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8:25 AM ET, December 16, 2017

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 Top News: 
UPI:
Houston Astros agree with pitcher Hector Rondon on two-year deal  —  The Houston Astros agreed to terms on a two-year contract with free agent right-handed reliever Hector Rondon, the team announced Friday.  —  Though terms of the deal were not announced, the 29-year-old Rondon was expected …
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Associated Press:
Reliever Hector Rondon agrees to 2-year deal with Astros f  —  HOUSTON (AP) — Reliever Hector Rondon has agreed to a two-year contract with the World Series champion Houston Astros.  —  The 29-year-old right-hander spent the last five years with the Chicago Cubs, where he went 18-13 with a 3.22 ERA and 77 saves.
ESPN:
Hector Rondon reaches contract terms with Astros
Discussion: MLB on Yahoo! Sports
Paul Sullivan / Chicago Tribune:
Column: Baseball's hot stove league off to slow start this offseason  —  White Sox GM Rick Hahn on the Manny Machado trade rumors on Dec. 14, 2017.  (Mark Gonzales/Chicago Tribune)  —  Chicago Tribune  —  Baseball's winter meetings in Orlando, Fla., last week didn't provide much entertainment …
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Derrick Goold / St. Louis Post-Dispatch:
Ozuna and Fowler consider Barry Bonds their mentor  —  New Cardinals left fielder Marcell Ozuna pounded 37 homers and drove in 124 runs for the Miami Marlins in 2017.  (AP Photo)  —  If the Cardinals have invigorated the middle of their lineup as they imagine with the addition of Marcell Ozuna …
Associated Press:   Parade of relievers keeping rolling as winter meetings end
Bradford DoolittleESPN / ESPN:
After signing Zack Cozart, the Angels are headed to the postseason if ...  After landing infielders Ian Kinsler and Zack Cozart over the past two days, the Los Angeles Angels look as if they are headed to the postseason in 2018.  Given the avalanche of acquisitions the Halos have made since the season ended …
RELATED:
Rustin Dodd / Kansas City Star:   The Angels find a third baseman. It's not Mike Moustakas
ESPN:
Former Reds SS Zack Cozart signs 3-year deal with Angels
Associated Press:
MLB: Santana agrees to 3-year deal with Phillies  —  Carlos Santana is bringing his big bat and postseason experience to the Philadelphia Phillies.  —  The 31-year-old first baseman became the first of the offseason's big-name free agents to find a new home, agreeing Friday to a $60-million …
RELATED:
Matt Breen / Philly.com:   Phillies trade Freddy Galvis to San Diego Padres
Jeff Todd / MLB Trade Rumors:
Rangers Acquire Matt Moore  —  The Rangers have officially acquired lefty Matt Moore from the Giants.  Texas will also add $750K of international bonus pool spending capacity while shipping minor-league righties Sam Wolff and Israel Cruz to San Francisco.  —  With the move …
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Jeff Todd / MLB Trade Rumors:
Giants Nearing Trade To Clear Payroll Space  —  6:52pm: Pence is not in the deal that will send Moore to the Rangers, Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News tweets.  Shea and colleague Henry Schulman (Twitter links) add that, while Pence is not currently being dealt and has not been asked …
Ben Frederickson / St. Louis Post-Dispatch:
Piscotty speaks: New A's outfielder thanks Cardinal Nation for its support  —  Compared to your average 26-year-old, Stephen Piscotty is a social media recluse.  —  He doesn't tweet.  —  His Instagram account is active, in a sense.  —  His latest post there was just his fourth since the calendar turned to December.
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Ben Frederickson / St. Louis Post-Dispatch:
BenFred: Everybody wins in Cards-A's trade — especially Piscotty's family
Discussion: baseballmusings.com
Tom Schuba / Chicago Sun Times:
Ballplayer sues White Sox over injury at Guaranteed Rate Field  —  Dustin Fowler of the New York Yankees sits on the ground as the trainer looks at his leg after trying to catch a foul ball hit by Jose Abreu.  Fowler was taken off the field on a cart.  David Banks/Getty Images  —  Sign-Up for our Newsletter
Corpus Christi Caller-Times:
Trevino earns Mike Adams Award from Hooks  —  John Paul II graduate and Texas Rangers minor leaguer Jose Trevino was named the 2017 Mike Adams South Texas Professional Player of the Year by the Hooks on Friday.  —  In September, Trevino was named the MiLB Rawlings Gold Glove catcher for a second consecutive year.
Jeff Todd / MLB Trade Rumors:
Dodgers To Sign Tom Koehler  —  The Dodgers have agreed to a one-year deal with righty Tom Koehler, according to Chris Cotillo of SB Nation (via Twitter).  Financial details are not yet known.  Koehler is represented by Pro Agents, Inc.  —  Koehler, 31, was non-tendered by the Blue Jays after the 2017 season.
Chris Kuc / Chicago Tribune:
Tim Raines joins A.J. Pierzynski, Jose Contreras as White Sox ambassadors  —  A.J. Pierzynski talks about joining the White Sox as an ambassador on Dec. 11, 2017.  (Mark Gonzales/Chicago Tribune)  —  Chicago Tribune  —  While the White Sox remain focused on the future …
RELATED:
ESPN:   Cold stove: The four teams no one talked about at the winter meetings
Mark Gonzales / Chicago Tribune:   Winter meetings wrap-up: White Sox aim high while Cubs bolster bullpen
 
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 More News: 
Mary Kay Cabot / Plain Dealer:
John Dorsey expects Browns to win AFC North in '18: ‘Anything else is unacceptable’
Jeff Wilson / Fort Worth Star-Telegram:
The Chris Martin Story, far from over, keeps getting better
Discussion: MLB on Yahoo! Sports
Stefan Stevenson / Fort Worth Star-Telegram:
Cole Hamels donating 32,000 square feet Missouri mansion to charity
New York Daily News:
Tigers ace Frank Lary, winner of 21 games in 1956 and nicknamed ‘Yankee Killer’, dies at 87
 Earlier Picks: 
Evan Grant / Dallas Morning News:
Relievers are selling like hotcakes, but search for value is keeping Rangers GM Jon Daniels from spending big
Shawn Windsor / Detroit Free Press:
It's a no-brainer: Detroit Tigers should trade Michael Fulmer
Mark Gonzales / Chicago Tribune:
Cubs hope new coaches can sharpen pitching focus
Matt Ehalt / NorthJersey.com:
Mets GM Sandy Alderson's hits and misses when signing relievers
ESPN:
Indians agree to minor-league deal with Melvin Upton Jr.
Discussion: MLB Daily Dish
 

 
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People:
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