Top News:
Erik Boland / Newsday:
Yankees won't lose sight of the plan: Cost-controlled youth — For the first time in quite a few offseasons, the Yankees and Red Sox were overwhelmingly responsible for the biggest headlines during the annual winter meetings. — The difference? — The Red Sox clearly are going all-in for 2017 …
Discussion:
New York Daily News and Pinstripe Alley
RELATED:
Charlie Wilmoth / MLB Trade Rumors:
5 Key Stories: 12/3/16 - 12/9/16 — Here are the top stories from a week dominated by the Winter Meetings: — White Sox land huge bounties in Sale, Eaton trades. Usually, it's the teams acquiring veterans who receive the most attention and praise in the offseason, but that wasn't the case this week.
Discussion:
Pirates Breakdown, Pinstripe Alley, Purple Row, South Side Sox and Kings of Kauffman
Mark Feinsand / New York Daily News:
Yankees among Winter Meetings winners, accomplishing their two primary goals — and now we wait — OXON HILL, MD — As executives, agents, reporters and nearly everybody else scattered from the Gaylord National Resort Thursday afternoon to avoid the mayhem headed here with the opening …
Discussion:
MLB Daily Dish, Baseball Prospectus and Pinstripe Alley
Mike Axisa / River Avenue Blues:
Thoughts following the Aroldis Chapman signing
Discussion:
MLB Trade Rumors, Pinstripe Alley, baseballmusings.com and FanGraphs Baseball
Scott LauberESPN / ESPN:
Pablo Sandoval got ‘complacent’ with big Red Sox deal
Discussion:
The Good Phight, Call to the Pen, Union-News, Over the Monster and Boston
Derrick Goold / St. Louis Post-Dispatch:
Cardinals go ‘over the top’ to catch Fowler — When outfielder Dexter Fowler stepped off his flight at Lambert-St. Louis International Airport on Thursday night, set to become the Cardinals' next center fielder, a Southwest Airlines employee greeted with him a bag of peanuts.
Discussion:
MLB Trade Rumors, Jays Journal, Viva El Birdos, ESPN, FanGraphs Baseball and Sportsnet.ca
RELATED:
Kerouac Smith / Fox Sports:
Report: Dexter Fowler agrees to join St. Louis Cardinals — The team is expected to make an announcement Friday — Center fielder Dexter Fowler, fresh off a historic championship run with the Chicago Cubs, appears to be joining the rival St. Louis Cardinals.
Discussion:
St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Minor League Ball and Bleed Cubbie Blue
Tegna / KSDK-TV:
Dexter Fowler signs with the Cardinals
Discussion:
USA Today, Beyond the Box Score and Viva El Birdos
Jon Heyman / FanRag Sports:
Heyman: Dexter Fowler agrees to deal with Cardinals
Discussion:
Viva El Birdos and Lone Star Ball
Jeff Todd / MLB Trade Rumors:
Cardinals Sign Dexter Fowler
Discussion:
Fox Sports, Viva El Birdos, Purple Row, Phillies Nation, MLB Daily Dish, Bucs Dugout and baseballmusings.com
Connor Byrne / MLB Trade Rumors:
Danny Espinosa Unhappy With Nationals — On the heels of the Nationals' acquisition of center fielder Adam Eaton, shortstop Danny Espinosa skipped the team's annual Winterfest this weekend because he's unhappy with his likely relegation to a bench role, a source told Jorge Castillo of the Washington Post.
Discussion:
Washington Post, Yahoo Sports, Last Word on Baseball, Federal Baseball and Lone Star Ball
Dan Connolly / BaltimoreBaseball.com:
Welington Castillo emerges as the top catcher target for O's — Welington Castillo, a seven-year, major-league veteran who recently was non-tendered a contract by the Arizona Diamondbacks, has emerged as the Orioles' primary target at catcher. — According to industry sources …
Discussion:
Baltimore Sun, NBCSports.com, MLB Daily Dish, Camden Chat, MLB Trade Rumors and FanRag Sports
Not Specified / Fox Sports:
Twins minor league pitcher Yorman Landa dies in Venezuela — MINNEAPOLIS (AP) The Minnesota Twins say minor league pitcher Yorman Landa has died in Venezuela. He was 22. — The club did not say how he died, but local media reports say it was in a car accident in the state of Miranda.
Jeff Todd / MLB Trade Rumors:
Phil Bickford Receives 50-Game Suspension For Drug Of Abuse — Brewers righty Phil Bickford has been hit with a 50-game suspension after testing positive for a drug of abuse for the second time, as Bill Shaikin of the Los Angeles Times tweets. Bickford reportedly tested positive for marijuana before being drafted in 2015.
Discussion:
NBCSports.com, Brew Crew Ball and Al's Ramblings
Mary Kay Cabot / Plain Dealer:
Browns' Joe Haden: 'We're the laughingstock of every joke; it's super tough' — Joe Haden hasn't been showing his face much during this 0-12 season. (Joshua Gunter, cleveland.com) — BEREA, Ohio - Joe Haden, Cleveland's man about town, has mostly been holing up inside his house during this 0-12 skid.
Discussion:
ProFootballTalk and FanRag Sports
Kyle Glaser / Baseball America:
Gadea Made Rays Move In Unusual Way - Rule 5 Draft Notebook — NATIONAL HARBOR, Md.—The Rays had been one of the most quiet teams on the Rule 5 Draft front this decade, choosing not to pick a player in the major league portion of the draft every year since 2010. — The availability of Kevin Gadea made them buck that trend.
Discussion:
DRaysBay and Minor League Ball
RELATED:
Derrick Goold / St. Louis Post-Dispatch:
Cardinal expose lefty relievers, highly regarded infielder in Rule 5 draft
Discussion:
Athletics Nation, Viva El Birdos and Minor League Ball
J.J. Cooper / Baseball America:
Padres Dominate Rule 5 Draft
Discussion:
Brew Crew Ball, Steve Melewski, Bless You Boys, Detroit News, DRaysBay, Minor League Ball, Fish Stripes, The Crawfish Boxes and Lookout Landing
Rob Bradford / Full Count:
Sources: Former Red Sox manager Bobby Valentine being considered for United States Ambassador to Japan — Five years ago, Bobby Valentine was just about a week into his career as Red Sox manager. Now he may be on the verge of becoming a United States ambassador.
Discussion:
Faith and Fear in Flushing, New York Daily News, New York Post, USA Today, Halos Heaven and CBS New York
Stefan Stevenson / Fort Worth Star-Telegram:
Rangers acquire two pitching prospects from Braves in exchange for one — The Rangers traded right-handed reliever Luke Jackson to the Atlanta Braves for two pitching prospects, right-hander Tyrell Jenkins and left-hander Brady Feigl. — Jenkins, 24, has replaced Jackson on the Rangers' 40-man roster.
Discussion:
Minor League Ball
Charlie Wilmoth / MLB Trade Rumors:
Cubs To Sign Koji Uehara — Righty reliever Koji Uehara has agreed to a one-year deal with the Cubs. Evan Drellich of the Boston Herald first tweeted the connection; Jon Heyman of Fan Rag tweeted that a deal was done. A report from Nikkan Sports in Japan indicates that Uehara and the Cubs …
Discussion:
Full Count, FanRag Sports and MLB Daily Dish
RELATED:
Mark Gonzales / Chicago Tribune:
All-Star closer Wade Davis important piece for Cubs' World Series defense
Discussion:
Bleed Cubbie Blue, Royals Review and Phillies Nation
Mike Florio / ProFootballTalk:
Raiders likely will focus on Derek Carr before Khalil Mack — The Raiders emerged from the 2014 draft with great selections in round one and round two. By rule, both players (Khalil Mack and Derek Carr) are eligible for new contracts after the 2016 regular season ends.
Charlie Wilmoth / MLB Trade Rumors:
Red Sox Designate Williams Jerez For Assignment — The Red Sox have announced that they've designated lefty Williams Jerez for assignment. The move clears roster space for first baseman Mitch Moreland, whose one-year deal is now official. — The Red Sox drafted Jerez in the second round in 2011.
Discussion:
Yahoo Sports
