Top News:
Tyler Kepner / New York Times:
Beyond Igawa, Yankees Consider a Few Others — The Yankees will have five starting pitchers once they sign Kei Igawa, the left-hander from Japan whose negotiating rights they won Tuesday. But two of those starters have serious health questions, which is why the Yankees may not be done shopping.
Discussion:
MLB Trade Rumors
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George King / New York Post:
YANKS ON HOLD FOR ANDY, ROG — The Yankees have talked to the representative for Andy Pettitte and Roger Clemens and are in the same holding pattern other teams find themselves in regarding the free-agent hurlers. — Do Pettitte and Clemens want to continue to pitch next year?
Discussion:
Pride of the Yankees
Dan Graziano / New Jersey Online:
Yanks talking to righty Padilla — A day after winning the rights to negotiate with Japanese left-hander Kei Igawa with a $26,000,194 bid, the Yankees remained focused on acquiring another starting pitcher to go with him. — The Yankees are confident they will sign Igawa before their 30-day negotiating window expires.
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 …
Discussion:
MetsBlog.com
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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 …
Mark Hale / New York Post:
AGENT: BRAVES HAVE INTEREST IN GLAVINE — Tom Glavine, the most critical Met left with an uncertain future, is still figuring out whether to pitch for the Mets or Braves. His agent, Gregg Clifton, said yesterday that the "Braves have expressed interest" in him.
Discussion:
Lookout Landing
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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.
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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Tom Krasovic / San Diego Union-Tribune:
Padres, Graffanino talking — He would fill two needs: second baseman, leadoff man — The Padres are talking with the agent of second baseman Tony Graffanino, one of a few candidates San Diego is considering for its starting job. — Yesterday, Craig Counsell and the Brewers agreed on a two-year …
Discussion:
NY Mets Blog
Miami Herald:
Most Recent Questions & Answers … QIs it when the Marlins get a stadium deal in place when Larry Beinfest can spend money or when they are done paying up the debt they lost the last few years or when the stadium is built, when exactly is it, am real confused? Thank you so much!!!
Jeff Sackmann / Hardball Times:
Whither Bill Hall? — The Brewers are in a quandary. Not a horrible one, like waking up one morning and realizing they only have three starting pitchers. On the contrary, they have too many MLB-quality infielders. As a matter of fact, the same was true at the beginning of the 2006 season …
Discussion:
Brew Crew Ball
Nick Piecoro / Arizona Republic:
Mulder intrigued by hometown — For now, it's safe to say that the interest between the Diamondbacks and free-agent pitcher Mark Mulder is mutual, particularly after Mulder and his agents toured Chase Field on Wednesday. — But just how serious the Diamondbacks are won't be clear until …
Dallas Morning News:
Rangers' stove is far from hot — Daniels not lighting up the off-season so far, but give him a chance — There is the softball hanging right out there over the plate. I keep waiting for Jon Daniels to swat it out of the park. — Now I realize that owner Tom Hicks hired Daniels …
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.
Jeff Sackmann / Baseball Analysts:
The Best Minor League Defenders — Prospect analysis has always been one of the most contentious issues in the "stats vs. scouts" debates. However, for all the breakthroughs in statistical techniques, analysts have almost always had to rely on scouting to assign a value to the defensive contribution of a young player.
