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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Kyle Boddy / Hardball Times:
Trevor Bauer needs to be left alone — Trevor Bauer has been traded to the Cleveland Indians as part of a three-team deal. Over the weekend, I was fortunate enough to have presented at Ron Wolforth's Ultimate Coaches' Bootcamp in Montgomery, Tex., with Bauer, who spoke at length on using …
Discussion:
baseballmusings.com and THE BOOK
Zach Links / MLB Rumors:
Reds Acquire Shin-Soo Choo In Three-Team Deal — 8:12pm: The Diamondbacks announced that they have acquired shortstop Didi Gregorius, left-handed pitcher Tony Sipp, and first baseman Lars Anderson from the Indians in exchange for right-handed pitchers Trevor Bauer, Matt Albers and Bryan Shaw.
Discussion:
Purple Row, AZ Snake Pit, Baseball Nation, Let's Go Tribe, SI Tracking Blog and MLB Prospect Watch
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:
River Avenue Blues, 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 would 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, The LoHud Yankees Blog, AZ Snake Pit, HardballTalk and Red Reporter
New York Post:
Brass unhappy with R.A.'s humbug $alvo at Citi kid party — So much for Christmas cheer. — R.A. Dickey used a Mets holiday function yesterday to unload his frustration with the pace of his extension negotiations. And the organization was, according to one official, “not happy” …
Discussion:
MLB Rumors and Metsblog
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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, Sporting News Feed RSS, Amazin' Avenue, Metsblog, HardballTalk and MLB Daily Dish
Mike Puma / New York Post:
Mets eye Ross, cast R.A. as elf
Mets eye Ross, cast R.A. as elf
Discussion:
Amazin' Avenue, HardballTalk, MLB Rumors, Metsblog and MLB Daily Dish
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 Minor League Ball
External / ESPN:
The Boston Red Sox are one of four teams interested in signing free agent outfielder/first baseman Nick Swisher, according to a baseball source. — The Red Sox look at Swisher as a fallback plan if they are unable to lure Josh Hamilton. — Along with the Red Sox, the San Francisco Giants …
Discussion:
ESPN.com, Over the Monster, MLB Daily Dish, Lookout Landing, Boston Globe and HardballTalk
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Fox Sports:
Napoli's deal with Red Sox hits snag? — Could Mike Napoli's deal with the Boston Red Sox be in jeopardy? — The Red Sox anticipated introducing Napoli at a news conference Tuesday, according to major-league sources, but did not go forward with the event.
Discussion:
Surviving Grady, Over the Monster, Sporting News Feed RSS and HardballTalk
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:
VFTB, HardballTalk, Sporting News Feed RSS, MLB Rumors, Bleed Cubbie Blue, The Good Phight and Phillies Nation
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:
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Steven Marcus / Newsday:
Yankees to drop StubHub, nearing deal with Ticketmaster
Yankees to drop StubHub, nearing deal with Ticketmaster
Discussion:
HardballTalk
Mark Saxon / ESPN:
Dodgers acquire Skip Schumaker — LOS ANGELES — The Los Angeles Dodgers have acquired utility player Skip Schumaker from the St. Louis Cardinals in exchange for minor league shortstop Jake Lemmerman, according to reports. — Schumaker is a .288 lifetime hitter over eight seasons, all in St. Louis.
Discussion:
MLB Daily Dish, BBTF's Baseball Primer … and ESPN.com