Top News:
ESPN:
Santana unanimous choice for AL Cy Young Award — Minnesota Twins left-hander Johan Santana has been voted the AL Cy Young award winner, the Baseball Writers Association of America announced Thursday. — Santana was a unanimous choice for the award — the second time in three years he has won by a unanimous vote.
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Mark Feinsand / MLB.com:
Wang the runner-up in Cy Young vote — Yankees ace a distant second to unanimous winner Santana — NEW YORK — Chien-Ming Wang's breakout season may have earned him the title of the Yankees' ace, but it wasn't enough to overcome Minnesota's Johan Santana in the American League Cy Young Award vote.
Kelly Thesier / MLB.com:
Santana is unanimous Cy Young winner — Twins southpaw earns second AL pitching award — MINNEAPOLIS — Johan Santana joined an elite group of pitchers on Thursday afternoon when he became just the 14th pitcher in Major League history to win multiple Cy Young Awards.
Chicago Tribune:
Cubs, White Sox swap pitchers — The Cubs and White Sox swapped relief pitchers Thursday, with the Sox acquiring right-handed pitcher David Aardsma and left-hander Carlos Vasquez in exchange for left-handed pitcher Neal Cotts. — Aardsma, 24, made 45 relief appearances over four stints …
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MLB.com:
Cubs acquire Cotts from White Sox in exchange for Aardsma and Vasquez — The Chicago Cubs today acquired left-handed pitcher Neal Cotts from the Chicago White Sox in exchange for relief pitcher David Aardsma and minor-league pitcher Carlos Vasquez. — Cotts, 26, led the White Sox and was tied …
ESPN:
White Sox send Cotts to Cubs for pair of pitchers — The Chicago Cubs' search for relief pitching didn't leave the city limits. — The Cubs acquired left-handed reliever Neal Cotts from the Chicago White Sox on Thursday in exchange for relief pitcher David Aardsma and minor-league pitcher Carlos Vasquez.
Nick Cafardo / Extra Bases:
Gonzalez in demand — Former Red Sox shortstop Alex Gonzalez …
Gonzalez in demand — Former Red Sox shortstop Alex Gonzalez …
Discussion:
South Side Sox
Associated Press:
Cards get record-high Series shares — NAPLES, Fla. (AP) — The St. Louis Cardinals cashed in at the World Series, earning more money than any other team in history. — St. Louis split $20.02 million for beating the Detroit Tigers. A full share of that was worth $362,173, the commissioner's office said Thursday.
Discussion:
Baseball Musings
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Paul Hagen / Philadelphia Daily News:
Phils set to add 3B Helms — NAPLES, Fla. - The Phillies are about to sign a free agent... A righthanded hitter... And, no, it's not Alfonso Soriano. — General manager Pat Gillick said last night at the annual GM meetings that the Phillies are "absolutely" close to finalizing …
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Associated Press:
A's set to name bench coach Geren new manager — OAKLAND, Calif. — Bob Geren will be promoted from bench coach to manager of the Oakland Athletics, according to a high-ranking baseball official. — The official spoke on condition of anonymity because the team won't introduce Geren …
Discussion:
Bad Altitude
Jerry Crasnick / ESPN:
Filling Texas-sized roster holes … NAPLES, Fla. — Jon Daniels notices a distinct difference between these general managers' meetings and his first go-round in Palm Springs, Calif., last November. — "This year people aren't writing that 'How is your first GM meetings' story," he said.
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ESPN:
A-Rod not interested in free agency or leaving N.Y. — NEW YORK — He's said it before and he said it again: Alex Rodriguez wants to remain with the New York Yankees, no matter how much he gets booed at Yankee Stadium. — He made that clear on Wednesday night before hosting …
Discussion:
Yanksfan vs Soxfan
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Tracy Ringolsby / Rocky Mountain News:
O'Dowd aims to stick to plan — NAPLES, Fla. - The Rockies are headed into the fourth year of their rebuilding plan. — General manager Dan O'Dowd is headed into the final year of his contract. — O'Dowd isn't looking for any shortcuts now. — "I feel very clear and confident …
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Brian McTaggart / Houston Chronicle:
Astros offer deals to Lee, Soriano — NAPLES, Fla. - Promising to be aggressive in their pursuit of free agents in the offseason, the Astros have made contract offers to the top two sluggers on the market - outfielders Alfonso Soriano and Carlos Lee. — The Astros, who ranked …
Jim Molony / MLB.com:
Littlefield comments on GM meetings — Pirates GM likely to make trade rather than free-agent signing — NAPLES, Fla. — Dave Littlefield left the general managers meetings at the Naples Grande Resort on Thursday with the same roster he arrived with, but that doesn't mean the week was a waste of time for the Pittsburgh GM.
Marc Normandin / Baseball Prospectus:
Player Profile — Barry Zito — Sound the trumpets: ESPN.com's Rumor Central can quiet the Barry Zito trade rumors they have been so fond of for the past few seasons. Untraded to the end, Zito is at long last a free agent, and has roughly zero chance of not finding himself in another team's uniform come spring training.
Discussion:
Hot Foot
ESPN:
Manny's market value — Manny Ramirez's contract has been the 160-ton weight hanging around the necks of the Red Sox for six years, and Boston executives have repeatedly tried to do his bidding and unload the slugger, despite the fact that he drives in 130 runs a year.
Associated Press:
Glendale signs deal to lure Dodgers to desert — GLENDALE, Ariz. (AP) - The Los Angeles Dodgers appear to be headed to the Phoenix suburbs for spring training after nearly 60 years in Vero Beach, a small Florida city that wrapped its identity around the baseball team.
Discussion:
Purple Row
Barry M. Bloom / MLB.com:
A's interest in Bonds heightens — Budget-conscious Oakland keeps talking to slugger's agent — CHICAGO — The Oakland A's have emerged as a possible new home for Barry Bonds, although the stars must be perfectly aligned for that to happen, said Lewis Wolff, the team's managing partner.
Discussion:
MLB Trade Rumors
David Gassko / Hardball Times:
How much is Matsuzaka worth? — Wow. That was my first reaction when I heard about the $51 million the Boston Red Sox are paying simply for the right to negotiate with Daisuke Matsuzaka and that's been my reaction every time since that I have heard the number mentioned. $51 million.