Top News:
Jeff Zrebiec / Baltimore Sun:
O's agree to trade for Wright … The Orioles have agreed to trade reliever Chris Britton to the New York Yankees for starting pitcher Jaret Wright and cash, according to two team sources. — While the specifics of the deal have been worked out, the trade won't be official until it gets …
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Associated Press:
Yanks discuss trading right-hander Wright to Orioles — NEW YORK — The Yankees and Orioles were discussing a deal Saturday that would send Jaret Wright to Baltimore for prospects. — Wright and Yankees teammate Mike Mussina filed provisionally for free agency Saturday, awaiting decisions on team options for 2007.
NY Daily News:
Yanks set to send Wright to Orioles — The tactic served them well with Gary Sheffield, and it appeared the Yankees were taking a similar approach with pitcher Jaret Wright last night. — Rather than buy out the final year of Wright's contract, the Yankees are in the process of shipping the righthander to Baltimore.
Ken Rosenthal / Fox Sports:
Cubs' Ramirez declines to sign with Cubs — Lou Piniella, the Cubs' new manager, can't be in a very good mood. A challenging off-season for the Cubs just became even more difficult. — Third baseman Aramis Ramirez will test free agency, FOXSports.com has learned, creating yet another hole …
Discussion:
Philliesflow
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Chris De Luca / Chicago Sun Times:
Ramirez now anyone's prize — With a midnight deadline looming, the Cubs couldn't close a deal with free-agent third baseman Aramis Ramirez late Saturday night, meaning a complicated offseason just got a whole lot tougher. — The Cubs no longer have exclusive negotiating rights with Ramirez.
Discussion:
1060west
Carrie Muskat / MLB.com:
Cubs, Ramirez still talking — Club's exclusive negotiating window closes at midnight — CHICAGO — Aramis Ramirez could be close to a deal that would keep the third baseman with the Chicago Cubs, who may be able to take advantage of a "hometown discount," according to his agent.
Nick Gates / Knoxville News-Sentinel:
Padres issued balk on Balsley — San Diego Padres general manager Kevin Towers and pitching coach Darren Balsley are embroiled in a contract negotiations stalemate and money isn't at the heart of the impasse. — Darren Balsley, a former minor league pitcher with the Knoxville Blue Jays …
Discussion:
Baseball Musings
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New York Times:
Mets' New Park to Be Named CitiField — The Mets and Citigroup have agreed on a 20-year sponsorship deal to call the team's new stadium CitiField. — The announcement will be made at a groundbreaking ceremony tomorrow, a baseball official who was briefed on the ceremony said, confirming a report on the deal Friday by Bloomberg News.
Discussion:
Field of Schemes
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Marty Noble / MLB.com:Report: Mets strike stadium naming deal
Discussion:
The Musings and Prophecies …
Ken Davidoff / Newsday:
Acta leaving Mets for Nats — It looks as if the Mets will be searching not only for new players but a new third-base coach. — Manny Acta, the Mets' third-base coach for the past two seasons, will become the new manager of the Washington Nationals, an official from an American League team …
Discussion:
It's Outta Here!
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Bill Ladson / MLB.com:
Acta to be named Nats' next manager — Former Mets coach to become second skipper in team history — WASHINGTON — The Nationals will name Mets third-base coach Manny Acta as their new manager on Tuesday, according to a high-ranking baseball official. Acta will sign a two-year contract, but terms of the deal were not disclosed.
Michael Echan / MLB.com:
Morgan displaying versatility in Hawaii — Catcher Doumit hits fourth home run in Mexican Winter League — Pirates prospect Nyjer Morgan, who leads Hawaii Winter Baseball with 17 stolen bases and ranks second with a .301 average, stole four bases this week.
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Chris De Luca / Chicago Sun Times:
Enter the arms dealer — White Sox general manager Ken Williams remains a popular figure among his peers — mainly because of his gunslinger mentality and eagerness to deal. But when general managers gather this week in Naples, Fla., for their annual administrative meetings, Williams will be more popular than ever.
NY Daily News:
Bosox paying the price — NAPLES, Fla. - Baseball's general managers aren't waiting until their meetings at the Naples Grand Resort Hotel this week to get the hot stove churning. They begin arriving today, but already two major trades have been completed, with the Yankees jettisoning Gary Sheffield …
Nick Cafardo / Boston Globe:
Market is open for business — GM meetings should be flush with activity — The four-day event known as the general managers meetings once was where baseball's movers and shakers gathered to lay groundwork for trades and hold preliminary negotiations for free agents. — In large part that hasn't changed.
NY Daily News:
Trachsel's wife files for divorce — When Steve Trachsel left the Mets on the eve of the playoffs, he said it was for personal reasons that had nothing to do with his marriage. — On Thursday, however, his wife, Sarah Trachsel, filed for divorce in San Diego.
Owen Perkins / MLB.com:
Lasorda honored for selfless service — Receives Lifetime Community Service Achievement Award — DENVER — When the Rotary Club of Denver decided to celebrate 15 years of its Branch Rickey Award for unselfish community service by handing out its first Lifetime Community Service Achievement Award …
Ryan McConnell / MLB.com:
Bergolla stays hot in Venezuela — Infielder one of several Reds prospects in offseason leagues — William Bergolla may not look like Ted Williams, but he's hitting like him this fall. — Bergolla continued his scorching Venezuela Winter League campaign this week …
Discussion:
The Cutting Edge
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