Top News:
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.
Discussion:
Full Count, DRaysBay, Capitol Punishment, Halos Heaven, Lookout Landing, BronxBanterBlog.com, BBTF's Baseball Primer …, sox1fan.com, Angels blog, Yankeeist, MLB Daily Dish, Federal Baseball, Boston Globe, Bless You Boys, The iYankees Blog, Yahoo! Sports, River Avenue Blues, The Mighty Quinn Media Machine and Mets Merized Online
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Bill Ladson / MLB.com:
Willingham on the block — LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. — While Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo talked about Josh Willingham as one of the team's middle of the order hitters in 2011, a second source told MLB.com that Willingham will most likely be traded before the start of the '11 season.
Discussion:
ESPN, Federal Baseball and Purple Row
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:
Jayson Stark / ESPN:
Fun has just begun at winter meetings — Jayson Werth's monster deal with the Nationals could change market for others — LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. — Theoretically, the winter meetings haven't even started yet. Yeah, sure they haven't. — Before half the luminaries in baseball …
Discussion:
MetsBlog.com, MLB Rumors and Twinkie Town
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.
Bill Ladson / MLB.com:
Rizzo talks about Dunn
Bill Ladson / MLB.com:
Werth reunited with Riggleman
Adam Kilgore / Nationals Journal:
Nationals sign Jayson Werth [UPDATED]
Nationals sign Jayson Werth [UPDATED]
Discussion:
MLB.com, Rays Index, Sports Illustrated, The Nationals Enquirer, LA Times Sports Blog, baseballmusings.com and The Big Lead
Dave Cameron / FanGraphs Baseball:
A Jayson Werth Article Without a Pun in the Headline
A Jayson Werth Article Without a Pun in the Headline
Discussion:
Nationals Journal, Federal Baseball, ESPN, The Goessling Game, NATS INSIDER and Bucs Dugout
Scott Lauber / Clubhouse Insider:
Source: Red Sox interested in reliever Brian Fuentes — LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. — Today, like yesterday, will be primarily about Adrian Gonzalez in the Red Sox' universe. Gonzalez will be introduced in an 11 a.m. press conference in Fenway Park, and colleague Michael Silverman will have details from there.
Discussion:
MLB Rumors, Inside the D-backs and NESN.com
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Tim Dierkes / MLB Rumors:
Red Sox Acquire Adrian Gonzalez — After being the subject of trade rumors for close to two years, Adrian Gonzalez is finally on his way out of San Diego. The Padres will send their star slugger to the Red Sox in exchange for Casey Kelly, Anthony Rizzo, Reymond Fuentes, and a player to be named later.
Discussion:
Boston Globe, Gaslamp Ball, Full Count, Red Sox Monster, Over the Monster, MLBDEPTHCHARTS and sox1fan.com
Nick Cafardo / Boston Globe:
Red Sox complete Gonzalez deal — Report: Slugger will receive eight-year, $167m extension — LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. — It was a day of “it's on, it's off.” A day of fan frustration ended on a high note last night when, according to a major league source, the Red Sox acquired slugging …
Discussion:
Associated Press, SawxBlog, The Soxaholix, Boston Globe and baseballmusings.com
Jon Heyman / Sports Illustrated:
Red Sox, Padres complete Adrian Gonzalez deal ... finally
Discussion:
SignOnSanDiego.com, Red Sox Beacon, ESPN, The Joy of Sox, Yahoo! Sports, Chicago Breaking Sports, The Big Lead and Full Count
Ian Browne / MLB.com:
Gonzalez-to-Red Sox deal off for now
Gonzalez-to-Red Sox deal off for now
Discussion:
Ducksnorts and baseballmusings.com
Nick Cafardo / Boston Globe:
Is A-Gon gone? — One minute progress, next minute talks are off?
Is A-Gon gone? — One minute progress, next minute talks are off?
Discussion:
MLB Daily Dish and HardballTalk
JSOnline:
Brewers trade for Marcum (updated) — By Tom Haudricourt of the Journal Sentinel — UPDATE: A SOURCE IN CANADA JUST TOLD ME THAT MINOR LEAGUE 2B BRETT LAWRIE IS IN THE DEAL FOR MARCUM. HE IS LISTED BY BASEBALL AMERICA AS THE BREWERS' TOP MINOR LEAGUE PROSPECT.
Discussion:
Baseball America, FanGraphs Baseball, U.S.S. Mariner and The Crawfish Boxes
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Zach Links / MLB Rumors:
Brewers Acquire Shaun Marcum — The Brewers and Blue Jays have agreed to a trade that will send two players a little closer to home. The Blue Jays will send Kansas City native Shaun Marcum to Milwaukee in exchange for Canadian prospect Brett Lawrie. It's the second deal the teams …
Discussion:
Mike Silva's …, Al's Ramblings and NESN.com
Baseball Hall of Fame:
Pat Gillick Elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame by Expansion Era Committee — Longtime Baseball Executive to Be Inducted in Cooperstown, July 24, 2011 — ORLANDO, FL: Pat Gillick, who built three World Series champions and has served baseball for nearly 50 years …
Discussion:
Yahoo! Sports, Bluebird Banter, BronxBanterBlog.com, River Avenue Blues and Batter's Box Interactive …
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Associated Press:
Pat Gillick Elected to Baseball Hall of Fame — LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. (AP) — Pat Gillick, whose teams won three World Series titles in 27 years as a major league general manager, was elected to baseball's Hall of Fame on Monday by the Veterans Committee. — In his fifth time on the ballot …
Discussion:
Boston Globe
Troy Renck / All Things Rockies:
What is CarGo Werth? Would take mega deal — ORLANDO — It's been a long time since the Rockies influence payroll decisions in big markets. But Troy Tulowitzki's new seven-year, $134.5-million extension made Derek Jeter an even richer man. It was important for Jeter to remain …
Discussion:
MLB Rumors and NESN.com
Evan Grant / Texas Rangers:
Pre-winter meetings Rangers-related rumors on Cliff Lee and Zack Greinke — ORLANDO - Some potentially irresponsible, totally intriguing Rangers-related rumors from the lobby/bar area of the winter meetings on the eve of the start of this thing: — • Cliff Lee is telling teammates …
Discussion:
Toronto Sun, Lone Star Ball, MLB.com, baseballmusings.com and Royals Review
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