Top News:
ESPN.com:
Big spenders: Yanks, Red Sox hit with luxury tax — NEW YORK — The New York Yankees did accomplish something this year: They lowered their luxury tax for the second straight season. — The Yankees were hit with a tax bill of $23.88 million by Major League Baseball in a notice sent to teams late Friday …
Discussion:
New York Post, Depressed Fan, Baseball Musings, My Pinstripes, Scott Proctor's Arm, River Ave. Blues and Boston Herald
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Rob Bradford / Boston Herald:
Papi: Johan not coming — Sox DH doesn't see trade for good friend happening — FOXBORO - It wasn't the holiday message Red Sox [team stats] fans were looking for. — Although David Ortiz [stats]' infectious smile and trademark hugs were spread throughout Gillette Stadium during his visit …
Roger Rubin / NY Daily News:
Yankees hit with $24M luxury tax bill — In the world of the Yankees, where anything short of a World Series title is seen as a failure, the 2007 team could be looked at as a $208 million bust. — But that really would be understating it. — After receiving a $24 million luxury tax bill …
Joe Capozzi / Palm Beach Post:
Marlins sign former Pirates 2B Castillo — The Marlins on Monday signed former Pittsburgh Pirates second baseman Jose Castillo, potentially plugging a key hole in their infield. — The only question is whether Castillo will replace Miguel Cabrera at third base or if he'll play second, which would shift Dan Uggla to third base.
Discussion:
MLB Trade Rumors
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Juan C. Rodriguez / Sun-Sentinel:
Marlins pick up ex-Pirate Castillo — The Marlins on Monday agreed to terms with infielder Jose Castillo on a one-year deal. — Castillo, who the Pirates released earlier this month, will be an option at third base. — Three months shy of his 27th birthday, Castillo has a .256 career average …
Associated Press:
Marlins reach agreement with Jose Castillo — MIAMI (AP) — Former Pittsburgh infielder Jose Castillo signed a free-agent deal with the Florida Marlins on Monday. — Terms of the deal weren't disclosed. — The 26-year-old Castillo, from Venezuela, played both second and third base …
Michael S. Schmidt / New York Times:
Wallace, Fan of Clemens, Becomes His Questioner — Mike Wallace has been a correspondent for CBS's “60 Minutes” for the past four decades and more recently has taken on a reduced role, with the weekly news show now describing him as a correspondent emeritus.
Discussion:
My Pinstripes
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Mssickels / Minor League Ball:
Merry Christmas, Dodger's Fans — John wanted me to post this list for you, with a request that when you argue, and you will, please keep it civil. — Los Angeles Dodgers Top 20 Prospects for 2008 — All grades are EXTREMELY PRELIMINARY and subject to change. — Clayton Kershaw, LHP, Grade A
Larry Dobrow / CBS SportsLine.com:
Save This Franchise: Where to start with the Pirates? — We get plenty of letters here at CBSSports.com, some even written in functional English. But nothing I've received during my tenure as a sportswriter-type person touched my heart the way this note, from a brave young lad named Timmy, did.
Marty Noble / MLB.com:
Q&A with Joe Smith — Righty talks parking tickets, Christmas and Carrie Underwood — Christmas is for the kids, they say; at least the commercial aspects of it are. And who among the Mets last season was regarded more as a kid than Joe Smith? At age 23, the rookie reliever wasn't the youngest Met …
Todd Wills / Dallas Morning News:
Texas Rangers' Blake Beavan revisited — Blake Beavan says if he sees a five-dollar bill on the ground, he'll still pick it up. — A lot has changed for Beavan, the Irving High School fireballer picked with the 17th overall pick by the Rangers in the June draft.
Richard Pérez-Peña / New York Times:
The Top Player in This League? It May Be the Sports Reporter — A few teams are rich and getting richer, hunting more avidly than ever for talent, raiding the less-endowed leagues, poaching free agents and bidding the prices of star players to unheard-of heights.
Discussion:
SportsAgentBlog.com, Can't Stop The Bleeding, Signal to Noise, The Big Lead, FanHouse and The Griddle
Ken Rosenthal / Fox Sports:
Time is not right to decide on Steroid Era players — Ken Rosenthal has been the senior baseball writer for FOXSports.com since Aug. 2005. He appears weekly on the FSN Baseball Report and MLB on FOX. — I am staring at my National Baseball Hall of Fame ballot, looking at the box next to Mark McGwire's name.
Phil Rogers / Chicago Tribune:
MLB whispers — ESPN's stable of baseball reporters linked 14 teams to the pursuit of Mark Prior, but that list drops when teams check out his medical reports. Texas was the latest to back out. San Diego makes the most sense, but the Padres ended trade talks with the Cubs after looking at the medical file.
