Top News:
Sports Illustrated:
BoSox hammering out deal for Drew — The Boston Red Sox are closing on a deal for free-agent outfielder J.D. Drew, SI.com has learned. — Drew became an instant hit on the free-agent market after stirring controversy in Los Angeles by opting out of the $33 million and three years remaining …
RELATED:
Andrew Baggarly / Mercury News:
Lee is latest bat to spurn Giants — SOURCE: CONTRACT WOULD HAVE BEEN TEAM RECORD — The Giants swung and missed at another free agent, and this time they took the mightiest of cuts. — According to a well-placed source, they offered Carlos Lee what would have ranked as the largest contract …
Discussion:
Lookout Landing
Michael Silverman / Boston Herald:Manny and few remain: Lee signing tightens market
Discussion:
Talking Chop
Associated Press:
Brewers get Estrada from D-Backs in six-player swap — PHOENIX — The Arizona Diamondbacks acquired left-hander Doug Davis from Milwaukee on Saturday in a six-player deal that sent catcher Johnny Estrada to the Brewers. — Right-handers Greg Aquino and Claudio Vargas also went to Milwaukee …
RELATED:
Adam McCalvy / MLB.com:
Brewers swing six-player deal — Former All-Star Estrada coming to Milwaukee from Arizona — MILWAUKEE — Looking for an offensive upgrade at catcher and unable to keep pace with the free agent spending frenzy, the Brewers swung a six-player trade with the Arizona Diamondbacks on Saturday …
Steve Gilbert / MLB.com:
D-backs pull off six-player swap — Arizona nets two pitchers and outfielder from Brewers — PHOENIX — The D-backs acquired pitchers Doug Davis and Dana Eveland along with outfielder Dave Krynzel from the Brewers on Saturday in exchange for catcher Johnny Estrada and pitchers Claudio Vargas and Greg Aquino.
Derrick Goold / St. Louis Post-Dispatch:
Hall vote becomes Rx for steroids era — Seventeen months before history officially drags the National Baseball Hall of Fame into the steroid quagmire this week, Hall of Famers and the voters who put them in Cooperstown knew a reckoning was on the horizon. — Back in 2005, during …
Stan Grossfeld / Boston Globe:
Toughest save — Grief-stricken Reardon tries to pull himself together — PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. — Jeff Reardon plunged into darkness after his 20-year-old son died of an accidental drug overdose in February 2004. His mind tormented with pain, guilt, and suicidal thoughts …
Jim Baumbach / Newsday:
Zaun's agent staying in contact with Cashman — Finding a capable backup catcher is high on the Yankees' agenda this offseason, and the agent for Gregg Zaun said last night that he has been in "consistent" contact with general manager Brian Cashman. — A handful of teams have expressed interest …
Nick Cafardo / Boston Globe:
Financially, not a big hit — Why Sox can afford to go after Matsuzaka — There have been wide-ranging opinions on the enormous $51.1 million posting fee the Red Sox paid for Daisuke Matsuzaka's negotiating rights, all the way from Blue Jays CEO Paul Godfrey calling it "ridiculous" …
NY Daily News:
The gobble gang — Time to carve up this year's batch of major-league turkeys — Just when you think you've had enough holiday turkey, here comes a second helping. Our annual Daily News top 10 baseball turkeys, completely basted. — 1. CARL PAVANO — The missing-in-action $40 …
Jim Molony / MLB.com:
Lively market keeps Hot Stove churning — Soriano, Lee signings kick off busy winter of transactions — It has been less than a month since the World Series ended, but already, many of the top free agents have signed 2007 contracts as a Hot Stove season supposedly thin on top talent …
Discussion:
Philliesflow
Alan Schwarz / New York Times:
`Average' not so bad if stats tell the truth — GMs on lookout for middle-caliber talent, which might be a lot better than you think — For general managers scratching out their 2007 shopping lists, discussing players in terms of "best" this and "outstanding" that is well and good—but too limiting.
Fox Sports:
To be champs again, Cardinals must improve — The St. Louis Cardinals will forever have cherished memories of their 2006 championship run, and nothing that happens in the future can change that. — However, if they're going to defend said championship in 2007, then they've got a great deal of work to do this winter.
StarTribune.com:
Why Morneau, not Jeter, deserved MVP — ON THE BEAT JOE CHRISTENSEN — I am brainless. I have no clue. I attend about 150 major league games per year but never watch a pitch. I have clubhouse access four hours per day, but I'm too busy twiddling my thumbs to glean any insight from the players and coaches.
Discussion:
FIRE JOE MORGAN
Bucco Blog:
Free Agent Money Spent By Team — Small market team fans I advise you to sit down before you read this post. — The median free agent salary and contract length for the first 28 players signed as of November 24th is: $21,520,357.14 over 2.6 years. The median age of the player is 33.
