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Zach Links / MLB Rumors:
Nationals Sign Jayson Werth — Scott Boras landed Jayson Werth a nine-figure contract with a surprise suitor this afternoon. The Nationals signed the free agent outfielder to a seven-year, $126MM deal. In case any doubt remained, this deal shows that it's a good time to be a free agent.
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Todd Zolecki / The Zo Zone:
Werth Signs with Nationals — Jayson Werth has signed a seven-year, $126 million contract with the Washington Nationals. — Sources told MLB.com this afternoon Werth's agent Scott Boras was close to a deal with the Nationals. The Nationals figure to have money to spend after losing free agent Adam Dunn to the Chicago White Sox.
Adam Kilgore / Nationals Journal:
Nationals sign Jayson Werth [UPDATED] — The Nationals have signed free agent outfielder Jayson Werth, according to a source, robbing the division rival Philadelphia Phillies of one of their best players and making stunning improvement to their immediate chances at contention.
Discussion:
MLB.com, Sports Illustrated, baseballmusings.com, LA Times Sports Blog, The Nationals Enquirer and The Big Lead
Fox Sports:
Boras gets insane contract for Werth — 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. — A rival general manager, upon hearing that the contract was for seven years, offered this reaction to Jayson Werth's signing with the Nationals:
Alex Speier / Full Count:
Extension can wait? Why Adrian Gonzalez extension might not make sense right now — The Sox will want Adrian Gonzalez for years to come...but might want to wait on an extension. (AP) — The big fish is on the hook, and now needs only to be reeled in. Or does he?
Discussion:
Boston Globe, HardballTalk, FenwayNationWorld, MLB Rumors, NESN.com, SBNation.com, MLB Daily Dish and Mets Today
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Ian Browne / MLB.com:
Gonzalez-to-Red Sox deal off for now — BOSTON — The Red Sox and slugger Adrian Gonzalez could not agree on a contract extension by the Sunday afternoon deadline instituted by Major League Baseball, putting on hold for now a blockbuster deal that would have sent highly rated prospects Casey Kelly …
Discussion:
Ducksnorts
Nick Cafardo / Boston Globe:
A-Gon Gone? — One minute progress, next minute talks are off? Strange set of circumstances going on at the moment in the Adrian Gonzalez contract extension talks. — SI.com's Jon Heyman reported talks have broken off between the Red Sox and Adrian Gonzalez' agent John Boggs and the deal is over.
Discussion:
MLB Daily Dish and HardballTalk
Jon Heyman / Sports Illustrated:
Sox unable to complete Gonzalez deal … The Red Sox were unable to complete a deal for Padres first baseman Adrian Gonzalez by the MLB's 2 p.m. ET deadline, SI.com has learned. — The Padres and Red Sox had previously reached an agreement on a trade that would have sent the All-Star to Boston for four minor league prospects.
Discussion:
SignOnSanDiego.com and ESPN
Peter Abraham / Boston Globe:
Gonzalez passes his physical; clock now ticks on getting a deal done
Discussion:
MLB Rumors, FenwayNationWorld and Yahoo! Sports
Luke Adams / MLB Rumors:
Carl Crawford Rumors: Sunday — In his ESPN.com blog entry today (Insider required), Buster Olney passes along an interesting note: Agents that have spoken to Olney believe “a ton” of free agents will sign within the next week. Of course, while we could see a lot of second- or third-tier names come off …
Discussion:
New York Post, Boston Globe and Pinstripe Alley
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Fox Sports:
Is there a mystery team in hunt for 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. — There is a mystery team in on Cliff Lee. — I don't know this for sure, but I'm guessing there is one team …
Discussion:
SBNation.com and Chicago Breaking Sports
NorthJersey.com:
Popper: Mets could use Omar Minaya's help in digging up good deals — Sandy Alderson is heading to the winter meetings today with high hopes and little cash, intent on searching through the corners and crevices of the bargain bins of major league baseball to find a useful piece.
Discussion:
Mets Today and MetsBlog.com
R.B. Fallstrom / Yahoo! Sports:
Cardinals, Berkman agree to one-year deal — is headed back to the NL Central, joining a team he knows really well. — The former Houston Astros slugger agreed to an $8 million, one-year contract with St. Louis on Saturday, solidifying the Cardinals' roster ahead of the upcoming winter meetings.
Discussion:
Angels blog
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