Top News:
Gordon Edes / Boston Globe:
Epstein mum on Sox deals — Alicea joins staff as first base coach — There was no airing of company secrets by Red Sox general manager Theo Epstein on the conference call he held yesterday in advance of his trip Sunday to Orlando, Fla., for the winter meetings, not that there should have …
RELATED:
Murray Chass / New York Times:
Ramírez Simmers on the Hot Stove — Here they go again. Or maybe not. The Red Sox have tried to get rid of Manny Ramírez so often you can never be sure when, if ever, they are serious. — Speculation has heated up in the week before baseball's winter meetings that the Red Sox …
CBS4Boston:
Schilling Says Manny Ramirez Wants To Be Traded — (CBS4) BOSTON There have been all sorts of rumors and reports in the last week that the Red Sox are pushing hard to trade Manny Ramirez. — Ramirez has never said in public that he wants to be traded. But Wednesday night at an event in Warwick …
Discussion:
MLB Trade Rumors
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 …
Adam Rubin / NY Daily News:
Glavine getting Braves blow-off — The Mets have been waiting on Tom Glavine. Turns out, Glavine is waiting on the Braves. — Glavine, who is trying to decide whether he wants to pitch for the Mets or return to the team he began his career with, has yet to receive an offer from Atlanta …
RELATED:
Jim Baumbach / Newsday:
Glavine waiting for Braves to make an offer — The Mets still have not heard anything definitive from Tom Glavine's camp, but that may not be such a bad thing. Glavine's agent said the silence is because the Braves have still not given his client anything to consider.
Discussion:
MetsBlog.com
Associated Press:
Glavine yet to receive Braves offer; Mets return likely — NEW YORK — Tom Glavine hasn't received a contract offer from the Atlanta Braves as he nears a decision on where he wants to play next season, a development that has increased the likelihood he will return to the New York Mets.
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 …
RELATED:
Troy E. Renck / Denver Post:
Spring training in Tucson now concern for team — Scrapping winter caravan plans, the Rockies are considering hosting a one-day Fanfest in downtown Denver before spring training. The inaugural event could offer a distraction from the team's concern about its spring training site in Tucson.
Discussion:
Bad Altitude
Associated Press:
Snubbed Pujols says MVP should be on playoff team — SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic — Albert Pujols thinks he was snubbed. — The St. Louis Cardinals' slugger is upset he lost out to Philadelphia's Ryan Howard for the National League MVP award, saying Wednesday the honor should go to someone on a playoff team.
George King / New York Post:
BOMBERS MAKE WINNING BID FOR IGAWA — The Yankees winning the posting bid on Japanese lefty Kei Igawa yesterday doesn't make their rotation whole. In fact, several talent evaluators raked their heads when informed the Yankees' winning bid was $26 million for a pitcher many believe is no more than a fourth starter.
Discussion:
MLB Trade Rumors
RELATED:
Richard Durrett / Dallas Morning News:Yankees outbid Rangers for Japanese pitcher
Discussion:
Lone Star Ball
Bill Ladson / MLB.com:
Q&A with Nats president Stan Kasten — Free agency, Soriano, Winter Meetings among topics discussed — Despite all the money being spent on Major League free agents, Nationals president Stan Kasten has not wavered from his philosophy, which is rebuild the farm system.
Scott Merkin / MLB.com:
Notes: White Sox not shopping Crede — Third baseman mentioned in several trade rumors — CHICAGO — White Sox fans anxiously anticipated Joe Crede's transformation from a top prospect in 2002, through a couple of years of offensive inconsistency but defensive excellence …
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.
Marc Normandin / Baseball Prospectus:
Player Profile — Alfonso Soriano — Alfonso Soriano is one of those players whose value is constantly debated among the more casual fan and the statistically-inclined folk. He consistently drives in a great deal of runs, hits for power and steals bases.
Discussion:
The Cub Reporter
Mike DiGiovanna / Los Angeles Times:
Matthews aims to show he's some catch — Defense has always come naturally for Gary Matthews Jr., whose spectacular leaping catch to rob Houston's Mike Lamb of a home run July 1 has been widely hailed as baseball's best play of 2006. — So, the Angels' new center fielder, who signed an eye-popping …
