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 …
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.
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Fox Sports
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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.
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Mike DiGiovanna / Los Angeles Times:
Dodgers, Angels talk to Red Sox about Ramirez
Dodgers, Angels talk to Red Sox about Ramirez
Discussion:
Halos Heaven
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
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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.
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Boston Globe:
Sox are seeking relief — Closer is their focus in any Ramírez deal — LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. — If there was a pattern to be detected in the Manny Ramírez trade talks here, it was this: The Red Sox are focusing on getting a closer in return.
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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NY Daily News:
Fish refuse to bite on Dontrelle trade — LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. - Typically quiet first day at baseball's winter meetings, other than another idiotic signing by the Texas Rangers - three years, $34 million for Vicente Padilla. Manny Ramirez still is an apparently reluctant Red Sox …
Discussion:
FishStripes
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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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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 …
Denver Post:
Jennings, Hawpe may be moved — The opening-day starter and right fielder could be packaged in a deal with the Cubs and Pirates. — Orlando, Fla. - Casual interest in Jason Jennings has graduated to concrete proposals with the Rockies considering a three-way trade with the Cubs …
Discussion:
Purple Row
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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
Joe Capozzi / Palm Beach Post:
Marlins zero in on Kolb — LAKE BUENA VISTA — The Marlins may be closing in on their next bullpen reclamation project, but they'll have to open their wallet to get him. — Former All-Star closer Dan Kolb is intrigued with the idea of trying to revive his career with the Marlins …
Discussion:
FishStripes
Sun-Sentinel:
Dealing pitchers unlikely in Marlins' quest for center fielder — · Making a run at Devil Rays center fielder Rocco Baldelli makes sense on so many levels. Age. Athleticism. Affordability. — What may not compute for the Marlins is blowing up their rotation to get him.
Discussion:
FishStripes
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette:
Winter meetings: Pirates trot after outfielder Nixon — Atlanta's hot-hitting LaRoche a possibility, too — By Dejan Kovacevic, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette — LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. — The Pirates, it appears, are hot for Trot. — On the first day of Major League Baseball's winter meetings …
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.
Bill Ladson / MLB.com:
Notes: Loss of Guillen nets draft pick — Bowden looks forward to restocking farm system in June — LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. — General Jim Bowden was pleased the Nationals will get an extra draft pick after outfielder Jose Guillen officially signed a one-year, $5.5 million deal with the Mariners on Monday.
Discussion:
William F. Yurasko
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.