Top News:
MLB.com:
Blue Jays sign DH Frank Thomas — The Toronto Blue Jays have signed designated hitter Frank Thomas to a two-year contract worth $18 million dollars with an option for the 2009 season. — Thomas, 38, spent the 2006 season with the Oakland Athletics batting .270 with 11 doubles, 39 home runs and 114 RBI.
Discussion:
The Griddle
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George King / New York Post:
SHEA IT'S SO — YANKS EYEING HILLENBRAND — Shea Hillenbrand's rickety reputation isn't scaring the Yankees away in their search for a right-handed hitting first baseman. — According to industry sources, the Yankees have Hillenbrand high on their list.
Discussion:
Pinstripe Alley
Ben Shpigel / New York Times:
Free Agents Want Off-Season to Lead to More Free Spending — Most of the general managers scurried out of town Thursday afternoon, a little ahead of schedule. But during the meetings here they made several free-agent signings that heralded a free-spending winter.
Joe Capozzi / Palm Beach Post:
Team counting on Jacobs at first — NAPLES — Since Wes Helms won't be returning, the Marlins are prepared to give Mike Jacobs another shot at being the team's full-time first baseman in 2007. — Jacobs, who came into 2006 as the starter, wound up splitting time with Helms because of a sore right ankle.
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Ken Rosenthal / Fox Sports:
Is Glavine returning to Atlanta? — NAPLES, Fla. - The longer Tom Glavine delays his decision about returning to the Mets, one National League general manager speculated Thursday, the better the chances that he will rejoin the Braves. — Glavine, 40, will become a free agent at midnight Monday …
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Mark Hale / New York Post:
GLAVINE '50-50' — STILL TORN BETWEEN METS AND BRAVES — All-Star left-hander Tom Glavine, who isn't signed yet and who has said he'll pitch for the Mets or Atlanta, told The Post yesterday he is not leaning toward Shea Stadium or Turner Field. — "I would say right now it's a pretty solid 50-50 …
Discussion:
MetsBlog.com
Michael Silverman / Boston Herald:
Manny might be a bargain at $17M — NAPLES, Fla. - The chances of the Red Sox making another offseason blockbuster move - trading Manny Ramirez, in particular - remain slim, but they did increase at the general managers meetings, which concluded yesterday. — GMs are realizing there is a lot …
Discussion:
Redleg Nation
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Joe Strauss / St. Louis Post-Dispatch:
Spiezio will return — Scott Spiezio reached the Cardinals last February with a red soul patch, a nonguaranteed contract and a need to remind the sport that his career had not ended in the 2002 World Series. — Thursday, Spiezio reached agreement with the Cardinals on a two-year …
Discussion:
Viva El Birdos
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Marty Noble / MLB.com:2007 schedule features baseball's best
Discussion:
Chicks Dig The Pitchers' Duel
Paul Hagen / Philly.com:
Phillies pitch to Soriano — Waiting for response after informing free agent of interest — NAPLES, Fla. - Talk is cheap. Signing free agents isn't. — And somewhere in the middle is where the Phillies find themselves after meeting with free-agent outfielder Alfonso Soriano at a hotel near …
Discussion:
Balls, Sticks, & Stuff
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Jim Salisbury / Philly.com:Phillies land Helms, expect him to play third
Discussion:
Blogging Baseball
MLB.com:
Washington Nationals Baseball Club opens two additional retail outlets — Official team stores set to open in North Bethesda and Downtown Washington in time for the holiday shopping season — The Washington Nationals today announced that the franchise will open two additional retail stores …
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Carrie Muskat / MLB.com:
Cubs snag Cotts from White Sox — Aardsma, Minor Leaguer dealt in rivals' first trade since 1998 — CHICAGO — What intracity rivalry? The Cubs and White Sox made a deal Thursday that helped both teams. — The Cubs tweaked their bullpen, acquiring left-hander Neal Cotts …
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Ken Davidoff / Newsday:GM notes: Proctor to prep as possible starter for Yanks
Discussion:
WasWatching.com
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 …
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John Shea / San Francisco Chronicle:Sources: Geren to be named A's manager
Discussion:
Athletics Nation
Joel Sherman / New York Post:
EXECS: ZITO WILL END UP A MET — NAPLES, Fla. - Eight execu tives were queried as they departed the GM Meetings yesterday on where they thought free agent Barry Zito would end up, and five predicted the Mets. — Omar Minaya would not comment on either that perception or on where his club stands with Zito.
Ken Davidoff / Newsday:
Smart money on Yanks, Mets — Cash, Omar showing some fiscal restraint — NAPLES, Fla. — The Mets left first yesterday, with Omar Minaya joined by his closest advisers, Tony Bernazard, Sandy Johnson and John Ricco. Brian Cashman spent a few more hours at the Naples Grande Resort …
Discussion:
MetsBlog.com
Henry Schulman / San Francisco Chronicle:
Giants sizing up costly free agents — Sabean looking at Soriano, Lee — As one measure of how tilted toward players this free-agent market has become, the representative for Ted Lilly, a career 59-58 starter who has interest in San Francisco, said he could get on the phone today and snag …
Discussion:
MLB Trade Rumors
Rocky Mountain News:
Ringolsby: When playoffs begin, they can get wild — NAPLES, Fla. - The Minnesota Twins have won four division titles in the past five years. They haven't made it to the World Series, however, since 1991. They haven't even gotten out of the first round of the playoffs, other than 2002.
Jeff Albert / Baseball Analysts:
Restoring the Balance of Tim Hudson — A quick stats check confirms that 2006 was not the best year for Tim Hudson. What is interesting, of course, is to ask why. Random variation? Or was there something else going on? — I am always interested to read or hear what a player …
Tracy Ringolsby / Rocky Mountain News:
Thanks to humidor, baseball's climate may change — NAPLES, Fla. - San Diego Padres general manager Kevin Towers used to avoid watching his team play at Coors Field. — "It's one of the most beautiful ballparks there is, even the upper deck, where you look out at the mountains, but the games were ugly," Towers said.
Discussion:
The Griddle
