Top News:
The Athletic:
The Astros stole signs electronically in 2017 — part of a much broader issue for Major League Baseball — There is a broad story about this era of baseball that has yet to be told. — To this point, the public's understanding of sign stealing mostly rests on anonymous second-hand conjecture and finger-pointing.
Discussion:
MLB Baseball News …, New Jersey Online, NBCSports.com, McCovey Chronicles, Houston Chronicle, Los Angeles Times, Orange County Register, baseballmusings.com, New York Post, fox8.com, Boston Red Sox News …, MLB Trade Rumors, Mercury News, Sports Illustrated, Lone Star Ball, Bleacher Nation and The Crawfish Boxes
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Jeff Passan / ESPN:
Ex-Astros pitcher Mike Fiers: Team stole signs with camera — The Houston Astros used a center-field camera to help steal signs during their 2017 championship season, a former pitcher for the team told The Athletic, a practice that would have run afoul of rules against using technology …
Discussion:
MLB Baseball News …, New York Post, South Side Sox, Sports Illustrated and AZ Snake Pit
Jon Paul Morosi / MLB.com:
Market for Zack Wheeler could be robust — Righty has until Thursday to accept or reject $17.8M qualifying offer — SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Zack Wheeler has until Thursday at 5 p.m. ET to accept or reject the Mets' $17.8 million qualifying offer. Thus, over the coming days …
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Evan Grant / Dallas Morning News:
The Rangers are willing to play the free agency game. Now comes the hard part: winning it. — Convincing somebody to take a lot of money is not as easy as it sounds. — SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — You can't win if you don't play. — That's the difference between the Rangers' approach …
Discussion:
MLB Baseball News …, Cubs Insider, Pinstripe Alley and MLB Trade Rumors
Mark Feinsand / MLB.com:
This free agent's market is already heating up — SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Free agency is barely in its infancy stage, but as the General Managers Meetings commenced Monday, one name on the market is already starting to gain serious momentum: Josh Donaldson. — The 2015 American League MVP …
Discussion:
Rangers News, MLB Daily Dish, MLB Trade Rumors and Yahoo! Sports
Tim Healey / Newsday:
Food for thought: That Brodie Van Wagenen-Pete Alonso dinner really paid off — Among the moments that have marked Pete Alonso's rise to stardom — to the Home Run Derby title and All-Star Game, to all sorts of major-league and franchise records, to his expected National League Rookie …
Discussion:
Over the Monster, Amazin' Avenue, MLB Trade Rumors, MLB Baseball News …, Talking Chop and Lone Star Ball
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Ben Pickman / Sports Illustrated:
Mets' Pete Alonso, Astros' Yordan Alvarez Take Home Rookie of the Year Honors
Discussion:
Camden Chat and The Crawfish Boxes
Jeff Fletcher / BBWAA:
Cardinals' Mike Shildt wins tight race for NL Manager of the Year honors — Mike Shildt of the St. Louis Cardinals was named National League Manager of the Year, marking just the second time in Manager of the Year voting that the winner did not receive the most first-place votes.
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Ryan Wormeli / MLB Baseball News, Scores …:
Does Davey Martinez's snub highlight problems with Manager of the Year award? — Regardless of who ends up winning the National League Manager of the Year award — the finalists are Craig Counsell, Mike Shildt, and Brian Snitker — Nationals fans will make the case their fearless leader was snubbed.
Discussion:
Federal Baseball and Talking Chop
Jeff Todd / MLB Trade Rumors:
Three Teams Exceeded 2019 Luxury Tax Threshold — The Red Sox, Yankees, and Cubs were the three teams to exceed the luxury tax threshold in 2019, as Jorge Castillo of the Los Angeles Times noted over the weekend. MLBTR has confirmed that is the complete and final list of organizations identified …
Discussion:
Bleed Cubbie Blue
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Jorge Castillo / Los Angeles Times:
Dodgers to shop for starting pitchers, right-handed power as offseason begins
Discussion:
NBCSports.com, Purple Row and MLB Baseball News …
Maria Guardado / Giants News:
Giants hire Scott Harris as new GM — Harris spent seven years with Cubs, two as assistant GM — The Giants will have a new face representing them at the General Managers Meetings this week. — President of baseball operations Farhan Zaidi announced Sunday that the Giants …
Discussion:
NBCSports.com, MLB Baseball News …, McCovey Chronicles, MLB Daily Dish, Lone Star Ball and Bleed Cubbie Blue
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Dylan A. Chase / MLB Trade Rumors:
Pirates' GM Search Reportedly Down To Three Finalists — Since the exit of longtime GM Neal Huntington on Oct 28, the Pirates have been connected to a number of respected front office figures in their search for a new head of baseball operations. Two names, Blue Jays VP …
Discussion:
New York Post, MLB.com, Cubs Insider, Talking Chop and Brew Crew Ball
Jeff Todd / MLB Trade Rumors:
Cardinals Re-Sign Adam Wainwright — 3:05pm: Wainwright's new contract guarantees him $5MM and includes an additional $5MM in possible incentives, Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic tweets. — 10:08am: The Cardinals have agreed to re-sign righty Adam Wainwright, per a club announcement.
Discussion:
FanGraphs Baseball and MLB Baseball News …
Jeff Fletcher / BBWAA:
Twins' first-year skipper Rocco Baldelli wins Manager of the Year — Rocco Baldelli of the Minnesota Twins was named American League Manager of the Year. — This election marks the second time in the AL and the eighth time overall that the award went to someone who was in his first full season as a major league manager.
Discussion:
MLB Trade Rumors
Darren Hartwell / MLB Baseball News, Scores …:
Latest Mookie Betts report heightens trade speculation entering GM meetings — Boston Red Sox entering Major League Baseball's general manager meetings, which begin Monday in Arizona. — Jon Morosi's report Monday morning should intensify that spotlight. — Several MLB executives believe at least one of Betts,
Discussion:
NBCSports.com and The Boston Globe
