Top News:
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, NATS INSIDER and William World News
RELATED:
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, River Avenue Blues, Capitol Punishment, DRaysBay, Halos Heaven, Lookout Landing, BronxBanterBlog.com, sox1fan.com, BBTF's Baseball Primer …, Yankeeist, Angels blog, MLB Daily Dish, Federal Baseball, Boston Globe, Bless You Boys, Yahoo! Sports, The iYankees Blog, The Mighty Quinn Media Machine and Mets Merized Online
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:
Adam Kilgore / Nationals Journal:
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
Discussion:
Nationals Journal, Federal Baseball, ESPN, The Goessling Game, NationalsFanboyLooser and Bucs Dugout
Gary Dzen / Boston Globe:
Red Sox introduce Gonzalez — A formal member of the Red Sox for hours if not moments, Adrian Gonzalez already knew the right words to appease his new fans. — “I'm very excited that everything was able to be worked out,” said Gonzalez this afternoon at a Fenway Park press conference formally announcing …
Discussion:
baseballmusings.com, Red Sox Beacon and Full Count
RELATED:
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
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:
SawxBlog, Associated Press, The Soxaholix, Boston Globe and baseballmusings.com
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, Red Sox Monster, Over the Monster, MLBDEPTHCHARTS, sox1fan.com and Full Count
Ian Browne / MLB.com:
Gonzalez-to-Red Sox deal off for now
Discussion:
Over the Monster, Ducksnorts and baseballmusings.com
Jon Heyman / Sports Illustrated:
Red Sox, Padres complete Adrian Gonzalez deal ... finally
Discussion:
Associated Press, Yahoo! Sports, SignOnSanDiego.com, ESPN, The Joy of Sox, Chicago Breaking Sports and The Big Lead
Nick Cafardo / Boston Globe:
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, Bluebird Banter, FanGraphs Baseball, U.S.S. Mariner and The Crawfish Boxes
RELATED:
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 …
RELATED:
Richard Durrett / ESPN:
Rangers will try to solidify roster — Organization will be looking for ways to bolster club during winter meetings … ORLANDO, Fla. — A year ago, conventional wisdom had the Texas Rangers as bit players at baseball's winter meetings. After all, the team was dealing with a tight budget …
RELATED:
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
Dan Connolly / Orioles Insider:
The reported Koji Six, and a stroll around the lobby — It's the official first day of the winter meetings and by 9 a.m. people were buzzing in the lobby. OK, buzzing it is a bit strong. It was like a march of defeated ants, everyone knowing for the next three days there will be countless …
Discussion:
MLB Rumors and Twinkie Town
Scott Merkin / MLB.com:
Jenks grateful for time spent with White Sox — Return to Chicago not completely ruled out for longtime closer — LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. — The man who once talked about being born to work as the White Sox closer now has to deal with the potential end of his successful run holding that particular job on the South Side of Chicago.
Discussion:
Red Reporter
