Ballbug: Red Sox, Ryan Dempster close (Gordon Edes/ESPN)

Ben Nicholson-Smith / MLB Rumors:

Angels To Sign Josh Hamilton — For the second time in as many offseasons, the Angels have signed the top free agent position player to a surprising long-term contract. The Angels have agreed to sign Josh Hamilton to a five-year deal, Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports reports (on Twitter).

Discussion: Baseball Nation, HardballTalk, Phillies Nation, Getting Blanked, Sporting News Feed RSS and Halos Heaven

Jon Heyman / CBSSports.com Sports News …:

Rangers, Hamilton in touch, upping chances he stays with Texas — Josh Hamilton and the Rangers have continued to stay in touch, and while the Mariners and others are showing interest, rivals suggest they believe the chances of Hamilton staying with Texas have increased in recent days.

Discussion: U.S.S. Mariner, Sporting News Feed RSS and MLB Rumors

ESPN:

Josh Hamilton headed to Angels — Josh Hamilton is going from the Texas Rangers to the rival Los Angeles Angels. — Rangers general manager Jon Daniels confirmed Thursday that Hamilton agreed to a contract with the Angels. Multiple sources have confirmed to ESPN that the deal is worth $125 million over five years.

Discussion: Athletics Nation

ESPN: Sources: Hamilton, Angels agree on $125M deal

T.R. Sullivan / MLB.com:
Rangers still in the hunt to re-sign Hamilton

Discussion: Boston Globe, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Lone Star Ball, Bucs Dugout and MLB Daily Dish

Bob Nigthtengale / USA Today:

Anibal Sanchez agrees to terms with Cubs — 6:33PM EST December 13. 2012 - The Chicago Cubs made their first marquee free-agent signing in the Theo Epstein regime Thursday by reaching agreement with starter Anibal Sanchez on a five-year contract, an official with direct knowledge of the negotiations told USA TODAY Sports.

Red Sox, Ryan Dempster close — BOSTON — The Boston Red Sox are confident they are closing in on an agreement with free-agent pitcher Ryan Dempster, according to a baseball source. — There were indications Thursday that the veteran pitcher will not require a third year on his contract to seal the deal, the source said.

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Mark Polishuk / MLB Rumors:

Cubs Close To Agreement With Anibal Sanchez — 5:08pm: The deal is not yet complete, as Sanchez's agent Gene Mato tells CBS Sports' Jon Heyman that he is still talking to other teams. Sources tell Heyman that the Tigers are still “very much in [the] mix.” (both links to Twitter)

Discussion: HardballTalk, SI Tracking Blog and Bleed Cubbie Blue

Evan Drellich / MLB.com:

Red Sox agree to two-year deal with Dempster — BOSTON — The Red Sox and Ryan Dempster reached agreement on Thursday on a two-year deal, according to a source. — The deal is worth $26.5 million, according to multiple reports. The club has not confirmed the move.

Discussion: baseballmusings.com

Shane Victorino officially introduced by Boston Red Sox — The Boston Red Sox on Thursday officially signed switch-hitting outfielder Shane Victorino to a three-year deal. The deal, which runs through 2015, will pay him $39 million, according to sources. — He will wear No. 18 with the Red Sox.

Discussion: Boston Globe and ESPN

MLB.com:
Outfielder Shane Victorino Agrees To Three-Year Pact With Red Sox

Discussion: Over the Monster

Anthony McCarron / NY Daily News:

Yankees closer Mariano Rivera says he'll be ready for Opening Day of 2013 season — The 43-year-old closer suffered a torn ACL while shagging fly balls in the outfield last May, but he's ‘feeling good’ now as he progresses through rehab. — Mariano Rivera proclaims he will be back on the Yankee Stadium hill on 2013 Opening Day.

Discussion: SI Tracking Blog, HardballTalk and Sporting News Feed RSS

George A. King III / New York Post:

Ichiro passing on longer deals to return to Yankees: source — Ichiro Suzuki's love of the Yankees may cost him an additional year and dollars when he signs with the Yankees. — According to several industry sources, Ichiro has strongly indicated to other teams that have offered …

Discussion: HardballTalk and River Avenue Blues

Ben Nicholson-Smith / MLB Rumors:

Melvin On Marcum, Dempster, Jackson — If Ryan Dempster signs with the Red Sox, the Brewers might not pursue other free agent starters, Milwaukee GM Doug Melvin told Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Melvin indicated free agent starters have shown limited reciprocal interest, according to Haudricourt.

Discussion: Al's Ramblings

Discussion: MLB Rumors and HardballTalk

Yonhap News Agency:

S. Korean pitcher Lim Chang-yong agrees to terms with Chicago Cubs — South Korean relief pitcher Lim Chang-yong said Thursday he has agreed to terms with the Chicago Cubs in Major League Baseball (MLB). — Lim, 36, left for the U.S. Thursday to sign the two-year contract.

Discussion: HardballTalk, NPB Tracker and MLB Rumors

Discussion: MLB Daily Dish

Ben Nicholson-Smith / MLB Rumors:

Giants To Sign Andres Torres — Andres Torres is heading back to San Francisco, the Giants confirmed on Twitter. The Giants have agreed to sign the free agent outfielder to a one-year, $2MM contract, Andrew Baggarly of CSN Bay Area reports (Twitter links). The deal between the Giants and the ACES client is pending a physical.

Discussion: HardballTalk, McCovey Chronicles, Getting Blanked, Amazin' Avenue and MLB Daily Dish