Top News:
Wallace Matthews / New York Daily News:
Don't be fooled — this Mets deal will be judged on Robinson Cano's production and whether it translates to wins — Let's get this straight right from the start: Fans don't care about offsetting salaries, or how much their team pays into the luxury tax, or staying under some owner's arbitrarily-set payroll cap.
RELATED:
Kristie Ackert / New York Daily News:
Mets say it would take this to trade Noah Syndergaard, plus a David Wright update — The Mets have been willing to listen to offers on Noah Syndergaard this winter, but they are not expecting to hear a return that is enough for them to part with the big right-hander.
Discussion:
Bleacher Report and MLB Trade Rumors
Kristie Ackert / New York Daily News:
Phillies' interest in Edwin Diaz forced Mets to go all-in on closer — The Mets were not going to let Edwin Diaz get away. — When the club heard that the Phillies were pushing for a deal to bring Diaz to the City of Brotherly Love, they pushed harder. — “We got word of that …
Jeff Todd / MLB Trade Rumors:
Nationals To Sign Patrick Corbin — The Nationals have agreed to a deal with veteran lefty Patrick Corbin, according to Chelsea Janes of the Washington Post (via Twitter). Corbin, a client of ISE Baseball, has landed a $140MM guarantee over a six-year term, Jon Heyman of Fancred tweets.
RELATED:
Rotoworld.com:
Lowdown: Nationals Ink Corbin — Corbin Lands with Nationals — The Nationals and left-hander Patrick Corbin agreed to a six-year, $140 million contract on Tuesday. The deal is not official yet and is pending a physical. Corbin turned down a one-year, $17.9 million qualifying offer …
Bob Nightengale / USA Today:
With everybody making moves, the NL East is suddenly baseball's most compelling division — The National League East suddenly has become the most intriguing, mesmerizing and dynamic division in baseball. — The furious divisional quartet of the Washington Nationals, New York Mets …
Mark Fischer / New York Daily News:
Yankees president Randy Levine says 'We're as good as the Red Sox' — Conceding the Red Sox are superior is forbidden in these parts and Randy Levine is staying within the ideals of the Evil Empire. — Even if it means stretching popular opinion. — “I think we're as good as the Red Sox right now …
Discussion:
Pinstripe Alley
RELATED:
Chicago Tribune:
White Sox send Jim Thome to Las Vegas to meet with Bryce Harper — The White Sox aren't letting the state of their rebuild stand in the way of having lofty ambitions. — Hall of Fame slugger Jim Thome flew to Las Vegas last month as part of the organization's sales pitch …
Discussion:
Halos Heaven, Bleacher Nation and DodgerBlue.com
Scooby Axson / Sports Illustrated:
MLB Trade Rumors: Dodgers Meet With Bryce Harper
Discussion:
WEEI, Bleacher Nation and MLB Baseball News …
Derrick Goold / St. Louis Post-Dispatch:
DeWitts have fond memories of President Bush — It was early in the morning after one of those playoff games that went late into the night when Cardinals Chairman Bill DeWitt Jr. heard his phone buzz to life and opted to ignore it. — It had to be 2005, or maybe 2004 …
Henry Schulman / San Francisco Chronicle:
Giants' Dave Righetti to remain in organization — Former Giants pitching coach Dave Righetti is not riding into the sunset just yet. Righetti, whose contract with the club was due to expire at the end of the year, will have a place in the new baseball administration.
Discussion:
McCovey Chronicles
Bill Plaschke / The Charlotte Observer:
Dodgers make the right move by giving manager Dave Roberts a new contract — The roster changes daily. The lineup changes nightly. The bullpen reorganizes. The rotation rotates. — Throughout the last three Los Angeles Dodgers seasons, amid the constant rearranging of a clubhouse …
RELATED:
Mark Gonzales / Chicago Tribune:
Column: The Cubs have needs to address with winter meetings approaching — and the time is ripe to make roster moves — Photos of Theo Epstein, the Cubs' president of baseball operations. — Chicago Tribune — Baseball lifer Jack McKeon thought Cubs bench coach Brandon Hyde was qualified …
Ken Rosenthal / The Athletic:
Inside the Phils' pursuit of Segura; is Haniger the next to go? ; Mets not finished yet; more notes — Imagine closer Edwin Díaz providing the difference down the stretch as the Mets edge the Phillies for the 2019 NL East title. — Far-fetched? Perhaps, at least as both teams are presently constituted.
Discussion:
Jays Journal, SNY, MLB Trade Rumors, Phillies Nation, Cubs Insider, The Good Phight, NBCSports.com, Bleacher Nation and The Seattle Times
