Top News:
Ben Nicholson-Smith / MLB Rumors:
Red Sox Agree To Sign Carl Crawford — The Red Sox started the Winter Meetings with a splash and they won't leave before making another blockbuster addition. Boston has agreed to a seven-year, $142MM deal with Carl Crawford, according to Peter Abraham of the Boston Globe (on Twitter).
RELATED:
Peter Abraham / Boston Globe:
Red Sox agree to terms with Crawford — A Major League source has told the Globe the deal is for seven years and $142 million. — More to come. — UPDATE, 12:28 a.m. The deal came to fruition late tonight according to a Major Source with direct knowledge of the negotiations.
Peter Abraham / Boston Globe:
Sox sign up Crawford for $142m — Seven-year contract lands top position player on market — New Red Sox Gold Glove left fielder Carl Crawford is Tampa Bay's career leader in batting average, doubles, triples, stolen bases, and runs. (Ezra Shaw/File/Getty Images)
Discussion:
New York Post, The Soxaholix, The House That Dewey Built, Boston Dirt Dogs and YFSF
Ken Rosenthal / mlbbuzz:
Do we have our mystery team? — Before signing Carl Crawford …
Do we have our mystery team? — Before signing Carl Crawford …
Discussion:
HardballTalk, New Jersey Online, NESN.com, River Avenue Blues, Mike Silva's …, The Nationals Enquirer and Full Count
Nick Cafardo / Boston Globe:
Tilting the balance of power
Tilting the balance of power
Discussion:
Baseball Prospectus and It's About The Money
ESPN:
Source: Red Sox to ink Carl Crawford
Source: Red Sox to ink Carl Crawford
Discussion:
Batter's Box Interactive …, Red Sox Beacon, It's About The Money and MLB
Nick Collias / MLB Rumors:
Gonzalez: No Agreement In Place With Red Sox
Gonzalez: No Agreement In Place With Red Sox
Discussion:
NESN.com and FenwayNationWorld
Dave Cameron / FanGraphs Baseball:
Boston Signs Carl Crawford
Boston Signs Carl Crawford
Discussion:
Los Angeles Times, The Joy of Sox, Getting Blanked, Sports Illustrated, USA Today and Baseball Analysts
Jonathan Mayo / MLB.com:
Clubs seek diamond in rough in Rule 5 Draft — LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. — In a perfect world, teams would take the relatively low risk of making a selection in Thursday's Rule 5 Draft and uncover a Johan Santana, Josh Hamilton, Joakim Soria or Dan Uggla. — But while the Rule 5 Draft …
RELATED:
MLB.com:
2010 Rule 5 Draft results … The following are trademarks or service marks of Major League Baseball entities and may be used only with permission of Major League Baseball Properties, Inc. or the relevant Major League Baseball entity: Major League, Major League Baseball, MLB …
Discussion:
NESN.com
John Manuel / Baseball America:
Rodriguez Leads Off Active Rule 5 — Nineteen players selected in major league phase — LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla.—Familiarity does not breed contempt in the Rule 5 draft. It breeds draft picks. — The Pirates held the No. 1 overall selection, and general manager Neal Huntington reached …
Discussion:
The LoHud Yankees Blog, MetsMinorLeagueBlog.com and Tedquarters
Matthew Cerrone / MetsBlog.com:
The Rule 5 Draft — Baseball's Rule 5 Draft was held this morning …
The Rule 5 Draft — Baseball's Rule 5 Draft was held this morning …
Discussion:
Baseball America, ESPN and The Good Phight
Kevin Goldstein / Baseball Prospectus:
Rule Five Wrap-Up
ESPN:
Sources: Yanks offer Cliff Lee 7 years … The New York Yankees on Thursday have gone to a seventh year on their offer to Cliff Lee, sources told ESPN The Magazine's Buster Olney and ESPNNewYork.com's Andrew Marchand. — Sources told ESPNNewYork.com and ESPN.com that the original offer to Lee was for six years and $140 million.
Discussion:
New York Times, Bronx Baseball Daily, Bats, Kranepool Society and HardballTalk
RELATED:
Fox Sports:
Sources: Rangers to meet with Lee today — FOX Sports — LAKE BUENA VISTA, FLA. — The Texas Rangers aren't conceding yet on Cliff Lee. — Rangers officials are traveling to meet with Lee in Arkansas today, and their intent is to increase their contract offer beyond five years, major-league sources told FOXSports.com.
Discussion:
Texas Rangers, The LoHud Yankees Blog and MLB Rumors
Jerry Crasnick / MLB:
Not our job: Cliff Lee rep won't give Texas Rangers number
Not our job: Cliff Lee rep won't give Texas Rangers number
Discussion:
HardballTalk, Sliding Into Home and ESPN
Fox Sports:
Source: Yanks make formal offer to Lee
Discussion:
New York Post, HardballTalk, Mike Silva's … and Texas Rangers
JSOnline:
Brewers have limit with Pavano — By Tom Haudricourt of the Journal Sentinel — Lake Buena Vista, Fla. - The Brewers would like to add free agent right-hander Carl Pavano to their starting rotation. But if it's going to take more than a two-year deal to do it, don't look for Pavano to be wearing a Milwaukee uniform in 2011.
Discussion:
MLB Rumors
RELATED:
Bruce Levine / ESPN:
Sources: Cubs targeting Matt Garza
Sources: Cubs targeting Matt Garza
Discussion:
GoatRiders of the Apocalypse, Federal Baseball, DRaysBay, MLB, MetsBlog.com, Full Count and MLB Rumors
Paul Sullivan / Chicago Breaking Sports:
Rehabbing Webb could be Cubs' next addition
Rehabbing Webb could be Cubs' next addition
Discussion:
St. Petersburg Times, MetsBlog.com and MLB Rumors
Bill Shaikin / Los Angeles Times:
Steve Garvey as would-be suitor for Dodgers — The former All-Star says he has an investment group that wants the team, but Frank McCourt responds that he would turn away all potential buyers. — Steve Garvey, one of the most popular players in Dodgers history, said Wednesday he has assembled …
Discussion:
Gaslamp Ball, VIN SCULLY IS MY HOMEBOY and Los Angeles Times
RELATED:
ESPN:
Steve Garvey says he has group interested in buying Los Angeles Dodgers — Former Los Angeles Dodgers first baseman Steve Garvey says he has put together an investment group interested in buying the team, the Los Angeles Times reported. — The future of the Dodgers was thrown into doubt …
Discussion:
HardballTalk
Jon Paul Morosi / Fox Sports:
Royals getting in on the winter fun — Melky Cabrera will be back in the AL again after signing with Kansas City.
Discussion:
Yahoo! Sports, TYU, Royals Review, BronxBanterBlog.com, MLB Rumors and River Avenue Blues
RELATED:
New York Post:
Jeter to break routine, work with Yankees coach in offseason — Tweet — LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. — Derek Jeter does not admit failure easily in public. It is not part of his uber-confident persona. — But the Yankees captain is making a concession this offseason that intimates how intolerable he found his .270 season.
Discussion:
Bronx Baseball Daily, River Avenue Blues and CSNPhilly.com
RELATED:
Tim Dierkes / MLB Rumors:
Twins Would Consider Trading Slowey
Zachary Levine / Houston Chronicle:
Astros add three pitchers, including former Rice star — LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. — The Astros turned the No. 5 spot in the 2011 rotation into a free-for-all, agreeing to terms with pitcher Ryan Rowland-Smith, according to a person with knowledge of the deal, and taking two more candidates in the Rule 5 draft.
Discussion:
Full Count
RELATED:
Tim Dierkes / MLB Rumors:
Astros Reach Agreement With Ryan Rowland-Smith
Astros Reach Agreement With Ryan Rowland-Smith
Discussion:
The Crawfish Boxes
Tim Dierkes / MLB Rumors:
Mariners Reach Agreement With Miguel Olivo — The Mariners won't be going young at catcher anytime soon. Today they reached an agreement with backstop Miguel Olivo on a two-year, $7MM deal, tweets Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports. Geoff Baker of the Seattle Times notes, “Adam Moore's stock with this team appears to have taken a hit.”
Discussion:
The Seattle Times, Yahoo! Sports, Lookout Landing, U.S.S. Mariner and Mariners blog
CBSSports.com Sports News, Fantasy Scores …:
Twins to ship Hardy to Baltimore — LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. — Having spent much of the week looking for a shortstop, the Orioles have found one: The Twins have agreed to send J.J. Hardy and infielder Brendan Harris to Baltimore in exchange for minor-league pitchers Brett Jacobson and Jim Hoey.
Discussion:
Yahoo! Sports, Full Count, Twinkie Town and AaronGleeman.com
Jerry Crasnick / MLB:
Source: Pirates to add Scott Olsen — LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. — The Pittsburgh Pirates have reached agreement with free agent left-hander Scott Olsen on a one-year contract, a baseball source told ESPN.com. Olsen will earn a base salary of about $500,000, and could make an additional $3 million in incentives based on starts.
Discussion:
HardballTalk and MLB Rumors
