Top News:
John Hickey / Seattle Post-Intelligencer:
Mariners pursuing Zito — LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. — While the Seattle spotlight on free agent pitching has been almost exclusively on Jason Schmidt, it turns out the Mariners are in the mix for free agent left-handed starter Barry Zito. — Only Zito, who is 28, has a higher profile …
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Ken Rosenthal / Fox Sports:
Rangers setting sights on Zito — Quick hits from the winter meetings: — The Rangers are making a major push for free-agent left-hander Barry Zito, major league sources say, and continue to negotiate with free-agent right-hander Vicente Padilla. — Zito, 28, could end up with a six-year …
T.R. Sullivan / MLB.com:
Rangers come to terms with Padilla — Right-hander agrees to three-year contract, option for fourth — LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. — The Rangers, on the first full day of the Winter Meetings, have reached an agreement with pitcher Vicente Padilla on a new contract.
Evan Grant / Dallas Morning News:
Rangers close to keeping Padilla — LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. - The first piece of the Rangers' starting pitching puzzle could fall into place as early as today. — According to a source with knowledge of the negotiations, the Rangers were inching close to completing a three-year deal to retain right-hander Vicente Padilla.
Associated Press:
Mets executives talk Zito with Boras at meetings — LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. — The New York Mets made their first pitch to Barry Zito and might need to throw some big bucks on the table to land him. — Mets executives met Monday night with Zito's agent, Scott Boras — known for driving a hard bargain.
Discussion:
Hot Foot
Jayson Stark / ESPN:
The latest from the winter meetings … The winter meetings are underway in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. Stay tuned for the latest on trades, free-agent signings and the rumors we're hearing at Disney's Swan and Dolphin Resort: — All times ET — • There were reports out of Chicago today …
Jerry Crasnick / ESPN:
Padilla, Rangers reach agreement on $34M contract … LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. — Free agent right-hander Vicente Padilla has reached a preliminary agreement on a $34 million, three-year contract with the Texas Rangers, a baseball source said Monday night. — The deal is contingent upon Padilla passing …
Ken Rosenthal / Fox Sports:Rangers nearing agreement with Padilla
Discussion:
Inside The Winter Meetings
Scott Miller / CBS SportsLine.com:
Bull Pennings: Winter Meetings Edition — CBS SportsLine senior writer Scott Miller files periodic observations from the baseball beat ... Lots of buzz in the lobby — ORLANDO, Fla. — Dinner time (for some people) Monday and it's been a long day of lots of talk and little actual hard news.
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Mike DiGiovanna / Los Angeles Times:Dodgers, Angels talk to Red Sox about Ramirez
Discussion:
Halos Heaven
Scott Merkin / MLB.com:
Trade talk surrounds pitching wealth — McCarthy's options for '07 hang in balance of rumored deals — LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. — One of the newest rumors making its way around the Swan and Dolphin Resort on Monday involved the movement of White Sox southpaw Mark Buehrle via trade to the Mets …
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Jimmy Golen / Associated Press:
Carpenter and Cardinals agree to new five-year contract — LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. (AP) — St. Louis Cardinals general manager Walt Jocketty looked at the price of pitching on the free-agent market and decided to throw his money at a guy he already had. — The Cardinals announced a five …
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Bryan Hoch / MLB.com:
Minaya narrows focus to pitching — Adding arms is GM's objective as Winter Meetings begin — LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. — Mets general manager Omar Minaya set up shop at the Winter Meetings on Monday, putting together what he called a "wish list" of talent and looking to add arms.
Discussion:
South Side Sox
Ken Rosenthal / Fox Sports:
Padres nearing agreement with Maddux — The Padres are closing in on a major off-season coup, nearing an agreement with free-agent right-hander Greg Maddux, FOXSports.com has learned. — The deal, which would be a significant blow to the Dodgers, the Padres' NL West rival …
Adam McCalvy / MLB.com:
Brewers meet with Orioles on Day 1 — Milwaukee GM Melvin may use outfield surplus to advantage — LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. — The Brewers' contingent met on Monday with officials from the Baltimore Orioles and one other club regarding Milwaukee's stable of corner outfielders …
Discussion:
Brew Crew Ball
Alyson Footer / MLB.com:
Pettitte's status impacts Astros' moves — GM Purpura also exploring trade market for frontline starter — LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. — The Astros are mildly interested in free-agent pitcher Jason Schmidt, but general manager Tim Purpura hasn't been aggressively pursuing the right-hander mainly because of the Andy Pettitte factor.
Steve Gilbert / MLB.com:
Byrnes has productive first day — D-backs seek pitching help at Winter Meetings — LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. — Disney World may be the happiest place on earth, but it certainly wasn't the busiest on Monday as baseball's Winter Meetings kicked off at the Swan and Dolphin Hotel.
Discussion:
MLB Trade Rumors
Tom Krasovic / San Diego Union-Tribune:
Padres reach deal with Jose Cruz Jr. — The Padres and outfielder Jose Cruz Jr. have agreed to terms on a one-year, $650,000 contract. — General Manager Kevin Towers said Cruz and Terrmel Sledge, as it stands now, will share time in left field next season.
John Hickey / Seattle Post-Intelligencer:
Mariners sign outfielder Jose Guillen — ORLANDO, Fla. — The Seattle Mariners will be the third American League West team to employ Jose Guillen. — He'd like this time around to last longer than the first two. — Guillen was introduced to the media Monday afternoon …
Ken Gurnick / MLB.com:
Dodgers' deal for Manny unlikely — Red Sox price tag for slugger appears too steep — LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. — The Dodgers seem more likely to acquire Andruw Jones, Vernon Wells or no power hitter at all than they do Manny Ramirez, judging from early Winter Meetings returns.
Chicago Tribune:
Winter meetings whispers — ORLANDO — Those Manny Ramirez-to-the-Dodgers rumors persist, with San Francisco seen as another slight possibility. Not only is manager Grady Little encouraging general manager Ned Colletti to bring Ramirez to Los Angeles, bench coach Dave Jauss and hitting coach Eddie Murray are also in Ramirez's corner.
