Top News:
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.
RELATED:
Mark Feinsand / NY Daily News:
Rangers make house call to Cliff Lee in Arkansas, but lefty ace likely won't make decision soon — The Rangers made a another house call on Cliff Lee in Arkansas Wednesday, trying to convince the lefthander to stay in Texas. — But while the Rangers are hopeful that Lee's positive experience this season …
Discussion:
IT IS HIGH!
George A. King III / New York Post:
Rangers set to push Yankees with 5-year bid for Lee
Discussion:
NoMaas.org, HardballTalk, River Avenue Blues and Fanhouse MLB Blog
Richard Durrett / ESPN:
Nolan Ryan, GM met with Cliff Lee
Discussion:
The LoHud Yankees Blog, SBNation.com and Lone Star Ball
Wallace Matthews / ESPN:
Source: New York Yankees think Cliff Lee wants offers next week
Discussion:
Postcards from Elysian Fields, Bronx Baseball Daily, The LoHud Yankees Blog and MLB Rumors
Andrew Baggarly / Extra Baggs:
UPDATED: Giants and Pat Burrell agree to discounted, one-year contract (10) — UPDATED: This file was rewritten at 8:50 p.m. with confirmation, plus more info on the signing. — A couple hours ago, I was on KNBR with Ralph and Tom and told them that Pat Burrell wasn't a front-burner priority …
Discussion:
SULLY BASEBALL, MLB Rumors, Fanhouse MLB Blog and El Lefty Malo
RELATED:
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 …
Discussion:
The Giants Baseball Blog
Michael Silverman / Boston Herald:
Red Sox gunning for top outfield target — + Recent Articles + Recent Blog Entries + Email — By all accounts, the Red Sox [team stats] are working hard behind the scenes to sign one of the two elite free agent outfielders, Carl Crawford or Jayson Werth.
Discussion:
ESPN, SOX & Dawgs, Over the Monster, USA Today, Boston Globe, NESN.com, SBNation.com, HardballTalk, Yahoo! Sports, Rays Index, MLB Rumors and Fanhouse MLB Blog
RELATED:
Gordon Edes / ESPN:
Sources: Red Sox meet Crawford, Werth — BOSTON — Just days before Monday's opening of baseball's winter meetings, the Boston Red Sox have stepped up their pursuit of the two free-agent outfielders at the top of their list, Carl Crawford and Jayson Werth, meeting with both players and their agents, according to sources.
Discussion:
Over the Monster
Associated Press:
Yankees' Aceves breaks bone in bike accident — NEW YORK (AP) — New York Yankees relief pitcher Alfredo Aceves is expected to miss the start of spring training after breaking his left collar bone in a bicycle accident in Mexico. — The Yankees say Aceves had surgery Tuesday in New York.
RELATED:
Adam McCalvy / MLB.com:
Crew GM wants to accelerate talks with Weeks — MILWAUKEE — The Brewers would love to lock up second baseman Rickie Weeks with a multiyear contract extension, but they're having trouble getting those talks started, general manager Doug Melvin said this week.
Discussion:
HardballTalk
RELATED:
Marty Noble / MLB.com:
Overlooking McGriff for Hall would be crime — First baseman was feared slugger with numbers to prove it — Contrary to an increasingly widespread perception, the Braves teams of the mid-90s didn't win regularly by scores of 1-0 and 2-1. A member of their Cy Young staff occasionally required …
Jeff Gordon / St. Louis Post-Dispatch:
Adding Theriot should help Cards refocus — The Cardinals had enough talent to dominate lesser teams last season. They didn't, so they missed the playoffs. — Why did they lose so many games they should have won? — Pitching injuries forced the team to get by with three quality starters for much of the season.
Discussion:
Viva El Birdos, Fungoes and HardballTalk
RELATED:
John Romano / St. Petersburg Times:
Tampa Bay Rays may be better off punting on 2011, building for future — As of now, the Rays are still contenders in the American League East. — Even without Carl Crawford. Even without Rafael Soriano. Even without Carlos Peña and Joaquin Benoit.
Ben Nicholson-Smith / MLB Rumors:
D'Backs To Sign Wily Mo Pena — The Diamondbacks will sign Wily Mo Pena to a minor league deal with an invitation to major league Spring Training, MLBTR has learned. The outfielder drew interest from multiple major league teams, including the Tigers, White Sox and Orioles.
Discussion:
HardballTalk
RELATED:
Alex Speier / Full Count:
Wily Mo Pena signs minor league deal with Arizona Diamondbacks
Discussion:
AZ Snakepit
Troy E. Renck / Denver Post:
Rockies trying to sign former all-star Lance Berkman — In the Rockies' search for a big bat to enhance their lineup, the team is aggressively pursuing veteran slugger Lance Berkman. — Berkman, a switch-hitter and former all-star, is coming off a disappointing season with the Astros and Yankees.
Discussion:
Purple Row, MLB Rumors and Fanhouse MLB Blog
Pete Carroll Show / MyNorthwest.com:
Ask Pete Carroll a question... Join us... Facebook — Twitter — Brock Huard — Brock Huard played football for his father, Mike, at Puyallup High School before moving on to the University of Washington. There Brock erased older brother Damon's name on several season and career passing records.
Discussion:
Mariners blog, Mets Merized Online, Lookout Landing, MLB Rumors, MetsBlog.com and U.S.S. Mariner
Kelly Thesier / MLB.com:
Inbox: If signed, where will Nishioka play? — Beat reporter Kelly Thesier answers questions from Twins fans … If the Twins are able to sign Tsuyoshi Nishioka, would they put him in at shortstop or second base for the 2011 season? — Nishioka can play both positions and has won …
Discussion:
MLB Rumors
Jon Paul Morosi / Fox Sports:
Longtime reliever Shouse calls it quits — Brian Shouse, a former reliever for the Texas Rangers and Milwaukee Brewers, told FOXSports.com on Wednesday that he has decided to retire after 21 professional seasons. — “It has been a long and fun career,” the 42-year-old left-hander said.
Discussion:
MLB Rumors
Ronald Blum / Associated Press:
Stimulant exemptions in MLB virtually unchanged — NEW YORK—Major League Baseball granted 105 exemptions for otherwise-banned stimulants in the last year because of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, virtually unchanged from the previous year's total.
