Top News:
ESPN:
Sources: Red Sox bid high of $42M for Matsuzaka — The Red Sox bid $42 million for the right to negotiate with prized Japanese pitcher Daisuke Matsuzaka, sources told ESPN's Peter Gammons. Boston's bid far exceeded any other team's offer. — Matsuzaka will learn Tuesday whether …
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Sports Illustrated:
Boston places highest Matsuzaka bid — Red Sox have 30 days to negotiate contract with ace — NAPLES, Fla. — The Boston Red Sox have won negotiating rights for Japanese League star Daisuke Matsuzaka, SI.com has confirmed. — The winning bid is thought to be for between $34 million and $38 million.
Ken Rosenthal / Fox Sports:
Red Sox should be smart with their money — NAPLES, Fla. - From every indication, the Red Sox are going as nuts for Japanese right-hander Daisuke Matsuzaka as Borat did for Pamela Anderson. Their final payout for Matsuzaka could exceed $25 million per season, a sum that is as breathtaking as it is extreme.
Discussion:
3,079 Miles to Fenway …
Mike DiGiovanna / Los Angeles Times:
Angels lose out in bidding for Japanese pitcher — The Angels were among the eight or so teams that submitted bids for the highly regarded right-hander, but it appears the Red Sox posted the high bid. — The Angels are on the verge of falling to 0-2 this off-season.
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Bucco Blog
Barry M. Bloom / MLB.com:
Red Sox reportedly win Matsuzaka bid — Price to negotiate with Japanese star as high as $50 million — NAPLES, Fla. — The Boston Red Sox have apparently won the U.S. rights to star Japanese pitcher Daisuke Matsuzaka, it was reported on several media outlets and substantiated by highly placed baseball officials on Monday.
Discussion:
Extra Bases
Barry M. Bloom / MLB.com:
GMs bowled over as meetings open — Execs hit the lanes in Naples; full agenda set for Tuesday — NAPLES, Fla. — On the first day of their annual meetings, the general managers went bowling. That's right. You heard right. — The winner was Kevin Towers of the Padres, who bowled in the mid-160s.
Ben Shpigel / New York Times:Prize-Winning Red Sox Bid for a Big Off-Season
Discussion:
South Side Sox
Jason Beck / MLB.com:
Verlander wins AL Rookie of the Year — Tigers' flame-throwing right-hander honored by BBWAA — DETROIT — Justin Verlander was already considered the best rookie in the American League according to two separate polls of players. On Monday, however, was the most prestigious honor of all.
Discussion:
6-4-2, Pending Pinstripes, Tiger Tales, It's Outta Here!, Talking Chop, Baseball Musings, Mack Avenue Tigers and Bless You Boys
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Joe Frisaro / MLB.com:
Ramirez named NL Rookie of the Year — Hanley nips Zimmerman for BBWAA honor — MIAMI — To fully appreciate Hanley Ramirez's rookie season, some historical perspective is needed. — The gifted 22-year-old Marlins shortstop posted some first-year numbers that rival some of the game's all-time greats.
Mike Fitzpatrick / Associated Press:
Girardi returning as Yankees broadcaster — NEW YORK —Joe Girardi's next move is back into the broadcast booth with the New York Yankees — rather than seeking another managing job. — Fired by the Florida Marlins after one season as their manager, Girardi will rejoin the Yankees' broadcast team …
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Associated Press
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Joe Capozzi / Palm Beach Post:
Marlins will talk, but not about Willis — NAPLES — If there Marlins make any trades this winter, chances are they'll tap their surplus of young pitchers. But don't expect Dontrelle Willis to be dangled as trade bait just yet. — Despite speculation that the Marlins left-hander could be moved …
Discussion:
Hot Foot
NY Daily News:
Willie isn't antsy over new pact — Willie Randolph would like a contract extension, and the Mets would like to give him one to eliminate any lame-duck attachments to the final year of their manager's original three-year deal. — But neither side appears to be in much of a rush …
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Stan Kasten / Washington Post:
Washington Nationals — A transcript follows. — Kasten is the former president of the Atlanta Braves, and was also president of the NBA's Atlanta Hawks and NHL's Atlanta Thrashers. — When Kasten was hired this year, Washington Post staff writer Dave Sheinin wrote : "Washington is getting …
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Troy E. Renck / Denver Post:
Rockies retain Matsui with one-year contract — Naples, Fla. - The Naples Grand Resort bills itself as nouveau chic - smart, stylish and deeply inspired. That applies to the property, not baseball's 30 major-league general managers who filed out of the lobby wearing flowered Hawaiian shirts for a bowling tournament.
Discussion:
Purple Row
T.R. Sullivan / MLB.com:
Notes: Rangers' Matsuzaka bid in doubt — Offer for negotiating rights with Japanese star may fall short — ARLINGTON — Major League Baseball has not yet officially announced who has won the rights to negotiate with Japanese pitcher Daisuke Matsuzaka. — But the Rangers are dealing …
Ken Rosenthal / Fox Sports:
Latest notes from the GM meetings — NAPLES, Fla. - Notes from the general managers' meetings: — How hot is free-agent right-hander Gil Meche? His agent, Casey Close, says that more than half of the teams in the majors have expressed interest in the pitcher, with about one-third …
