Top News:
Ken Rosenthal / Fox Sports:
Cubs ink Lilly to four-year deal — ORLANDO, Fla. - The Cubs continued their off-season spending spree Wednesday, reaching preliminary agreement with free-agent left-hander Ted Lilly on a four-year, $40 million contract, FOXSports.com has learned. — Lilly, who turns 31 on Jan. 4, becomes the Cubs' first major pitching acquisition.
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Paul Sullivan / Chicago Tribune:
Cubs sign Lilly to four-year deal — ORLANDO — Cubs general manager Jim Hendry has negotiated some big deals before, but he topped himself Wednesday during baseball's winter meetings when Ted Lilly signed a four-year, $40 million deal while Hendry was in a hospital bed.
Jerry Crasnick / ESPN:
Lilly's agent set to meet with Yankees … LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. — Ted Lilly still isn't sure where he'll be pitching in 2007. But it won't be in Toronto. — Lilly crossed the Blue Jays off his list Wednesday and has narrowed his possible destinations to the Chicago Cubs and New York Yankees …
John Hickey / seattlepi.com Mariners blog:
Meche could pitch for Piniella again, but Jays back in running — Starting pitcher Gil Meche, who has never pitched for another professional organization other than Seattle, may be rejoining his old manager, Lou Piniella, in Chicago with the Cubs. — The Toronto Blue Jays thought …
Scott Miller / CBS SportsLine.com:
Despite GM in hospital, Cubs pad rotation with Lilly — ORLANDO, Fla. — The Chicago Cubs bagged another free agent, but this time they had to go to extraordinary measures to do it: General manager Jim Hendry completed a four-year, $40 million deal with left-hander Ted Lilly after being taken to the hospital because he felt ill.
Discussion:
CubsNet.com
David O'Brien / Atlanta Journal-Constitution:
Braves' top-heavy payroll presents problems — You want to know why the Braves must trade Marcus Giles and/or Adam LaRoche in order to improve their pitching staff and stay within budget? I'll tell you. Rather, I'll show you. — Because seven guys are eating up 80 percent or slightly more of the $80 million payroll.
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Bill Shanks / braves.scout.com:
First on The Braves Show: Ramirez for Soriano — The Atlanta Braves have traded Horacio Ramirez to Seattle. The Braves Show's Bill Shanks has more. — The Braves Show has learned that the Atlanta Braves have traded left-handed starter Horacio Ramirez to the Seattle Mariners for right-handed reliever Rafael Soriano.
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette:
Braves pull trade offer from Pirates — By Dejan Kovacevic, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette — LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. - The Pirates' proposed trade with Atlanta — closer Mike Gonzalez to the Braves for first baseman Adam LaRoche — was quashed tonight. — Atlanta general manager John Schuerholz pulled …
Ed Eagle / MLB.com:
Bucs' trade with Braves falls through — Deal would have sent Gonzalez to Atlanta for LaRoche — LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. — Oh, how quickly things can change at the Winter Meetings. — For most of the afternoon Wednesday, it appeared as though the Pittsburgh Pirates and Atlanta Braves …
David O'Brien / Atlanta Journal-Constitution:
Braves trade Ramirez for solid set-up man — Lake Buena Vista, Fla. — The Braves got the elite setup man they wanted Wednesday when they agreed to trade injury-plagued starting pitcher Horacio Ramirez to Seattle for reliever Rafael Soriano, who has a 2.89 career ERA and 177 strikeouts in 171 innings.
Barry Svrluga / Washington Post:
Nats Are Unmoved by Early Trade Offers for Cordero — In the teeming lobby of the Dolphin hotel at Disney World, the discussion among club executives, agents and innocent bystanders during baseball's winter meetings centers largely on the concept of "value" in an ever-escalating market.
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Jeff Zrebiec / Baltimore Sun:
O's widen search for left fielder … LAKE BUENA VISTA, FLA. // With the Orioles growing increasingly pessimistic about their chances of signing free-agent outfielder Luis Gonzalez, they have turned to other options, including the Detroit Tigers' Marcus Thames and free agent Jay Payton.
Barry Svrluga / Washington Post:
As Nats Plan for Future, Acta Embraces Present — Manny Acta is all too aware that even the people who run the Washington Nationals are bracing for the looming storm that could be the 2007 season, one in which the club is brazenly frank about how bad it might be.
Bill Ladson / MLB.com:
Rumors continue to surround Nationals — Church's name comes up in potential deal with Phillies — LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. — The Nationals didn't get any deals done on Wednesday, but there were strong rumors circulating about the team at Disney World's Dolphin Hotel.
Jim Salisbury / Philly.com:
Phils make a deal for Freddy Garcia — LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. - The Phillies pulled off a trade for a starting pitcher at baseball's winter meetings tonight, acquiring Freddy Garcia from the Chicago White Sox for pitchers Gavin Floyd and Gio Gonzalez. — Garcia, 30, is 116-71 in an eight …
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Jimmy Golen / Associated Press:White Sox send Garcia to Phillies for Floyd and a player to be named
Discussion:
Blogging Baseball
Tyler Kepner / New York Times:
Yanks Appear Closer to Signing Pettitte — The Yankees' solution for their immediate future may come from their recent past. Andy Pettitte is committed to pitching again, and Roger Clemens could eventually join him for a reunion with the Yankees. — Pettitte could still return …
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Ken Rosenthal / Fox Sports:
Dodgers reach agreement with Schmidt — ORLANDO, Fla. - The Dodgers have landed the biggest free-agent pitching prize to date, reaching a preliminary agreement on a three-year, $47 million contract with right-hander Jason Schmidt, FOXSports.com has learned.
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Jayson Stark / ESPN:
Will Bonds leave Giants? It's a mystery … LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. — The mystery guest of the winter meetings headed off to meet his mystery suitor Wednesday. And for winter-meetings melodrama, you can't beat a cameo appearance by Barry Bonds himself. — But even though Bonds' agent …
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Scott Miller / CBS SportsLine.com:Giants meet with Bonds' agent, also looking at lefty Zito
Discussion:
MLB Trade Rumors
Ken Rosenthal / Fox Sports:
A's appear on verge of signing Piazza — ORLANDO, Fla. — The Rangers are out of the bidding for Mike Piazza, the strongest indication yet that the A's are on the verge of signing the free-agent catcher, FOXSports.com has learned. — Piazza, 38, would be the A's full-time designated hitter …
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Adam McCalvy / MLB.com:
Brewers rumors carry little substance — Hottest discussion involves status of club's Rule 5 Draft pick — LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. — No face-to-face meetings and only four phone calls, all to investigate rumors that proved to be nothing. It was another very quiet day for the Brewers' contingent at the baseball Winter Meetings.
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Tom Haudricourt / Mercury News:Graffanino to accept Brewers' salary arbitration
Discussion:
Brew Crew Ball
Mike DiGiovanna / Los Angeles Times:
Helton deal appears unlikely for Angels — Trade with Rockies nearly happened, but L.A. had concerns about first baseman's age, health — LAKE BUENA VISTA, FLA. — The Angels nearly made what General Manager Bill Stoneman called the "big splash," a deal that would have fulfilled owner …
