Top News:
Associated Press:
Red Sox agree to 4-year, $36M deal with Lugo — LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. — The Boston Red Sox reached a preliminary agreement Tuesday with shortstop Julio Lugo that would pay him $36 million over the next four years. — Details of the agreement were provided to The Associated Press …
RELATED:
Sports Illustrated:
Manny trade talks 'all but dead' — Red Sox fail to find match for Hall of Fame slugger — LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. — The Red Sox are about to call a halt to the Manny Ramirez trade-a-thon, leaving five teams disappointed to varying degrees (six if you count the Yankees).
Ken Rosenthal / Fox Sports:
Red Sox closing in on free-agent SS Lugo — The Red Sox, stalled in their efforts to trade left fielder Manny Ramirez, are closing in on their second major off-season acquisition, nearing agreement with free-agent shortstop Julio Lugo on a four-year, $36 million contract.
Discussion:
Yanksfan vs Soxfan
Ken Rosenthal / Fox Sports:
Market for veteran closer Gagne is heating up — ORLANDO, Fla. - Quick hits from the winter meetings: — The market for free-agent right-hander Eric Gagne is intensifying, according to a source with knowledge of the reliever's situation. — Some teams want Gagne to ease back into the closer's role …
RELATED:
Henry Schulman / San Francisco Chronicle:A Giant move for Zito? SF may be looking at signing winter's biggest free agent
Discussion:
MetsBlog.com
ESPN:
Source: Mets to get Burgos from Royals for Bannister — The New York Mets have agreed to a deal with the Kansas City Royals that will send right-handed starter Brian Bannister to Kansas City for right-handed reliever Ambiorix Burgos, ESPN's Steve Phillips reports.
RELATED:
Bob Dutton / Kansas City Star:
KC close to Burgos trade — Royals are working to send reliever to Mets for starter Bannister and are talking to Orioles about Sanders deal. — LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. | Frustrated in the free-agent market, the Royals switched Tuesday to the trade front in a determined effort to bolster their rotation.
Discussion:
Baseball Musings
Bryan Hoch / MLB.com:
Mets turn attention to Mulder — Waiting to hear from Zito, team officials meet with Cards lefty — LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. — While the Mets wait to hear more about Barry Zito's interest, the organization has moved forward with another one of pitching coach Rick Peterson's former pupils, left-hander Mark Mulder.
Ed Eagle / MLB.com:
Notes: Bucs in no hurry to make moves — Pirates' surplus of young pitching has teams interested — LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. — In a market where productive pitchers with relatively little big-league service seem to be coveted as much as established starting starters and middle-of-the-lineup boppers …
RELATED:
Mark Bowman / MLB.com:
Braves poised to wheel and deal — Rumored trade with Baltimore for Roberts, Penn falls through — LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. — When Braves general manager John Schuerholz and assistant Frank Wren made an abrupt exit from a steakhouse on Monday night, one top team official was under …
Paul Sullivan / Chicago Tribune:
Jacque: Exit, stage right — Much-maligned Jones may get wish—trade; Cubs leaders for Lilly — ORLANDO — Jacque Jones never could understand why Cubs fans refused to give him the benefit of the doubt after his slow start in April. By September, he had let it be known he wouldn't mind a new address in 2007.
Discussion:
GROTA
RELATED:
Jim Baumbach / Newsday:With Pettitte still undecided, Cashman meets with Lilly's agent
Discussion:
New York Post
Tracy Ringolsby / Rocky Mountain News:
Center field will be an inside job — Rockies unwilling to test market further to fill void in outfield — LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. - The Rockies have taken their search for help in center field internal. — "We've seen what has become (of) the center field market and we are not going to play …
RELATED:
Bill Ladson / MLB.com:
Acta aiming for winning season in '07 — New Nats skipper believes his team can compete in NL — LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. — Manager Manny Acta has heard the talk about the Nationals having a tough season in 2007 because they lack pitching and defense and will rely heavily on much younger players.
Discussion:
District of Baseball
RELATED:
ESPN:
Cards plan to stretch out several relievers in spring — LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. — Tony La Russa was expected to give Adam Wainwright a look for his 2007 rotation. Braden Looper might be coming along for the ride. — La Russa disclosed Tuesday that his World Series champion St. Louis Cardinals …
Baltimore Sun:
Angelos' baseball instincts once again are off base — Sometimes, the Orioles just crack me up. Peter Angelos is believed to have quashed a proposed trade that would have sent Brian Roberts and Hayden Penn to the Atlanta Braves for young slugger Adam LaRoche and infielder Marcus Giles …
Discussion:
Baseball Musings
ESPN:
Maddux agrees to 1-year, $10M deal with Padres — LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. — Greg Maddux and the San Diego Padres reached agreement Tuesday night on a $10 million, one-year contract. — The deal for the four-time Cy Young Award winner contains a $6 million player option for 2008.
T.R. Sullivan / MLB.com:
Rangers won't go too high on Zito — GM Daniels spending cautiously; team eyes several options — LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. — The Rangers are talking to Scott Boras about free-agent pitcher Barry Zito. — One side doesn't want to talk about $100 million. The other side probably wants to talk about that and much more.
Sun-Sentinel:
Closer could be a current starter — Nolasco might be moved to fill stopper opening — · The Marlins won't use any of their starters to acquire Devil Rays center fielder Rocco Baldelli, but one of them could address another need. — Pitching coach Rick Kranitz endorsed the idea …
Discussion:
FishStripes
