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5:55 PM ET, December 2, 2010

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 Top News: 
Gordon Edes / ESPN:
Source: Okajima will be non-tendered  —  BOSTON — The Red Sox do not plan to tender a contract to left-handed reliever Hideki Okajima, a club source said Wednesday night.  —  Okajima, who was paid $2.8 million in 2010 ($2.75 million in salary, an additional $50,000 in performance bonuses), is arbitration-eligible.
RELATED:
Peter Abraham / Boston Globe:
Red Sox sign Varitek for one year  —  The Red Sox have signed Jason Varitek to a one-year deal worth $2 million according to a baseball source The deal includes $300,000 in incentives that likely would be based on how often he plays.  —  It seems apparent now that the Red Sox are prepared …
Michael Silverman / Boston Herald:
Red Sox caught up in Russell Martin dealings  —  + Recent Articles + Recent Blog Entries + Email  —  Tonight's deadline to tender arbitration doesn't hold a great deal of suspense as far as Red Sox [team stats] players are concerned.  —  What happens with the Los Angeles Dodgers and catcher Russell Martin is another story.
ESPN:
Source: Jason Varitek back in Boston  —  Longtime Boston Red Sox captain Jason Varitek is returning to the team for another season despite interest from at least one other team, a baseball source told ESPN.com's Jerry Crasnick on Thursday.  —  The catcher will sign a one-year deal for $2 million …
Jon Paul Morosi / Fox Sports:
Three teams show interest in Werth  —  At this time of year, markets shift quickly.  But right now, the Boston Red Sox, Philadelphia Phillies and Detroit Tigers are seen as the most serious suitors for free agent outfielder Jayson Werth, according to major-league sources.
Discussion: ESPN and MLB Rumors
Tim Dierkes / MLB Rumors:
Red Sox Re-Sign Jason Varitek  —  The Red Sox re-signed catcher Jason Varitek to a one-year, $2MM deal, tweets SI's Jon Heyman.  MLB.com's Peter Gammons adds that the deal has $300K in incentives.  —  Varitek, 39 in April, will return for a 15th season in Boston.
Christina Kahrl / Baseball Prospectus:
A Dirty Half-Dozen  —  As I gear up for my latest dose of fun …
Discussion: Cincinnati Reds Blog
USA Today:
White Sox, Adam Dunn agree to 4-year, $56 million deal  —  Adam Dunn, the biggest slugger on the free-agent market, has agreed in principal to a four-year deal for $56 million with the White Sox, according to two officials involved in the contract talks who were not athorized to speak …
Discussion: DC Pro Sports Report
RELATED:
Mike DiGiovanna / LA Times Sports Blog:
Chicago White Sox closing in on four-year, $56-million deal for slugger Adam Dunn  —  The Chicago White Sox are closing in on a four-year, $56-million deal for free-agent slugger Adam Dunn, according to a major-league source with knowledge of the situation.  —  The news will be something …
Doug Padilla / ESPN:
Chicago White Sox exercise option on Alexei Ramirez  —  The Chicago White Sox made it official Thursday, exercising the $2.75 million option on Alexei Ramirez, but the end of Bobby Jenks' career with the Sox may be near.  —  According to a source with knowledge of White Sox business …
Craig Calcaterra / NBCSports.com:
The White Sox may get Adam Dunn AND Paul Konerko  —  Adam Dunn is all but done.  And talk about changing the balance of power, here's the latest tweet from Joe Cowley: … I have no idea if a team's players are the best source for this kind of thing, but one way they would know is if their buddy Konerko …
Discussion: Babes Love Baseball
Fox Sports:
ChiSox pursuing options, mulling trades  —  Ken Rosenthal has been the senior baseball writer for FOXSports.com since Aug. 2005.  He appears weekly on MLB on FOX.  Follow him on Twitter.  —  Jon Paul Morosi  —  The Chicago White Sox agreed terms with free agent slugger Adam Dunn on a four-year …
Jayson Stark / ESPN:
Sources: New York Yankees tell Derek Jeter they'll improve offer  —  The New York Yankees informed Derek Jeter's agent, Casey Close, on Thursday that the team was willing to improve its original three-year, $45 million offer, according to sources close to the negotiations.
RELATED:
Michael S. Schmidt / Bats:
Yankees Improve Their Offer to Jeter  —  The Yankees and Derek Jeter have moved at least a little closer to a deal, according to a person in baseball briefed on the status of the negotiations.  —  On Wednesday, Jeter's agent, Casey Close, and Yankees executives talked, and the Yankees improved their offer, the person said.
NY Daily News:
After meeting with Brian Cashman, Derek Jeter isn't any closer …
Henry Schulman / San Francisco Chronicle:
Pat Burrell gets 1-year deal with SF Giants  —  Pat Burrell, the local boy, is staying put.  —  Burrell and the Giants have reached agreement on a one-year contract, The Chronicle has confirmed.  The value was not immediately available.  —  Burrell, 34, was a major contributor …
RELATED:
Andrew Baggarly / Extra Baggs:
UPDATED: Giants and Pat Burrell agree to discounted, one-year contract (10)
David Waldstein / Bats:
Takahashi and Angels Close to a Deal  —  Hisanori Takahashi, a versatile pitcher for the Mets in 2010, is close to agreeing to a multiyear deal with the Los Angeles Angels pending a physical, according to an executive with knowledge of the situation.  —  Takahashi, a left-handed pitcher …
Andy Martino / NY Daily News:
John Maine likely won't receive contract offer from Mets; Angel Pagan, R.A. Dickey should get deals  —  John Maine's five-year career as a Met will likely end Thursday, when the team is expected to non-tender the pitcher, making him a free agent.  —  Angel Pagan, R.A. Dickey …
Discussion: Mets Fever
RELATED:
Ken Davidoff / Newsday:
Mets don't tender a contract to Maine
Discussion: Mets Fever
Fox Sports:
Why Rangers don't need to pay Lee  —  Ken Rosenthal has been the senior baseball writer for FOXSports.com since Aug. 2005.  He appears weekly on MLB on FOX.  Follow him on Twitter.  —  If I were the Rangers, I would almost want to lose Cliff Lee.  —  Don't get me wrong, Lee would be a tremendous asset.
Discussion: Lone Star Ball and MLB.com
Ted Berg / Tedquarters:
Steve Phillips still talking, still shouldn't be  —  Even though he's moved on from ESPN, Steve Phillips is still doing the goofy “pretend I'm a real-life GM” thing.  Only now he's not at a podium taking scripted questions from fake press, he's sitting in front of a bookshelf talking to a webcam …
 
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 More News: 
New York Times:
Islanders Travel the Road From Dynasty to Debacle
Joe Janish / Mets Today:
Free Agent Focus: Minor Leaguers
Mike Petriello / Baseball Prospectus:
Fantasy Beat  —  Hot Spots: Relief Pitchers  —  As Mr. McQuown …
Fran Spielman / Chicago Sun Times:
Wrigley finance proposal has struck out
Discussion: Bleed Cubbie Blue and HardballTalk
Peter Abraham / Boston Globe:
Greetings from Gate B-22
Doug Miller / MLB.com:
Non-tender deadline adds intrigue to Hot Stove
Discussion: Mets Merized Online
Mark Feinsand / NY Daily News:
Rangers make house call to Cliff Lee in Arkansas, but lefty ace likely …
Discussion: New Jersey Online and IT IS HIGH!
 Earlier Picks: 
Marty Noble / MLB.com:
Overlooking McGriff for Hall would be crime
Joe Pawlikowski / FanGraphs Baseball:
Taking a Risk on Carl Pavano
John Romano / St. Petersburg Times:
Tampa Bay Rays may be better off punting on 2011, building for future
Discussion: Rays Index
Kelly Thesier / MLB.com:
Inbox: If signed, where will Nishioka play?
Discussion: MLB Rumors
Jeff Gordon / St. Louis Post-Dispatch:
Adding Theriot should help Cards refocus
Ben Nicholson-Smith / MLB Rumors:
Pirates Interested In Bartlett, Hardy
Ronald Blum / Associated Press:
Stimulant exemptions in MLB virtually unchanged
 

 
From WeSmirch:

People:
Meghan Markle Reaches Out to Her Dad Thomas Markle After His Emergency Leg Amputation, Spokesperson Confirms

Reuters:
American playwright Jeremy O. Harris arrested in Japan on alleged drug smuggling

Nicolai Ouroussoff / New York Times:
Frank Gehry, Titan of Architecture, Is Dead at 96

 
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