Top News:
Jeff Fletcher / BBWAA:
Astros second baseman Jose Altuve wins the MVP award, a rare honor at his position — Jose Altuve of the Astros is the fifth American League second baseman to win the MVP, which has been awarded only 11 times to a second baseman. — Other AL winners were the Tigers' Charlie Gehringer in 1937 …
Discussion:
MLB on Yahoo! Sports, FanRag Sports, The Comeback, River Avenue Blues and The Crawfish Boxes
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ESPN:
Astros' Jose Altuve, Marlins Giancarlo Stanton take home first MVP awards — Houston Astros second baseman Jose Altuve is the American League MVP, while Miami Marlins slugger Giancarlo Stanton has been named the National League MVP. — The 5-foot-6 Altuve drew 27 of the 30 first-place votes …
Jeff Todd / MLB Trade Rumors:
Giancarlo Stanton Wins National League MVP Award — Even as we anxiously await news as to whether and where he'll be traded, Giancarlo Stanton of the Marlins has been tabbed as the National League's Most Valuable Player for the 2017 season by the Baseball Writers' Association of America.
Discussion:
MLB on Yahoo! Sports and FanRag Sports
Kyle Brasseur / ESPN:
Rumor Central: Giants most aggressive suitor for Giancarlo Stanton? — As many as eight teams are in discussions with the Miami Marlins regarding outfielder Giancarlo Stanton, with six of those clubs said to be “serious,” Clark Spencer of the Miami Herald reports.
Discussion:
miamiherald
Jesse Yomtov / USA Today:
4 sensible outcomes for a Giancarlo Stanton trade — As Major League Baseball's general manager meetings wrap up in Orlando, the market seems to be taking shape for a potential deal involving Miami Marlins slugger Giancarlo Stanton. — Coming off a 59-homer season, Stanton …
ESPN:
Rob Manfred optimistic about new posting system with NPB — ORLANDO, Fla. — Commissioner Rob Manfred expressed optimism about a new posting system that would allow two-way star Shohei Ohtani to leave Japan for Major League Baseball, even as reports surfaced that the Players Association has set a deadline to sign off on an agreement.
Jon Heyman / FanRag Sports:
Yankees among teams to talk Stanton with Marlins
Discussion:
MLB on Yahoo! Sports, NESN.com, McCovey Chronicles, Pinstripe Alley, MLB Daily Dish and San Francisco Chronicle
Joel Sherman / New York Post:
A Giancarlo Stanton destination that should terrify 28 MLB teams
Discussion:
DodgerBlue.com
Joel Sherman / New York Post:
Yankees in surprising push for once-celebrated prospect … ORLANDO, Fla. — The Yankees are still trying to make a trade or two before the Monday deadline to freeze 40-man rosters for December's Rule 5 draft, and one player who has surprisingly caught their attention is Texas' Jurickson Profar.
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Kyle Brasseur / ESPN:
Rumor Central: Yankees interested in Rangers' Jurickson Profar? — Despite another down season offensively for the Texas Rangers, former top prospect Jurickson Profar has drawn interest from many clubs, Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News reports. — One of those teams is the New York Yankees …
Rustin Dodd / Kansas City Star:
Want to live in Playoffville? Eric Hosmer will get you there, agent Scott Boras says — Agent Scott Boras laid out a case for Eric Hosmer on Wednesday, describing the free-agent first baseman as an elite talent that can help a team reach “Playoffville,” the place where all franchises aspire to live.
Discussion:
MLB on Yahoo! Sports and Royals Review
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Jeff Wilson / Fort Worth Star-Telegram:
Rangers planning to offer contract extension to Daniels — Jon Daniels said last month that he wasn't worried about entering the final year of his contract as Texas Rangers general manager. He must have known something and chosen to keep it to himself. — Sources said that Daniels …
Discussion:
MLB Trade Rumors
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Nick Ostiller / ESPN:
Rumor Central: Rangers to extend GM Jon Daniels? — After becoming the youngest general manager in baseball 12 years ago, Jon Daniels of the Texas Rangers will reportedly remain in his role for the foreseeable future. — According to Jeff Wilson of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram …
Steve Adams / MLB Trade Rumors:
Mariners Trade Thyago Vieira To White Sox For International Bonus Money — 1:03pm: MLB.com's Jonathan Mayo reports that the Mariners are picking up $500K in the trade (Twitter link). However, Mayo also notes that the previously reported sum of $1.57MM that the Mariners had to work with was incorrect.
Discussion:
Lookout Landing and South Side Sox
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Patrick Mooney / NBCSports.com:
Why Zach Britton no longer makes sense for Cubs team going in different direction with bullpen — ORLANDO, Fla. - The Cubs executives who checked out of the Waldorf Astoria Orlando on Wednesday had to ask the Baltimore Orioles again about Zach Britton. But any standard due diligence during …
Discussion:
MLB on Yahoo! Sports, Cubs Insider, DodgerBlue.com, Bleacher Nation, MLB Trade Rumors and MLB Daily Dish
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Paul Sullivan / Chicago Tribune:
Column: Cubs leave GM meetings satisfied they laid the groundwork for 2018 — Will these Cubs players be back on the team next season? — Chicago Tribune — Major League Baseball executives wheeled their luggage through the lobby of the Waldorf Astoria on Wednesday morning after three days …
Discussion:
Cubs Insider, Bleed Cubbie Blue and Baltimore Sun
ESPN:
Projecting MLB's award winners in 2018 — We're down to the last two awards of baseball's red carpet season, and then the 2017 baseball season will have officially given up the ghost. — MLB Offseason Preview — Here's what you need to know as the hot stove season heats up.
Discussion:
MLB Trade Rumors
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Kyle Brasseur / ESPN:
Rumor Central: Angels pursuing Tigers' Ian Kinsler? — The Detroit Tigers have a valuable trade piece in second baseman Ian Kinsler, and at least one team has emerged as a potential suitor for his services. — The Los Angeles Angels have “been having extensive internal discussions” …
Discussion:
CBSSports.com, MLB Trade Rumors and Detroit Free Press
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Peter Botte / New York Daily News:
Wally Backman hired as new manager of the independent league New Britain Bees — Wally Backman is running as an independent in his bid to get back to the major leagues. — The former Mets infielder and minor-league manager was hired Thursday as the new skipper of the New Britain Bees in the independent Atlantic League.
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Chris Kuc / Chicago Tribune:
All signs point to White Sox's Eloy Jimenez being gem of Jose Quintana trade — The White Sox rebuilding project should be complete in 2020. Here's what the starting lineup and rotation could look like. Not pictured: Alec Hansen, RHP, minor-leaguer — Chicago Tribune
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Nick Ostiller / ESPN:
Rumor Central: Padres eyeing reunions with Jhoulys Chacin, Craig Stammen? — The San Diego Padres are reportedly interested in bringing back a pair of veteran right-handers next season. — According to AJ Cassavell of MLB.com, the Friars are eyeing reunions with starter Jhoulys Chacin and reliever Craig Stammen.
Eduardo A. Encina / Baltimore Sun:
Orioles net 33rd overall pick as competitive-balance assignment in next year's draft — The Orioles used last year's competitive-balance pick on left-hander Zac Lowther, who showed promise at Short-A Aberdeen last season. (Matt Button / The Aegis) — The Orioles were awarded …
Discussion:
MLB Trade Rumors
Nick Ostiller / ESPN:
Rumor Central: Astros considering long-term extension for A.J. Hinch? — A.J. Hinch led the Houston Astros to their first-ever World Series title in 2017, and the franchise is hoping to keep its manager around for the foreseeable future. — According to Jon Heyman of FanRag Sports …
Discussion:
FanRag Sports
