Top News:
Rob Bradford / Full Count:
Red Sox talking about Bay return — According to a team source, the Red Sox have had internal discussions about extending their organizational budget to potentially allow for another offer for free agent outfielder Jason Bay. The discussed proposal to Bay would be in the vicinity of the four-year …
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Nick Cafardo / Boston Globe:
Bay's agent is making return calls — Free agent Jason Bay's options haven't been very good this offseason, so his agent, Joe Urbon, who turned down the Red Sox' four-year, $60 million offer earlier this month, has been going back to the Sox in an effort to keep his client in a ballpark …
Adam Rubin / Surfing The Mets:Bay watch back on for Red Sox
Discussion:
The Musings and Prophecies …
Bruce Levine / MLB:
Closer Capps agrees to one-year deal with Washington Nationals — The Washington Nationals have signed Matt Capps to a one-year contract to be their closer for 2010, his agent said late Wednesday. — The deal is for $3.5 million for 2010, with a chance to make another $425,000 in performance bonuses.
Discussion:
The washington times Blogs, Sabernomics, Baseball Beat …, MLB Daily Dish and Jorge Says No!
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Bill Ladson / MLB.com:
Capps, Nats agree to one-year deal — Right-hander will compete with Bruney for closer role — WASHINGTON — Right-hander Matt Capps has agreed to terms on a one-year deal with the Nationals, pending a physical, according to Capps and his agent, Paul Kinzer. Monetary figures were not disclosed.
Chico Harlan / Nationals Journal:
Capps, Nats agree to deal — At roughly 1 a.m., the Nationals got their man. — Making their clearest step yet to improve a bullpen and end their pained search for a closer, the Washington Nationals on early Thursday morning reached a deal with free agent reliever Matt Capps, who has saved 66 games in the last three seasons.
Dejan Kovacevic / PBC Blog:
Pirates talking with Gregg — The Pirates have had several discussions with free agent Kevin Gregg, another of the few remaining closers on the market, according to a source involved with the talks. — Gregg, 31, had a 4.72 ERA in 72 appearances for the Chicago Cubs this past season.
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Dejan Kovacevic / Pittsburgh Post-Gazette:
Pirates eye Gregg, Dotel, as Capps picks Nats — Former closer gets one year, $3.5 million, more than Pirates' final offer — Matt Capps, the Pirates' recently released closer, formally is gone, but the team is engaged in talks with two possible replacements in free agents Kevin Gregg and Octavio Dotel.
Craig Calcaterra / Circling The Bases:the Pirates now deny that they have made Octavio Dotel an offer
Joseph Pawlikowski / River Avenue Blues:
With the lineup nearly set, is Nady worth the gamble? — “I will continue to look at any remaining piece, but it won't be a big piece” - Brian Cashman on the left field situation. — There will be no Holliday under the Christmas tree. There is no Bay in the Bronx. Damon's days in pinstripes have expired.
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Fox Sports:
Source: Uribe close to deal with Giants — Free-agent infielder Juan Uribe is close to returning to the Giants on a one-year contract with a club option for 2011, according to a major-league source. — The Giants are still looking for a regular first or third baseman.
Discussion:
MLB Rumors
Alden Gonzalez / MLB.com:
Jacoby's steal of home a sweet '09 moment — Among 2009 highlights, speedster's swipe vs. NY one to savor — There were so many times Jacoby Ellsbury found himself on third base, took his secondary lead and thought to himself, “I can make it. I know I can.”
Will Hill / TSN.ca:
FOR THE THRILL OF IT: ONE ON ONE WITH DIRK HAYHURST — In the summer of 2007, a friend turned me on to a feature on Baseball Americas website that quickly became required reading for me. It was The Non Prospect Diary penned by then-Padres minor leaguer Dirk Hayhurst.
Discussion:
Drunk Jays Fans
Ken Gurnick / MLB.com:
Inbox: Did Dodgers pursue Halladay? — Los Angeles fans ask about DeWitt, contracts and more — Did the Dodgers really try to trade for Roy Halladay? — Actually, they did. Perhaps more interestingly, sources claim that the Blue Jays preferred the Dodgers as trading partners …
John Manuel / Sports Illustrated:
Baseball's Top 20 Prospects … Baseball America's Prospect Handbookis going to press, and it's hard to describe the book to my non-baseball friends (a short list, but I have had a few such discussions). It's a book of 900 scouting reports on the game's top minor league players: 30 for each of the 30 major league organizations.
Dan Hayes / North County Times:
PADRES: Hoyer plans to be busy after new year — Though several free agents the Padres targeted this offseason have signed with other teams, general manager Jed Hoyer remains confident that he'll be able to upgrade the team's 40-man roster over the next two months.
Mark Bradley:
Troy Glaus to the Braves? To play 1B? Whatever, dude — Troy Glaus was World Series MVP. In 2002. Playing third base. — OK, there's the second move. And it's Troy Glaus. Excited now? — Me, neither. — Signing a guy to play first base who has barely played first base …
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Bottom9 Baseball
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