Top News:
Anthony McCarron / NY Daily News:
Yanks: We have shot at Johan Santana — After what he described as a “slow holiday season” for baseball business, Hank Steinbrenner is returning to his office Thursday to begin working on “a final decision” regarding a trade for Johan Santana. And he believes the Yankees have made the top offer for the Minnesota ace.
Discussion:
MetsNetwork.com, The Bronx Block, The Sports Hernia Blog, MY BASEBALL BIAS, Twins Insider, NJ.com, MLB Trade Rumors, FakeTeams, Yanksfan vs Soxfan, Inspired Numbers, Bombers Beat, River Ave. Blues, Pinstripes PA, My Pinstripes, WasWatching.com, MetsBlog.com, Scott Proctor's Arm, Pinstripe Alley, The Sommer Frieze, Sliding Into Home and The LoHud Yankees Blog
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Anthony McCarron / NY Daily News:
Roger Clemens won't be Yankee in 2008 — Is there a chance for the Rocket's third stage in pinstripes? Not likely, says Hank Steinbrenner. — So if embattled righthander Roger Clemens, who is fighting to restore his reputation after the allegations about him in the Mitchell Report …
Michael S. Schmidt / Bats:
No Injections From Trainer, Clemens Tells 60 Minutes — Roger Clemens told Mike Wallace in an interview for “60 Minutes,” scheduled to be broadcast on Sunday, that he never took injections from his former trainer, Brian McNamee, Wallace said. — Some athletes, confronted with evidence …
Duff Wilson / New York Times:
Clemens's Interview Could Lead to Lawsuit — Roger Clemens will face a lawsuit if he says in a “60 Minutes” interview that his former personal trainer, Brian McNamee, was not truthful when he said he injected Clemens with performance-enhancing drugs, a lawyer hired by McNamee said Wednesday.
Joe Hamrahi / Baseball Digest Daily:
Swisher Dealt to the White Sox! — The Oakland A's today traded outfielder Nick Swisher to the Chicago White Sox for left-handed pitcher Gio Gonzalez, right-handed pitcher Fautino De Los Santos and outfielder Ryan Sweeney. — Check out the Prospect Spreadsheet to see where the Sox prospects were ranked.
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MLB.com:
White Sox acquire outfielder Nick Swisher from Athletics in exchange for three Minor Leaguers — CHICAGO — The Chicago White Sox have acquired switch-hitting outfielder Nick Swisher from the Oakland Athletics in exchange for three minor league players, pitcher Gio Gonzalez, pitcher Fautino De Los Santos and outfielder Ryan Sweeney.
Mercury News:
A's trade Swisher to White Sox — OAKLAND — The Oakland A's today traded outfielder Nick Swisher to the Chicago White Sox for left-handed pitcher Gio Gonzalez, right-handed pitcher Fautino De Los Santos and outfielder Ryan Sweeney. — Gonzalez led all of minor league baseball with 185 strikeouts …
Joe Frisaro / MLB.com:
Marlins close to deal with Cantu — Versatile infielder would compete for third-base job — MIAMI — Shortly after the Marlins traded Miguel Cabrera to the Tigers last month at the Winter Meetings, Jorge Cantu was a name high on Florida's list to be a possible replacement at third base.
Red Sox Monster:
Youk charity effort inspired by.... ugly women? — Kevin Youkilis has always seemed like a relatively fun-loving guy. He horses around with teammates, parties hard when it's appropriate and regularly gets made fun of for his, uh, stellar good looks, but seldom seems to mind.
Discussion:
The Beverage Network, Surviving Grady, Barstool Sports, Center Field, With Leather, Misery Loves Company and Bugs & Cranks
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Rob Bradford / Boston Herald:
Santana affects Kielty's Sox future … Bobby Kielty, like the rest of the baseball world, spent another afternoon yesterday waiting for news of a Johan Santana trade. — Kielty, a former teammate of Santana in Minnesota, has a particular interest in any potential deal involving the Red Sox [team stats].
Fran Spielman / Chicago Sun Times:
Does he want you to own Wrigley? — Last month, Mayor Daley fumed about a proposal to have the state ‘bail out’ Wrigley Field. Now he has 'an open mind' — Two weeks after condemning the idea, Mayor Daley on Wednesday changed his tune about the idea of having a state agency acquire and renovate Wrigley Field.
Bill Ladson / MLB.com:
Larkin mentors Dukes — Former All-Star preparing Nats outfielder for Spring Training — WASHINGTON — A few days before the Winter Meetings started in Nashville, Tenn., Nationals general manager Jim Bowden called Barry Larkin, his special assistant, to ask if Larkin had ever heard …
Discussion:
Oleanders and Morning Glories
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NY Daily News:
Leyritz squandered millions on booze, records show — Troubled ex-Yankee Jim Leyritz burned through thousands of dollars by buying high-priced booze and partying at expensive nightclubs, court papers reveal. — The glimpse into Leyritz's 2003 financial records shows he spent large amounts …
Discussion:
Can't Stop The Bleeding
John Walsh / Hardball Times:
The Most Feared Hitter in Baseball — One thing I keep reading regarding the Hall of Fame candidacy of Jim Rice is that he was widely regarded as the dominant hitter in baseball, or “The Most Feared Hitter in the Game” for most of his career, 1975-1986. One way of measuring how feared …
Sports Illustrated:
Hot Stove Report — Breaking down baseball's off-season ... so far — The Hot Stove season isn't dead yet. Things can and often do happen in January and February (see A-Rod to the Yankees, 2004) — But when the best available free-agent hitters are either facing a federal trial …
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