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.
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MLB Baseball News …, NBCSports.com, Pinstripe Alley, Beyond the Box Score, The Ringer, FanSided, NBC News, Sports Illustrated, New York Post, Houston Chronicle, New Jersey Online, Los Angeles Times, MLive.com, Sportsnet.ca, Orange County Register, fox8.com, MLB Trade Rumors, Mercury News, Bleacher Nation, Bless You Boys, Over the Monster, McCovey Chronicles, Talking Chop, Houston Astros on Yahoo! …, Lone Star Ball, The Crawfish Boxes, Boston Red Sox News …, KTLA and baseballmusings.com
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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, Camden Chat, South Side Sox 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 …, Pinstripe Alley, Cubs Insider and MLB Trade Rumors
Mark Feinsand / MLB.com:
This free agent's market is already heating up
This free agent's market is already heating up
Discussion:
Rangers News, Yahoo! Sports, MLB Daily Dish and MLB Trade Rumors
Kevin Acee / San Diego Union-Tribune:
Padres plan to work on contract for Tatis; coaching staff interviews continue — Padres would like to buy out a couple years of Fernando Tatis Jr.'s eventual free agency; Cubs GM talks about Andy Green — Amid the flurry of moves they expect to make this offseason via trade and free agency …
Discussion:
MLB Baseball News …, NBCSports.com and MLB Trade Rumors
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Deesha Thosar / New York Daily News:
Pete Alonso wins 2019 National League Rookie of the Year honors
Ben Pickman / Sports Illustrated:
Mets' Pete Alonso, Astros' Yordan Alvarez Take Home Rookie of the Year Honors
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:
Talking Chop and Federal Baseball
Bobby Nightengale / Cincinnati.com:
Adding some pitching remains a priority for the Cincinnati Reds this offseason — Sports Pulse: Reporter Bob Nightengale predicts the MLB individual awards — SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. - After the Reds scored the fourth-fewest runs in the National League this season, it's clear the Reds …
Discussion:
MLB Trade Rumors, Redleg Nation and Federal Baseball
Gordon Wittenmyer / Chicago Sun-Times:
Can Cubs turn a free agent bust into low-risk bullpen answer with Brandon Morrow in 2020? — The once-dominant reliever appears healthy again and plans to pitch again in 2020 after missing the last year and a half with elbow problems — with the Cubs first in line for a minor-league deal.
Discussion:
Cubs Insider, Bleed Cubbie Blue, Bleacher Nation and MLB Trade Rumors
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:
USA Today, MLB Trade Rumors and Royals Review
Derrick Goold / St. Louis Post-Dispatch:
Molina plans to play past current deal, possibly through 2022; La Russa, Pujols reunited with Angels — SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Originally, Yadier Molina's plan was to play through the end of his current contract, trade in his pads and catcher's mitt maybe for a fungo bat and some time as a coach …
Discussion:
MLB Trade Rumors
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, MLB Baseball News … and MLB Daily Dish
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
Dodgers to shop for starting pitchers, right-handed power as offseason begins
Discussion:
MLB Trade Rumors, NBCSports.com, MLB Baseball News … and Purple Row
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 …
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