dolphins has tromped …
MLB.com:
Nationals sign six players to minor league contracts — The Washington Nationals today signed right-handed pitchers Joel Peralta, Logan Kensing and Ryan Speier, catcher Jamie Burke, infielder Pete Orr and outfielder Jerry Owens to minor league contracts. Nationals Senior Vice President …
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