Top News:
Jeff Zrebiec / Baltimore Sun:
O's nearing deal with reliever Gonzalez — Free agent was 5-4 with 2.42 ERA, 10 saves last season for Braves — Looking to solidify the back end of their bullpen, the Orioles are nearing an agreement on a two-year deal with free agent left-handed reliever Mike Gonzalez, according to industry sources.
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Fox Sports:
Sources: Orioles jump into Holliday sweepstakes — The Cardinals are not the only team pursuing free-agent left fielder Matt Holliday. — The Orioles have jumped into the bidding, though both the seriousness of their efforts and Holliday's desire to play in Baltimore are in question, major-league sources say.
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.
Dan Connolly / Baltimore Sun:New targets flying low on O's radar, for now
Discussion:
Fox Sports, Mets Merized Online, The Schmuck Stops Here, MLB Rumors, Purple Row, Denver Post, MASNsports.com and MetsBlog.com
George A. King III / New York Post:
Yankees talk to Johnson about vacant DH role — The Yankees and Nick Johnson are talking about the sweet-swinging lefty and on-base machine replacing Hideki Matsui as the World Champions' DH on a one-year deal. — If a deal is completed, it would be an indication the Yankees will part with Johnny Damon …
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MLB:
Sources: Johnny Damon wants $13 million a season from New York Yankees — There is no movement in the talks between free agent outfielder Johnny Damon and the New York Yankees, major league sources tell ESPN The Magazine's Buster Olney. — Damon — Damon wants $13 million a year …
Discussion:
Zell's Pinstripe Blog
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.
Mark Feinsand / NY Daily News:
Whether it's from New York Yankees or not, Johnny Damon sees big pay day — After watching some of his peers collect big bucks over the past week, Johnny Damon feels as confident as ever that his payday is just around the corner. — Whether that payday comes from the Yankees, however, remains to be seen.
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.
Discussion:
Seattle Times, sox1fan.com, Full Count, MLB Rumors, Boston Globe, Walkoff Walk, MASNsports.com, The iYankees Blog, Over the Monster, The Bottom Line, NESN.com, Circling The Bases, MetsBlog.com, Fenway West, A Die Hard Yankees Fan, The House That Dewey Built, It's About The Money, Clubhouse Insider and Sliding Into Home
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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.
Tim Dierkes / MLB Rumors:
Roy Halladay-Cliff Lee Trade Finalized — 3:27pm: Over at BlueJays.com, Blue Jays Alex Anthopoulos talked about the players the Jays received in the Halladay deal, as well as recent signing John Buck. A few notes: Anthopoulos sees Wallace as a first baseman, and he has still has ongoing trade talks about other players.
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Eric Stephen / True Blue LA:
Dodgers Add Carroll-ing to Holiday Plans — More photos » by Gail Burton - AP — The Dodgers have signed utility man Jamey Carroll to a two-year contract, pending a physical, per Buster Olney of ESPN. Carroll, who bats right-handed, will likely be Blake DeWitt's caddy at second base in 2010 …
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The Huffington Post:
Godzilla Rocks Southern California — WHAT'S YOUR REACTION? — There's a line about Godzilla in the 1998 Hollywood remake that goes: “He's not some monster trying to evade you... If you find what he wants, then he'll come to you.” This week baseball's Godzilla found the contract he wanted …
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Mark Bowman / MLB.com:
Lowe resigned to likelihood of trade — Righty regards late-season woes as Braves' motivation — ATLANTA — When Derek Lowe entered this offseason, he found himself frustrated by an inability to correct his mechanical flaws and was determined to be more of an asset to the Braves during the final three years of his contract.
The Charlotte Observer:
Bengals wide receiver injured in Charlotte wreck — Police say Chris Henry “came out” of pickup truck — Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Chris Henry was injured after he “came out” of the back of a pickup during a domestic dispute in northern Charlotte, according to police.
Dejan Kovacevic / PBC Blog:
Pirates talk to Kelly Johnson — The Pirates are interested in free-agent outfielder/second baseman Kelly Johnson, an industry source confirmed this afternoon. — Johnson, who will turn 28 in February, became a free agent Saturday after being non-tendered by Atlanta.
