Top News:
Jeff Todd / MLB Trade Rumors:
Colby Rasmus To Accept Astros' Qualifying Offer — Outfielder Colby Rasmus will become the first player ever to accept a qualifying offer, as Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports tweets that he'll take the one-year, $15.8MM deal extended to him by the Astros. — Houston GM Jeff Luhnow said recently …
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Ken Rosenthal / Facebook:
The Blue Jays are talking to right-hander Marco Estrada about a multi-year contract in advance of Friday's deadline for free agents to decide on qualifying offers, according to major-league sources. — Estrada, 32, could accept the one-year, $15.8 million qualifying offer …
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Jeff Todd / MLB Trade Rumors:
Angels To Acquire Andrelton Simmons — 6:16pm: Los Angeles will also add a young catcher — likely Jose Briceno — in the trade, Tim Brown of Yahoo Sports reports (Twitter links). Mike DiGiovanna of the Los Angeles Times confirms that Briceno is in the deal, on Twitter.
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Steve Adams / MLB Trade Rumors:
Braves Listening On Andrelton Simmons — 4:31pm: The Rockies are not engaged in trade talks regarding Simmons, Patrick Saunders of the Denver Post reports on Twitter. — 8:58am: The Mets checked in on Simmons this morning and were met with the asking price of Jacob deGrom or Matt Harvey …
Jon Heyman / CBSSports.com:
Inside Baseball: The needs of 14 big spenders; more from GM meetings — BOCA RATON, Fla. — One agent was overheard to say there are a lot of “lowball” offers flying around the baseball GM meetings. But that shouldn't be taken to mean teams are low on cash.
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Jon Heyman / CBSSports.com:
Inside Baseball: Dodgers eye Greinke, Price, Murphy, Utley; more MLB notes
Inside Baseball: Dodgers eye Greinke, Price, Murphy, Utley; more MLB notes
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MLB Daily Dish and CBS Chicago
Fox17:
Body found in car pulled from Byron pond; car roof seen from lift … BYRON CENTER, Mich. — A person's body was found Tuesday after a car was pulled from a pond in Byron Center. — A dive team was called to a pond in the 2000 block of 84th Street SW near Byron Center Manor at about 10:45 a.m. …
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TMZ.com:
'There's Nothing You Can Do?' — Ohio State QB J.T. Barrett tried to go the Reese Witherspoon route during his drunk driving arrest — asking the officer for special treatment because, “I'm the quarterback of Ohio State!” — TMZ Sports obtained the dash cam footage from the October 31 incident …
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Nick Groke / Denver Post:
Arenado hit an NL-high 42 home runs, with Gonzalez right behind with a career-high 40 — The Denver Post — Colorado Rockies outfielder Carlos Gonzalez, left, talks with third baseman Nolan Arenado in the dugout at Coors Field on September 27, 2015 in Denver, Colorado. It was the last game of the season.
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Let's Go Tribe
Rob Bradford / WEEI:
GM MEETINGS NOTEBOOK: WILL INDIANS SOLVE RED SOX PITCHING CONUNDRUM? — BOCA RATON, Fla. — It's about that time to start figuring this thing out. — While it still might be a bit before we get to uncover which pitcher becomes that top of the rotation piece Dave Dombrowski has prioritized bringing …
Discussion:
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Steve Adams / MLB Trade Rumors:
Nationals Notes: Strasburg, Zobrist, Ramos, Desmond — Nationals right-hander Stephen Strasburg had a non-cancerous growth surgically removed from his back shortly after the season ended, agent Scott Boras told reporters, including James Wagner of the Washington Post, at today's GM Meetings.
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James Wagner / Washington Post:
Stephen Strasburg has growth removed from his back
Stephen Strasburg has growth removed from his back
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Adrian Wojnarowski / Yahoo Sports:
Five days in free agency: Inside the courtship of LaMarcus Aldridge — LaMarcus Aldridge walked out of the lobby doors of the Montage Beverly Hills in early July and found a familiar face in a most familiar repose: Gregg Popovich busting chops. In the hotel's valet lane …
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Steve Adams / MLB Trade Rumors:
Mariners Acquire Joaquin Benoit — The Mariners announced that they've acquired right-hander Joaquin Benoit from the Padres in exchange for minor league right-hander Enyel De Los Santos and infielder Nelson Ward. — The 38-year-old Benoit, presumably, will serve as a ninth-inning option for rookie manager Scott Servais in Seattle.
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CSN Bay Area:
Willis shoots down report: 'Haven't thought twice about' returning — Editor's note: The above video is from March 17, 2015. — Former 49ers linebacker Patrick Willis is remaining a former 49ers linebacker, after all. — Willis responded Thursday morning to a report from Jason Cole of Bleacher Report …
Discussion:
Pro Football Rumors and ProFootballTalk