Top News:
Michael Silverman / Boston Herald:
Complicated matter: Many sides to Sox trading Manny — The Red Sox are busy, busy, busy these days, weighing blockbuster trades (Manny Ramirez), negotiating across the Pacific Ocean (Daisuke Matsuzaka), crossing the T's and dotting the I's on a free agent mega-deal (J.D. Drew) …
Discussion:
The Feeding the Monster Blog
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Chad Finn / Chad Finn's Touching All The Bases:
Say hello, wave goodbye — This time, I'm afraid, all the experts, insiders, and rumor pushers are right. Like one of his legendary moonshots toward the Mass Pike, Manny Ramirez is going, going, gone. — Now, unless this is your first visit to this warped corner of cyberspace …
Gordon Edes / Boston Globe:
Sox, Drew close — Outfielder in line for $70m, five years — There is still contract language to be worked out, and some question about whether the fifth year of the deal is guaranteed. But the Red Sox are nearing the completion of a deal with J.D. Drew that would pay …
Discussion:
Yanksfan vs Soxfan, The House That Dewey Built, Baseball Musings and Can't Stop The Bleeding
Jeff Goldberg / Hartford Courant:
Lucchino Makes Trip To Far East — Confirms Offer To Matsuzaka — As the halfway point of their window to negotiate with pitcher Daisuke Matsuzaka approaches, the Red Sox traveled halfway around the world to help facilitate an agreement. — Red Sox president Larry Lucchino met in Japan …
Discussion:
Boston Herald
Jimmy Golen / Associated Press:
Matsuzaka bid will stand — BOSTON (AP) — The Boston Red Sox cannot reduce their $51.1 million bid for Daisuke Matsuzaka in order to sign him, even if his Japanese team agrees to take less, baseball officials said Tuesday. — "There are no side deals in the situation," said Jimmie Lee Solomon …
Tom Krasovic / San Diego Union-Tribune:
Padres seeking slugger Ramirez? — Counsell spurns S.D.; Yanks get Igawa rights — The Padres haven't ruled out trading for Boston Red Sox left fielder Manny Ramirez despite concerns about his salary, his subpar defense, his reputation for being lackadaisical and his apparent preference to remain in the American League.
Discussion:
Gaslamp Ball
Jeff Horrigan / Boston Herald:Manny gets backing: Papelbon hopes team holds onto slugger
Discussion:
The Joy of Sox
Ken Rosenthal / Fox Sports:
Blue Jays reach agreement with Clayton — The Blue Jays, acting to solidify their middle-infield defense, have reached agreement with free-agent shortstop Royce Clayton on a one-year, $1.5 million contract, FOXSports.com has learned. — The deal, which is pending a physical …
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Rob Gillies / Associated Press:
Blue Jays: Barajas backed out after signing terms sheet — TORONTO (AP) — Blue Jays general manager J.P. Ricciardi claimed Wednesday that catcher Rod Barajas backed out of a deal with Toronto after signing a terms sheet with the team. — Toronto agreed to a $7.25 million …
Jordan Bastian / MLB.com:
Barajas signed deal before backing out — GM Ricciardi says catcher, Jays had 'more than a handshake' — TORONTO — As far as the Blue Jays were concerned, they had signed free-agent catcher Rod Barajas. After all, he had signed an agreement. — On Tuesday, Toronto general manager J.P. Ricciardi …
Discussion:
The Baseball Files
Bucco Blog:
Kip Wells and Tidbits — Kip Wells signed with the Cardinals today. Good for the Kipper. Unfortunately, he won't be able to do much hunting in St. Louis so I wonder what he'll do in his off time? Kip's a great person and I wish him luck. — Wells had offers from the Astros and Rangers …
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Derrick Goold / St. Louis Post-Dispatch:
Cards get moving on shopping list — Plunging into a fast-moving market to fill two vacancies before a couple of coveted players got away, the Cardinals brought Adam Kennedy back to the flock and invited Kip Wells to be Dave Duncan's next revival. — Over the holiday weekend …
Fox Sports:
The worst deals this off-season ... so far — Baseball teams are in possession of a verdant and expansive grove of money trees. — What other explanation could there be for what we've seen transpire this winter? Baseball owners, showing the fiscal restraint of Dennis Kozlowski on a meth bender …
John Hickey / Seattle Post-Intelligencer:
Garcia re-registers on Mariners' radar — Price of pitchers in a dwindling pool improves Freddy's lot — The news just keeps getting worse for the Mariners. They haven't signed a free-agent starting pitcher, nor are they particularly close to doing so.
Jerry Crasnick / ESPN:
Phillies back out of deal with Borowski after physical … The Philadelphia Phillies backed away from a multiyear agreement with free-agent reliever Joe Borowski because of concerns over Borowski's shoulder after the pitcher took a physical, several baseball sources told ESPN.com.
Mark Healey / Gotham Baseball:
The Rumor Mill: Prelude to a Miss? — For much of the last two baseball seasons, there has been a lot of talk - and endless speculation — about the possibility of left-hander Barry Zito coming to New York. — With just a few days left before the start from MLB's Winter Meetings in Orlando …
Associated Press:
Wolf leaves Phillies to sign with hometown Dodgers — LOS ANGELES — Left-hander Randy Wolf couldn't pass up the opportunity to come home. — Wolf, who spent much of last season recovering from elbow surgery, finalized an $8 million, one-year contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers on Tuesday.
Discussion:
Dodger Thoughts
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Richard Durrett / Dallas Morning News:
Yankees outbid Rangers for Japanese pitcher — NEW YORK - The New York Yankees won the bidding for Japanese pitcher Kei Igawa when the Hanshin Tigers accepted their offer of just more than $26 million on Tuesday. — Igawa, a 27-year-old left-hander, could compete for a spot in New York's rotation next season.
Discussion:
Lone Star Ball
