Top News:
Danny Knobler / CBSSports.com Sports News …:
Reds in talks to acquire Choo from Indians — The Reds and Indians are deep in talks on a trade that would send Shin-Soo Choo to Cincinnati. — The Indians would receive center fielder Drew Stubbs and shortstop Didi Gregorius in return. The Reds are expected to receive another player in addition to Choo.
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Paul Hoynes / Plain Dealer:
Cleveland Indians still looking for the right deal for Asdrubal Cabrera — CLEVELAND, Ohio — Things move fast in the off-season. Just ask the Indians and Phillies. — Before the start of the winter meetings last week in Nashville, the two teams were talking about a trade …
Discussion:
MLB Rumors, HardballTalk, MLB Daily Dish and Phillies Nation
Zach Links / MLB Rumors:
Reds, Indians, D'Backs Talking Shin-Soo Choo Trade — 6:48pm: The three-team deal will see Shin-Soo Choo and Jason Donald going to the Reds, Didi Gregorius to the Diamondbacks, and Drew Stubbs plus an Arizona pitcher going to the Indians, a source tells Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports (via Twitter).
Discussion:
Plain Dealer and Red Reporter
Ryan Lawrence / Philly.com:
Ruben Amaro: Michael Young has what Phillies need
Ruben Amaro: Michael Young has what Phillies need
Discussion:
The Good Phight and HardballTalk
Andy Martino / NY Daily News:
NY Mets pitching to keep National League Cy Young winner R.A. Dickey with two-year, $20 million contract extension — As the Daily News has been reporting, Dickey has been asking for a two-year extension for approximately $26 million, totaling $31 million over three years.
Discussion:
ESPN, ESPN, Sporting News Feed RSS, Metsblog, Amazin' Avenue, HardballTalk and MLB Daily Dish
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Mike Puma / New York Post:
Mets eye Ross, cast R.A. as elf — The Mets' offseason work still encompasses more than resolving R.A. Dickey's status. — Though the veteran knuckleballer's future remains high on the agenda, so does evaluating other pieces that potentially could help the Mets in 2013.
Discussion:
HardballTalk, Amazin' Avenue, Metsblog, MLB Daily Dish and MLB Rumors
Fox Sports:
Rangers see dramatic identity shift — A rival executive, assessing the Texas Rangers on Monday, said, “They're going to overpay Hamilton or they're going to overpay ‘KT.’” — That's Hamilton as in free-agent outfielder Josh Hamilton. And that's “KT” as in Arizona general manager Kevin Towers …
Discussion:
ESPN, Lone Star Ball, HardballTalk, MLB.com and MLB Rumors
Buster Olney / ESPN.com:
AM ET — RECOMMEND
Discussion:
ESPN.com, MLB Daily Dish, ESPN and Associated Press
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Ben Lindbergh / Baseball Prospectus:
The Royals, the Rays, and the Problem with Windows
The Royals, the Rays, and the Problem with Windows
Discussion:
ESPN, Beyond the Box Score and The Heater Feed
Jeff Passan / Yahoo! Sports:
Royals bet big, get ‘the piece’ in James Shields after blockbuster trade with Rays
Royals bet big, get ‘the piece’ in James Shields after blockbuster trade with Rays
Discussion:
Joe Blogs, Over the Monster, FanGraphs Baseball, Kansas City Star, Royals Review, HardballTalk, ESPN, Baseball Nation and Fox Sports
Jerry Crasnick / ESPN:
Tampa made yet another big splash
Tampa made yet another big splash
Discussion:
MLB, MLB Prospect Watch and ESPN.com
Jon Heyman / CBSSports.com Sports News …:
Phillies talked Brown-for-Soriano, also eye Ross, FA outfielders — The Phillies, interested in a right-handed batter to hit behind cleanup man Ryan Howard, talked to the Cubs about a swap of Domonic Brown for Alfonso Soriano but may still be slightly more inclined to sign a free agent, such as Cody Ross or someone else.
Discussion:
MLB Rumors, HardballTalk, Sporting News Feed RSS, Bleed Cubbie Blue, The Good Phight and Phillies Nation
Steven Marcus / Newsday:
Yankees to drop StubHub, nearing deal with Ticketmaster — The Yankees are opting out of a five-year renewal between MLB and StubHub, an online service for buying and selling tickets, a person familiar with the development said Monday. The Angels and Cubs also will not participate, StubHub said.
Discussion:
HardballTalk
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Ira Boudway / Business Week:
Why the New York Yankees Cry Foul Over Ticket Prices — Major League Baseball announced on Monday that it is extending its partnership with online ticket broker StubHub (EBAY) through 2017—or at least 27 of the league's 30 teams are. The New York Yankees, the Chicago Cubs, and the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim have opted out.
Discussion:
baseballmusings.com, It's About The Money, Pinstriped Bible and Associated Press
Associated Press:
Andruw Jones to sign in Japan — TOKYO — The Rakuten Eagles of Japan's Pacific League say they are set to sign veteran major league outfielder Andruw Jones. — The 35-year-old Jones became a free agent after playing for the New York Yankees the last two seasons, and the Eagles …
Discussion:
MLB Rumors, MLB Daily Dish and Talking Chop
Globe and Mail:
Blue Jays sign five to minor-league contracts — The Toronto Blue Jays have signed pitchers Claudio Vargas, Richard Thompson and Juan Perez and infielders Eugenio Velez and Luis Jimenez to minor-league contracts with invitations to major-league spring training.
Discussion:
MLB Rumors