Top News:
David Schoenfield / ESPN:
How to spice up the winter meetings after a dull week in Vegas — LAS VEGAS — Here's one problem with baseball's winter meetings: It's not even winter. — Besides that, every year there is much anticipation heading into the annual gathering, as the media assembles in numbers that dwarf the World Series.
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Alden Gonzalez / ESPN:
ESPN: Justin Bour agrees to 1-year deal with Angels, could split time with Albert Pujols — LAS VEGAS — The Los Angeles Angels, in need of protection for the recovering Albert Pujols and Shohei Ohtani, agreed to terms on a one-year contract with left-handed-hitting first baseman Justin Bour on Wednesday, a source confirmed to ESPN.
Discussion:
Associated Press
USA Today:
MLB rumors: Joe Kelly, Jeurys Familia spark relief market as winter meetings wind down — Major League Baseball's annual winter meetings are winding down Thursday, but there were still a few notable moves after the sun set in Las Vegas. — The two biggest stars of the offseason …
Discussion:
NESN.com, MLB Trade Rumors and Amazin' Avenue
Alden Gonzalez / ESPN:
Angels' Brad Ausmus focusing on balancing ABs for Albert Pujols, Shohei Ohtani — LAS VEGAS — Albert Pujols will be coming off another knee surgery and heading into his age-39 season, with no guarantee that he'll even perform at replacement level. Shohei Ohtani will be recovering …
Discussion:
Halos Heaven
Jorge Castillo / Los Angeles Times:
Dodgers ready to add Joe Kelly to their bullpen
Discussion:
Over the Monster
Derrick Goold / St. Louis Post-Dispatch:
Boras talks, we listen, Cardinals don't entertain individual meeting with Harper — LAS VEGAS • Perched like a partridge in a pear tree and surrounded by far more than four calling birds, agent Scott Boras held his annual winter meetings press conference in front of a Christmas pine Wednesday …
Discussion:
MLB Trade Rumors
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Derrick Goold / St. Louis Post-Dispatch:
Shildt set to open the doors to Cardinals players — LAS VEGAS • With months yet to go before spring training, Cardinals manager Mike Shildt has maintained and encouraged open lines of communication with all of his players via calls, texts, and in a few cases in-person chats.
Kristie Ackert / Baltimore Sun:
Yankees not ruling Bryce Harper out as Evil Empire mentality may win out — LAS VEGAS — Cue the Darth Vader music and dust off the old Evil Empire Strikes Back headlines. — Brian Cashman not only refused to push back against agent Scott Boras' prediction that the Yankees would eventually cave …
Discussion:
MLB Baseball News …
Mark Gonzales / Chicago Tribune:
As White Sox pursue Bryce Harper, agent Scott Boras says prized free agent is ‘looking ... in the long term’
Bob Nightengale / The Tennessean:
Bryce Harper sweepstakes reach fever pitch as Scott Boras teases possible landing spots
Discussion:
USA Today
Associated Press:
MLB notebook: Lance Lynn agrees to 3-year, $30 million deal with Rangers — Just when the Texas Rangers' pursuit of starting pitching ran into a road block Tuesday at the MLB winter meetings, they finally had a breakthrough. — The Rangers are in agreement with former Cardinals righthander Lance Lynn …
Discussion:
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
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Keith Law / ESPN:
Lance Lynn, Tanner Roark solid additions for Rangers, Reds — The Rangers fell to 67-95 last year, last place in the AL West, for many reasons, but their run prevention was a huge one — they allowed 848 runs last year, tied for second-most in the AL, because they allowed the second-most homers …
Jeff Todd / MLB Trade Rumors:
Rangers Nearing Deal With Lance Lynn
Discussion:
MLB Daily Dish, Lone Star Ball, NBCSports.com, FanGraphs Baseball and MLB Baseball News …
Mark Fischer / New York Daily News:
Noah Syndergaard responds to Mets-Yankees-Marlins trade rumors — It seems Noah Syndergaard is growing tired of all this trade talk and wants to stay put in Flushing. — The Mets ace took to Twitter to share his feelings on the matter Wednesday night and, yes, his GIF game is just as flashy as his pitching.
Discussion:
New York Post, NESN.com and CBS Boston
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Dave Clark / Cincinnati.com:
Top free-agent starting pitchers like Happ, Morton disappearing from market — If the Cincinnati Reds are interested in adding more starting pitching this offseason, it's appearing increasingly likely that they may look to do so via trade - as they did Wednesday when they acquired starting …
Discussion:
MLB Trade Rumors
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Bobby Nightengale / Cincinnati.com:
Cincinnati Reds add pitcher Tanner Roark in trade with Washington Nationals
Discussion:
MLB Baseball News … and Redleg Nation
Jeff Todd / MLB Trade Rumors:
Reds Acquire Tanner Roark
Discussion:
Federal Baseball and MLB Daily Dish
Nick Piecoro / Arizona Republic:
D-Backs believe path to contention doesn't have to include a teardown — LAS VEGAS - With Paul Goldschmidt and Patrick Corbin gone and A.J. Pollock soon to follow, the Diamondbacks have lost multiple pieces of the core they had built around over the past half-decade.
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Mark Gonzales / Chicago Tribune:
Cubs and White Sox brace for losses in today's Rule 5 draft — Chicago Tribune — The White Sox seemed more concerned than the Cubs about the possibility of losing a player in Thursday's Rule 5 draft. — “I think we'll probably lose at least one guy,” Sox General Manager Rick Hahn said.
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Ryan Ford / Detroit Free Press:
Detroit Tigers and the Rule 5 draft: What you need to know — Who will start for the Detroit Tigers in 2019 after their offseason acquisitions — Free Press sports writer Ryan Ford breaks down the big questions going in: — Do the Tigers have a pick? — They do, if they want to use it.
Mark Gonzales / Chicago Tribune:
Scott Boras says Addison Russell is benefiting from ‘educational’ therapy program — Photos of Cubs shortstop Addison Russell. — Chicago Tribune — Cubs shortstop Addison Russell has benefited from his rehab since being given a 40-game suspension for violating Major League Baseball's …
Associated Press:
Al Helfer, radio pioneer, wins Hall of Fame's Frick Award — LAS VEGAS — Al Helfer, who broadcast games on radio for the “Mutual Game of the Day” in the 1950s, has won the Ford C. Frick Award for excellence in broadcasting by baseball's Hall of Fame and Museum.
