Top News:
Associated Press:
Baseball notebook: Japan beats MLB All-Stars in opener — Yuki Yanagita hit a two-run home run in the bottom of the ninth inning Friday to lift Japan to a 7-6 win over the MLB All-Stars in the opening game of a six-game exhibition series in Japan. — Juan Soto, Carlos Santana and Amed Rosario …
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ESPN:
J.P. Ricciardi leaving Mets after eight seasons — NEW YORK — J.P. Ricciardi is leaving the New York Mets after eight seasons. — The Mets announced his decision Friday, a day after the end of the annual GM meetings and 11 days after hiring Brodie Van Wagenen to succeed Sandy Alderson as general manager.
Wallace Matthews / Baltimore Sun:
Mets GM Brodie Van Wagenen convinced the Wilpons to spend big money before, now he must get them to do it again — As an agent, Brodie Van Wagenen sold the Mets Yoenis Cespedes and Todd Frazier, but over the past month he may have pulled off his greatest sales job of all: Selling himself as their next GM.
Scott Chiusano / New York Daily News:
Jacob deGrom is still trying to wrap his head around his former agent becoming Mets new GM: report — It seems like Jacob deGrom is not completely sold on his former agent becoming his new general manager. — The Mets ace, who had been represented by Brodie Van Wagenen, said he is trying to …
Michael Blinn / New York Post:
Mets trade target trying to ignore swirling rumors
Discussion:
Amazin' Avenue
New York Daily News:
Mets and J.P. Ricciardi, who was special ass't to the GM under Sandy Alderson, ‘part ways’
Tim Healey / Newsday:
GM Brodie Van Wagenen: Mets ‘covered’ at catcher, but still looking
Discussion:
MLB Trade Rumors and Amazin' Avenue
Matt Ehalt / Daily Record:
Yankees and Mets both leave winter meetings targeting pitching upgrades
Discussion:
NorthJersey.com
Chelsea Janes / Chicago Tribune:
Some laugh at $400 million for Bryce Harper. Here's how Scott Boras plans to get it. — The Washington Post — Scott Boras has a binder for Bryce Harper, like he does for most of his top-dollar clients. It's divided into a handful of sections and populated with carefully curated PowerPoint slides, positioned just so.
Discussion:
baseballmusings.com
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Marcus Kwesi O'Mard / NESN.com:
Dodgers Offered Nationals This Star In Pursuit Of Bryce Harper Trade
Discussion:
Minor League Ball
Joel Sherman / New York Post:
The moment of truth when Yankees could tear up plans for Machado
Discussion:
New Jersey Online and Sox Machine
Buster Olney / ESPN:
Cubs open to trading 3B Kris Bryant — Kris Bryant won the Rookie of the Year award in 2015, an MVP award the next season, and he will forever be remembered in Chicago for making the last play to clinch Game 7 of the Cubs' 2016 championship, grinning as he released the throw to first.
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Paul Sullivan / Chicago Tribune:
Cubs President Theo Epstein shoots down Kris Bryant trade talk
Discussion:
Bleacher Nation
Jon Meoli / The Charlotte Observer:
As baseball powers focus on competitive balance tax, Orioles payroll puts them on opposite end of spectrum — Since the end of the World Series late last month, baseball's biggest teams have been outlining their plans for the offseason in relation to the league's competitive balance tax.
Tom Schad / USA Today:
Great-grandpa wins Massachusetts lottery by playing numbers of Boston Red Sox stars — A Boston Red Sox fan won the lottery this week by playing the jersey numbers of some of the team's best players. — Jim Aylward Jr. of Templeton, Massachusetts won a $100,000 prize in the state's …
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Kerry Crowley / The Charlotte Observer:
Behind the scenes of the Giants' search for a new visionary — SAN FRANCISCO — When the Giants opened their search for a “next-gen” front office visionary at the end of September, Dodgers general manager Farhan Zaidi quietly expressed concern about his chances of landing the position.
Dave Clark / Cincinnati.com:
Report: Hunter Jones, son of former Red and ex-WLW host Tracy Jones, signs with Nationals — Hunter Jones, the son of former Cincinnati Reds player and ex-70 WLW host Tracy Jones, signed a minor-league deal with the Washington Nationals after hitting .301 this past season between Double …
Phil Miller / Star Tribune:
Joe Mauer will officially retire from baseball — The Twins first baseman played 15 seasons in Minnesota, but concussion issues cut short his career. — TEXT SIZE — Joe Mauer lined a vintage Joe Mauer hit, slicing a double to left field in his final at-bat, then saluting the roaring crowd …
Discussion:
Twinkie Town, MLB Baseball News …, MLB Trade Rumors and Lone Star Ball
Matthew Moreno / DodgerBlue.com:
Dodgers Release Chase Utley To Facilitate Retirement — The Los Angeles Dodgers on Friday announced Chase Utley was granted an unconditional release in order to facilitate his official retirement. Utley announced his plans to step away from the game in July.
Discussion:
MLB Baseball News … and MLB Trade Rumors
Bobby Nightengale / Cincinnati.com:
Looking for pitchers or an outfielder, Cincinnati Reds could be players in trade market — CARLSBAD, California - The Cincinnati Reds are expected to spend money in free agency as they look to improve their pitching, but they won't have an unlimited budget to sign all their top targets.
