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12:30 PM ET, January 12, 2018

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 Top News: 
John Harper / New York Daily News:
Eduardo Nunez would give the Mets the speed and athleticism they need  —  During many an off-the-record chat at his locker, Alex Rodriguez loved to play fantasy GM and tell me what he'd do if he were in charge.  And the one guy he was always insisting should play more was Eduardo Nunez.
RELATED:
Bill Madden / New York Daily News:
Mets' Jay Bruce signing just latest example of MLB's frozen free-agent market  —  A big chunk of ice broke loose from baseball's frozen offseason free agent market with the Mets re-uniting with Jay Bruce for three years/$39 million on Wednesday.  Lest anyone think, however …
Matt Ehalt / NorthJersey.com:   Mets have added quality reliever and power bat, but still have open spot for infielder
Dave Clark / Cincinnati.com:   Could Frazier join Bruce with Mets?
ESPN:
Mets bring back Jay Bruce to break baseball's hot stove cold snap
ESPN:
Blue Jays, Josh Donaldson reach $23M deal for 2018 season  —  Third baseman Josh Donaldson and the Toronto Blue Jays on Friday broke the record for the highest salary among players eligible for arbitration, reaching agreement on a one-year deal for $23 million, a source told ESPN's Jerry Crasnick, confirming multiple reports.
RELATED:
Associated Press:
Manny Machado, Josh Donaldson among more than 170 headed for arbitration  —  NEW YORK — The hot corner figures to be sizzling Friday when players and teams swap proposed salaries in arbitration.  —  Toronto's Josh Donaldson, Baltimore's Manny Machado, Washington's Anthony Rendon …
Derrick Goold / St. Louis Post-Dispatch:
Wainwright heads into final year of contract with renewed fire  —  Back in St. Louis again for another Winter Warm-Up weekend, a staple of his offseason for more than a decade, Cardinals starter Adam Wainwright will sing some tunes for charity, will go way over his scheduled time signing autographs for fans …
RELATED:
Derrick Goold / St. Louis Post-Dispatch:   Cardinals sign Grichuk to one-year deal, continue talks with Ozuna, other arb players
John Harper / New York Daily News:
What Brian Cashman can do to help Yankees' chances of landing Yu Darvish  —  If there is any way for the Yankees to sign Yu Darvish and still stay under the luxury-tax threshold, GM Brian Cashman made it obvious just how much he'd love to do it, heaping praise on the free-agent righthander on Thursday.
RELATED:
Associated Press:   Reliever Tommy Kahnle, Yankees agree to one-year deal worth $1.3M
Anthony Rieber / Newsday:
Yu Darvish a pitcher of interest to Brian Cashman and Yankees
Discussion: MLB on Yahoo! Sports
Anthony Fenech / Detroit Free Press:
Detroit Tigers reach deal with James McCann, look to sign four others  —  The Detroit Tigers have a long-standing tradition of not letting their arbitration-eligible players get to that stage.  —  For the past 16 years since general manager Al Avila joined the organization …
RELATED:
Anthony Fenech / Detroit Free Press:   Detroit Tigers claim Johnny Barbato off waivers from Pittsburgh Pirates
Jeff Todd / MLB Trade Rumors:
Tigers Claim Johnny Barbato
Discussion: Bucs Dugout
Ben Axelrod / WKYC-TV:
REPORT |  Cleveland Indians had trade in place to send Jason Kipnis to New York Mets  —  The deal was reportedly nixed by the Mets due to concerns over Kipnis' contract.  —  CLEVELAND — Jay Bruce almost wasn't the only former member of the Cleveland Indians the New York Mets added on Wednesday.
RELATED:
Toronto Sun:   Mets agree to $39M, three-year deal with free agent Jay Bruce
Paul Hoynes / Plain Dealer:
How does a 90-win, 2018 AL Central championship Cleveland Indians team sound to you?
Discussion: The Good Phight and Let's Go Tribe
Mary Kay Cabot / Plain Dealer:
Browns hiring Ken Zampese as quarterbacks coach in reunion with Hue Jackson  —  CLEVELAND, Ohio — The Browns will likely draft a quarterback such as Josh Rosen or Sam Darnold No. 1 overall, and now he'll have a new position coach guiding him, a league source told cleveland.com.
Phil Thompson / Chicago Tribune:
Comics take swings at ‘skinny’ Kyle Schwarber, Kris Bryant at Anthony Rizzo's benefit  —  Chicago Tribune  —  “Curb Your Enthusiasm” actor and Cubs fan Jeff Garlin was a last-minute scratch as host of Anthony Rizzo's Laugh Off for Cancer on Thursday night at Studio Paris …
Rick Hummel / St. Louis Post-Dispatch:
Gibson says remarkable 1968 season had its painful moments  —  Fifty years ago — really, has it been that long?  — Cardinals Hall of Fame righthander Bob Gibson sashayed through the National League with a 22-9 record, 13 shutouts, 28 complete games, 268 strikeouts and a mind-numbing 1.12 earned-run average, best in the modern era.
ESPN:
Charlie Blackmon, Rockies avoid arbitration with $14M deal  —  The Colorado Rockies and All-Star center fielder Charlie Blackmon agreed to a one-year deal worth $14 million, a source confirmed to ESPN on Friday.  —  Blackmon, who will be eligible for free agency after the 2018 season …
New York Daily News:
Mets and Matt Harvey avoid arbitration with one-year, $5.625 million deal: report  —  The Mets and Matt Harvey reportedly avoided arbitration on Friday with an agreement on a one-year, $5.625 contract.  —  After a 2017 season marred by injury, a team-mandated suspension and poor pitching …
Discussion: MLB on Yahoo! Sports
Associated Press:
Patrick Corbin, Diamondbacks reach $7.5M, one-year deal, avoid salary arbitration  —  PHOENIX — Left-hander Patrick Corbin and the Arizona Diamondbacks avoided salary arbitration by agreeing to a $7.5 million, one-year contract.  —  The 28-year-old was 14-13 with a 4.03 ERA last season and made $3.95 million.
Discussion: AZ Snake Pit
Jeff Wilson / Fort Worth Star-Telegram:
These Rangers could be off-season extension targets for Daniels  —  To go over the list of free agents the Texas Rangers have said they are not going to sign this off-season is probably unnecessary.  —  Anyone who was projected to make more than $10 million a year apparently is off limits for the Rangers.
Discussion: Dallas Morning News
RELATED:
Gerry Fraley / Dallas Morning News:   After season of career highs with Rangers, can Robinson Chirinos bump up his production even more?
 
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 More News: 
ESPN:
Buster Olney's top 10 teams: Are the Astros and Dodgers still baseball's best?
Jeff Howe / Boston Herald:
Patriots notebook: The more practice the better for linebacker James Harrison
Discussion: FanRag Sports and ProFootballTalk
Jeff CarlisleSoccer / ESPN:
FC Dallas open to bringing back midfielder Fabian Castillo
George Sipple / Detroit Free Press:
Detroit Tigers shuffle minor league staff assignments for 2018
 Earlier Picks: 
Matt Breen / Philly.com:
Phillies prospect Tom Eshelman aims to win a starting role
Associated Press:
OF Jake Marisnick agrees to 1-year deal with Astros
Discussion: MLB on Yahoo! Sports
 

 
From WeSmirch:

Daily Star:
Scene where Gogglebox's George Gilbey, 40, tragically died as police cordon area

Eileen Reslen / Page Six:
Christine Quinn alleges ‘abusive’ husband Christian Richard threw dog poop at her, peed on her floor in violent outburst

New York Times:
How to Be Real With Your Kids  —  Actor Penn Badgley reads the essay “Watching Them Watching Me” …

 
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