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1:50 PM ET, January 7, 2012

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 Top News: 
Ben Nicholson-Smith / MLB Rumors:
Cubs Acquire Anthony Rizzo  —  The Cubs have acquired first baseman Anthony Rizzo and right-hander Zach Cates from the Padres for right-hander Andrew Cashner and outfielder Kyung-Min Na, the teams announced.  The move provides the Cubs with a potential long-term first baseman and makes room for another first baseman in San Diego.
RELATED:
Corey Brock / MLB.com:
Padres acquire Cashner, send Rizzo to Cubs  —  Outfield prospect Na coming to SD; Cates off to Chicago  —  SAN DIEGO — The Anthony Rizzo era didn't last long in San Diego, as the first baseman was traded to the Cubs on Friday as part of a four-player deal that saw the Padres acquire pitcher Andrew Cashner.
Gordon Wittenymyer / Chicago Sun Times:
Cubs acquire Anthony Rizzo from Padres in 4-player deal  —  Unconvinced that Andrew Cashner is the future starting ace the Cubs' former regime envisioned, the new regime on Friday traded the organization's top young pitcher to the San Diego Padres in a four-player deal that landed …
Adam Harrington / CBS Chicago:
Sources: Cubs' Starlin Castro Accused Of Sexual Assault  —  CHICAGO (CBS) — WBBM Newsradio has learned that Chicago Cubs shortstop Starlin Castro has been accused of sexually assaulting a woman after a night of drinking last fall.  —  As WBBM Newsradio's Mike Krauser reports exclusively …
RELATED:
ESPN:
Cubs' Castro part of sexual assault investigation
Discussion: VFTB
Craig Calcaterra / HardballTalk:
Report: Starlin Castro accused of sexual assault
Ken Belson / New York Times:
Financial Firm Hired, but Mets Insist It's Not About Bankruptcy  —  CRG Partners lists as its special talents financial advisory work, restructuring and reorganization, and turnaround management — polite descriptions of services needed by companies in distress.
RELATED:
R.A. Dickey / Bats:
Two Days In, Kilimanjaro Is in Sight  —  R. A. Dickey, the Mets pitcher, is climbing Mount Kilimanjaro this month to raise awareness for the Bombay Teen Challenge, an organization that rescues and cares for women and girls in Mumbai who are at risk of being abused and exploited.
Mark Polishuk / MLB Rumors:
Angels Sign Jorge Cantu To Minor League Deal  —  The Angels have signed Jorge Cantu to a minor league contract, reports Mike DiGiovanna of the Los Angeles Times (Twitter link).  Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com reported earlier today that the two sides were close to an agreement.
Joe Frisaro / The Fish Pond:
Cespedes still on Marlins' radar  —  MIAMI — Sometime in the next 10 days, Cuban sensation Yeonis Cespedes is expected to become a free agent.  When that day comes, the Marlins will be in the mix for the 26-year-old outfielder.  —  An industry source said Jan. 15 is a tentative day that Cespedes …
James Schmehl / MLive.com:
Tigers' Rick Porcello opts out of contract, becomes eligible for arbitration  —  DETROIT — Tigers starting pitcher Rick Porcello is in line to receive quite a hefty holiday bonus in the upcoming weeks.  —  Porcello, as expected, exceeded the service time needed to qualify for Super Two status this year …
Mike DiGiovanna / LA Times Sports Blog:
Kendrys Morales begins running, can increase baseball activity  —  Kendrys Morales has begun running on his own body weight and was cleared Friday to “ramp up” some baseball activities, according to a person familiar with the slugger's rehabilitation from a broken left ankle but unauthorized to speak publicly about it.
Fox Sports:
Moving Garza makes sense for Cubs  —  The Cubs' position on right-hander Matt Garza is the same as the White Sox's position was on lefty John Danks. … Well, OK.  But if the Cubs are going to trade Garza, the time to do it is now — before he risks injury, and before the trade rumors he surely will hear in 2012 drive him nuts.
Discussion: MLB Rumors
RELATED:
Carrie Muskat / MLB.com:
Big Z's run in Chicago over with trade to Miami
Discussion: Fish Stripes
Ramona Shelburne / ESPN:
Sources: Groups get tour of Dodgers  —  The New York investment group handling the sale of the Los Angeles Dodgers has begun scheduling tours of Dodger Stadium with prospective ownership groups, multiple sources close to the process, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told ESPNLosAngeles.com.
Discussion: SI Tracking Blog
 
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 More News: 
Matt Eddy / Baseball America:
Minor League Transactions: Dec. 15-Jan. 3
Discussion: DRaysBay and Bronx Baseball Daily
Todd Zolecki / MLB.com:
Howard cleared by doctor to begin exercises
Discussion: Phillies Nation and HardballTalk
Roch Kubatko / School of Roch:
Source: Orioles talked to Cubs about Soriano
 Earlier Picks: 
Jerry Crasnick / MLB:
Agent: M's will add P Hisashi Iwakuma
Drew Silva / HardballTalk:
Rangers hire Josh Hamilton's father-in-law as the outfielder's new accountability partner
Discussion: Baseball Nation and Yahoo! Sports
 

 
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