Top News:
Matthew Cerrone / MetsBlog.com:
Recap: Sandy Alderson Conf. Call with Bloggers — Tonight on a conference call with Mets bloggers, Mets GM Sandy Alderson said the team has identified the final coaching staff, but, due to some administrative issues, he will make the formal announcement either Monday or Tuesday of next week.
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Caryn / metsgrrl.com:
BLOGGER CONFERENCE CALL WITH SANDY ALDERSON. — No, it's not April 1; on Tuesday, several bloggers were invited to attend a conference call with Sandy Alderson which was held this evening. The current open regime continues to equally stun and mystify me, but I'll take anything I can get.
Ronald Blum / Associated Press:
STEINBRENNER NOT WORRIED ABOUT 7-YEAR DEAL FOR LEE — Site powered by msnbc.com Latest news: Madoff's son found dead in apparent suicide — OLYMPICS
Discussion:
HardballTalk, It's About The Money and New York Post
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Jeff Wilson / Fort Worth Star-Telegram:
Rangers boost offer, stay in the Cliff Lee game — LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. — The end didn't arrive Thursday for the Texas Rangers in their pursuit of free agent Cliff Lee, as some club officials had expected it would. — Instead, there is renewed optimism that they have made the left-hander's decision …
Discussion:
New York Times, Athletics Nation, Mike Silva's …, baseballmusings.com and ESPN
T.R. Sullivan / MLB.com:
Texas optimistic Lee offer made impression
Discussion:
MLB.com Hot Stove blog
Maury Brown / The Biz of Baseball:
Texas Rangers Make Multi-Offers to Cliff Lee
Discussion:
Foul Territory
Evan Grant / Dallas Morning News:
Rangers present Cliff Lee with menu of contract offers, now wait
Discussion:
New Jersey Online
David Waldstein / New York Times:
With Pitchers' Contracts, 7 Is Unlucky Number
Discussion:
Seattle Times, ESPN and HardballTalk
Buster Olney / ESPN:
For Cliff Lee suitors, hope and discomfort
Discussion:
HardballTalk and Lone Star Ball
David Lennon / Newsday:
On the Mets beat — Winter Meetings Post-Mortem: Alderson, Reyes and Boof — Just a few finishing thoughts on the Mets' week at the winter meetings: — Being in Orlando, I missed the talk-radio outrage over the Mets' relative inactivity at the winter meetings.
Discussion:
MetsBlog.com
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Ebenezer Samuel / NY Daily News:
CC Sabathia says Yankees are team to beat in AL East, not Red Sox …
Discussion:
Fanhouse MLB Blog, Twinkie Town and ESPN
Andy Martino / NY Daily News:
Sandy Alderson's long-term focus may benefit Mets in long term …
Discussion:
MetsBlog.com
Mark Polishuk / MLB Rumors:
Angels Reach Agreement With Scott Downs — The Angels have agreed to terms on a three-year, $15MM contract with Scott Downs. Peter Gammons was the first to report the numbers of the deal, while FOXSports.com's Ken Rosenthal adds that the deal is pending a physical and Downs can earn …
Discussion:
MLB Daily Dish, Halos Heaven, HardballTalk, YFSF, Yahoo! Sports and Full Count
Chad Garrison / Daily RFT:
White Sox Pitcher Mark Buehrle Pays Vet Bills for Dog Shot by Arrow — A Shetland sheep dog with an arrow shot through its abdomen is recovering from surgery today. — Rescue workers in Alton discovered the dog early yesterday morning with an arrow protruding from both its sides and rushed the animal to a local veterinarian.
Discussion:
Chicago Breaking Sports
Mark Feinsand / NY Daily News:
Yankees have made one-year offer to former Los Angeles Dodgers catcher Russell Martin: source — The Yankees plan on giving Jesus Montero a shot to win the starting catching job this spring, but the phenom may have to beat out a veteran other than Jorge Posada for the gig.
Discussion:
MLB Rumors and HardballTalk
Ben Nicholson-Smith / MLB Rumors:
Orioles To Re-Sign Cesar Izturis, Not Nick Green — 6:52pm: The Orioles say that Green has not agreed to a contract, tweets Connolly. — 4:35pm: The Orioles have re-signed Cesar Izturis to a one-year deal worth $1.5MM, according to Dan Connolly of the Baltimore Sun (Twitter links).
Discussion:
Yahoo! Sports
Adam Kilgore / Nationals Journal:
Nationals still in on Carl Pavano — While the Nationals would be reluctant to offer free agent starting pitcher Carl Pavano a multiple-year contract, they remain in touch with agent Tom O'Connell. General Manager Mike Rizzo spoke with O'Connell yesterday before leaving the winter meetings.
Discussion:
HardballTalk, MLB Rumors and JSOnline
Chris Jaffe / Hardball Times:
Hall of Fame pitcher born 30,000 days ago . . . Happy “anniversary” (of a sorts) to Yankees legend Whitey Ford. Today marks 30,000 days since his birth. — By and large, Yankee legends don't live that long. Ford is 82 years and almost two months. — He's seventh all-time in franchise WAR, with 55.3.
Discussion:
The LoHud Yankees Blog and It's About The Money
Jeff Zrebiec / Orioles Insider:
Could Gregg unseat Koji as O's closer? — The Orioles made a two-year offer worth between $8 to $10 million to free agent Kevin Gregg at this week's winter meetings. As far as I know, the two sides remain in negotiations and the Orioles still think they have a shot at Gregg …
Discussion:
Federal Baseball, Getting Blanked, MLB Rumors, HardballTalk and Fanhouse MLB Blog
Fox Sports:
Nats trying to foster good will in D.C. — Jayson Werth is one of three big contracts the Nats have ponied up for over the past year. — Tracy Ringolsby is a Hall of Fame baseball writer. He is in his 35th year covering Major League Baseball, is a co-founder of Baseball America …
Anthony DiComo / Mets Cetera:
The New York Mets and the curse of Santa Claus — Beware, Mets fans: the team revealed Tuesday that David Wright will play the role of Santa Claus at next Tuesday's holiday party, one of the club's most popular annual charitable endeavors. But like an action shot on the cover of Sports Illustrated …
Discussion:
The Mets Police and Tedquarters
