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.
RELATED:
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.
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
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 …
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.
RELATED:
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 …
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 …
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.
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.
Ken Rosenthal / Fox Sports:
Could Sox have gotten more for Garcia? — ORLANDO, Fla. - In a market starved for pitching, it sure seems like the White Sox should have gotten more for right-hander Freddy Garcia than Phillies right-hander Gavin Floyd and lefty Gio Gonzalez. — The White Sox's motivation was reasonable enough …
Discussion:
Balls, Sticks, & Stuff
RELATED:
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.
RELATED:
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.
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 …
RELATED:
Evan Grant / Dallas Morning News:Like Rangers, NY teams hold torch for Zito
Discussion:
Lone Star Ball
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.
RELATED:
Scott Miller / CBS SportsLine.com:
Giants meet with Bonds' agent, also looking at lefty Zito — ORLANDO, Fla. — Jeff Borris, the agent for Barry Bonds, said he met with the San Francisco Giants for three hours on a bizarre Wednesday at baseball's winter meetings but that his client still has no deal.
Discussion:
MLB Trade Rumors
RELATED:
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.
RELATED:
Tom Haudricourt / Mercury News:Graffanino to accept Brewers' salary arbitration
Discussion:
Brew Crew Ball
Adam Rubin / NY Daily News:
Omar feels power — LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. - Omar Minaya, who officially obtained 22-year-old reliever Ambiorix Burgos from the Royals yesterday for Brian Bannister, compared the righthander's arrival to Duaner Sanchez's acquisition last winter. The Mets GM also gloated that Burgos …
MLB.com:
Dodgers bring in outfielder Gonzalez — Longtime D-back's 52 doubles ranked third in baseball — LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. — The Dodgers have come to an agreement with outfielder Luis Gonzalez on a one-year deal worth $7 million for the 2007 season, MLB.com has learned.
