Top News:
Steve Adams / MLB Trade Rumors:
Astros “Actively Pursuing” High-End Starters, Have Discussed Gerrit Cole With Pirates — 12:27pm: Jeff Passan of Yahoo Sports reports (via Twitter) that the Astros have had talks with the Pirates about a trade that would send Cole to Houston. Young outfielder Derek Fisher's name has come …
Discussion:
MLB Daily Dish, Pirates Breakdown and Bucs Dugout
RELATED:
Amara Grautski / New York Daily News:
Attention, Yankees: Astros reportedly engaged in Gerrit Cole trade talks with Pirates — The Astros are reportedly going after one of the Yankees' trade targets: Gerrit Cole. — Houston has engaged in talks with Pittsburgh about dealing the 27-year-old righthander, sources told Yahoo! Sports.
Discussion:
Bleacher Nation
Terry Pluto / Plain Dealer:
How Cleveland Browns were frozen out of Jimmy Garoppolo deal — Terry Pluto — Gallery: How Cleveland Browns were frozen out of Jimmy Garoppolo deal — CLEVELAND, Ohio — The Jimmy Garoppolo trade to the San Francisco 49ers never made much sense. — The 49ers traded a second-round pick …
Discussion:
ProFootballTalk, Pats Pulpit, Niner Noise, Dan Shaughnessy Watch and NESN.com
RELATED:
Associated Press:
Pitchers Carson Smith, Steven Wright agree to 1-year deals with Red Sox — BOSTON — Pitchers Carson Smith and Steven Wright, both coming off injuries, agreed to one-year contracts with the Boston Red Sox that avoided salary arbitration. — Wright gets a non-guaranteed salary of $1.1 million under …
Matt Gelb / Philly.com:
Phillies hire three men named Kevin (Frandsen, Jordan, Stocker) for radio broadcast team — For more than a decade, Scott Franzke and Larry Andersen formed an irreverent relationship as Phillies radio broadcasters. With Andersen ready to reduce his schedule in 2018 to just home games …
Discussion:
baseballmusings.com
Jeff Wilson / Fort Worth Star-Telegram:
Grass or fake stuff? Here's what the Rangers are planning for new ballpark — The giant hole just south of Globe Life Park keeps getting deeper and deeper, and at some point in the not-too-distant future it will begin to be surrounded by steal and concrete and eventually covered by a retractable roof.
Discussion:
Ballpark Digest
Tom Haudricourt / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:
In quiet winter for baseball industry, Brewers continue to explore personnel moves — In this extremely cold winter, major-league baseball's hot stove has hardly been hot. In fact, you can't even warm your hands over it. — The dearth of industry news has impacted the Milwaukee Brewers …
Discussion:
Brew Crew Ball and MLB Trade Rumors
Matt Breen / Philly.com:
Phillies want to develop starting pitchers. Here are four to watch — “Maybe never in our history has it been more important to develop starting pitchers.” — Phillies general manager Matt Klentak on Dec. 13 at the winter meetings — The Phillies have made it clear …
Associated Press:
Zach Duke guaranteed $2.15M by Twins, can earn $1.5M more — MINNEAPOLIS — Left-hander Zach Duke is guaranteed $2.15 million as part of his one-year contract with the Minnesota Twins and can earn an additional $1.5 million based on pitching appearances. — Duke can earn $200,000 each …
MLB on Yahoo! Sports:
Stammen guaranteed $4.5M by Padres in 2-year deal — Craig Stammen is guaranteed $4.5 million as part of his two-year contract with the — San Diego Padres and can earn an additional $1 million in performance bonuses annually based on pitching appearances.
Discussion:
Gaslamp Ball and Minor League Ball
Rich Hammond / Daily News:
Sammy Watkins uncertain about his future with Rams — Given the amount of young talent in place, the Rams should enjoy a bright 2018 season, but a few players left the Coliseum on Saturday night uncertain about whether they would return. — Rams cornerback Trumaine Johnson has a six-year history …
Discussion:
FanRag Sports and ProFootballTalk
Jon Meoli / Baltimore Sun:
Orioles notes: Buck Showalter ‘further along’ in deciding whether Manny Machado will play shortstop in 2018 — Orioles manager Buck Showalter, like most everyone else in Baltimore and around the baseball world, is waiting for the short-term future of star infielder Manny Machado to be solidified before discussing him in absolutes.
Discussion:
Camden Chat
Travis Sawchik / FanGraphs Baseball:
Have We Passed Peak Tommy John? — There was a fear back in 2014 and 2015 that professional baseball was merely experiencing the early stages of a Tommy John epidemic. — There were concerns that sports specialization, the focus on velocity over feel for the craft, was stressing arms even before they arrived in the majors.
Discussion:
baseballmusings.com and redsminorleagues.com