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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 …
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Boston Herald, New York Post, Depressed Fan, Baseball Musings, My Pinstripes, Scott Proctor's Arm and River Ave. Blues
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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.
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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.
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Darryl Fears / Washington Post:
Adjusted Penalties for Crack May Aid Ex-Ballplayer's Case — Willie Mays Aikens is a part of baseball lore. As a member of the 1980 Kansas City Royals, he became the only man to hit more than one home run in two games of the same World Series. — But 27 years after his feat …
Seth Kolloen / Seattle Post-Intelligencer:
Any way you add it up, Mariners are still mediocre — Editor's note: Seth Kolloen, whom the Stranger dubbed the best sportswriter you've never heard of for his work at seattlest.com, has his own site, www.enjoytheenjoyment.com. His work appears occasionally in the Seattle P-I.
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.
Discussion:
Pittsburgh Pirates
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.
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SportsAgentBlog.com, Can't Stop The Bleeding, Signal to Noise, The Big Lead, FanHouse and The Griddle