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 …
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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
Ian Browne / MLB.com:
Sox agree to deal with Drew — Veteran to sign reported five-year, $70 million contract — LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. — Ending weeks of speculation, the Red Sox plucked talented outfielder J.D. Drew off the free-agent market, agreeing to terms with the left-handed hitter on a reported five-year $70-million contract.
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.
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Tim Brown / Yahoo! Sports:
Boras is gatekeeper, again — LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. - Scott Boras ended Monday at baseball's winter meetings well into Tuesday morning, taking a telephone call from "a client on the West Coast" three hours after midnight, returning various phone calls after that, sounding surprisingly energetic, all things considered.
Henry Schulman / San Francisco Chronicle: A Giant move for Zito? SF may be looking at signing winter's biggest free agent
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.
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Bill Madden / NY Daily News:
Pettitte deal? Not quite yet — Yanks after lefty — LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. - The juiciest report coming off the lobby floor of the Dolphin Hotel, other than the Manny Ramirez trade talks falling apart, had Andy Pettitte and the Yankees closing in on a one-year reunion deal.
Discussion:
Replacement Level …
Jim Baumbach / Newsday:
With Pettitte still undecided, Cashman meets with Lilly's agent — LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. - The Astros and Yankees may be growing tired of waiting for Andy Pettitte to decide his fate, and both teams seem to be letting that be known in different ways at the winter meetings.
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.
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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.
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 …
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Andrew Baggarly / Mercury News:
Giants send strong signs they want Bonds back — LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. - The Giants made their strongest statement yet that they want Barry Bonds back next season, with General Manager Brian Sabean revealing Monday that the club has exchanged multiple offers with the 42-year-old outfielder.
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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 …
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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
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.
