Top News:
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:
Pinstripe Alley and Bleacher Nation
RELATED:
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 on Yahoo! Sports, MLB Daily Dish, Pirates Breakdown and Bucs Dugout
Jeff Todd / MLB Trade Rumors:
Matt Garza To Undergo Shoulder Surgery — Free agent righty Matt Garza is set to undergo surgery for a torn right shoulder labrum, according to MLB.com's Adam McCalvy. It seems the injury was sustained in a mid-season collision that knocked Garza out of commission for a time but did not end his season.
Discussion:
Brew Crew Ball and MLB on Yahoo! Sports
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 …
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:
Halos Heaven and Ballpark Digest
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
Chris Kuc / Chicago Tribune:
White Sox new-look bullpen for '18 already brimming with appealing options — Chicago Tribune — At the top of Rick Hahn's to-do list for the White Sox this offseason was reconstructing a bullpen the general manager dismantled in 2017 while wheeling and dealing as part of the team's rebuild.
Detroit Free Press:
Report: Detroit Tigers bring back C Brayan Peña on minor-league deal — In an attempt to add some veteran presence to the organization, the Detroit Tigers have signed catcher Brayan Pena to a minor-league deal, according to Chris Cotillo of MLBDailyDish.com.
Discussion:
MLB Trade Rumors and Bless You Boys
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
ESPN:
Real or not? Reasons for the sloooow hot stove season — Nobody is signing, and we're all wondering why. It's January. It's time to start working out and throwing some long toss and hitting the cages, and many of the top free agents are still seeking homes for 2018.
Discussion:
Camden Chat
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 …