Top News:
Tim Dierkes / MLB Rumors:
Coco Crisp Traded To Royals — By Tim Dierkes [November 19 at 11:09am CST] — 11:09am: The deal is official, according to a Royals press release. — 10:23am: SI.com's Jon Heyman confirms the deal. — 10:02am: Red Sox exec Ben Cherington was on XM's MLB Home Plate radio station recently.
Discussion:
Boston Globe, MetsBlog.com, The LoHud Yankees Blog, Fire Brand of the …, Center Field and River Avenue Blues
RELATED:
Chad Finn / Boston Globe:
Crisp traded to Royals — The Red Sox have traded center fielder Coco Crisp to the Royals for righthanded relief pitcher Ramon Ramirez, a major league baseball source confirmed to the Globe's Nick Cafardo this morning. The Red Sox formally announced the deal at noon, and general manager Theo Epstein …
Discussion:
MLB.com, Center Field, Baseball Insider, The Bottom Line, Baseball Musings, SOX & Dawgs and Walkoff Walk
Dick Kaegel / MLB.com:
Red Sox deal Crisp to Royals — Boston receives reliever Ramirez in return for center fielder — KANSAS CITY — The Royals acquired center fielder Coco Crisp from the Boston Red Sox on Wednesday in exchange for relief pitcher Ramon Ramirez. — The deal was announced by the Royals at 11 a.m. CT.
Rotoworld.com:
Report: Red Sox trade Coco Crisp to Royals — Sports Radio 810 WHB in Kansas City reports that the Red Sox have traded Coco Crisp to the Royals in exchange for Ramon Ramirez. — Former Royals outfielder Brian McRae broke the story, but we're still waiting to see the move confirmed by other sources.
Kat O'Brien / Newsday:
Source: Yanks still trying to woo Burnett — The Yankees still are preparing a formal offer for righthanded pitcher A.J. Burnett, a club official said yesterday, but the Red Sox have become serious competitors to land him. — The Red Sox's pursuit of Burnett complicates the Yankees' plans.
RELATED:
Mark Feinsand / NY Daily News:
Yankees and Red Sox in battle over pitcher A.J. Burnett — The Yankees and Red Sox won't meet again on the field until April, but the two American League East rivals are preparing to square off for the services of at least one major free agent in the coming weeks.
Discussion:
Fox Sports, SOX1FAN, It is about the money, stupid, New Jersey Online, SOX & Dawgs and Red Sox Monster
Fox Sports:
Sources: Red Sox interested in Burnett — Imagine A.J. Burnett in the Red Sox's rotation. Scary. Ken Rosenthal has learned the interest is there to possibly make it happen.
Nick Cafardo / Boston Globe:
When will he convert awards into cash? — Pedroia adds MVP to his trophy haul — First two years in the bigs, Rookie of the Year and MVP. — Where do you go from here if you're Dustin Pedroia and the Red Sox? — The Sox don't think the hardware changes anything about their contractual approach to Pedroia.
RELATED:
Amalie Benjamin / Boston Globe:
Hardware score — Pedroia adds MVP to his trophy haul
Hardware score — Pedroia adds MVP to his trophy haul
Discussion:
Surviving Grady
Dan Hayes / North County Times:
PADRES: Where are all of Peavy's suitors? — Cubs may be out of running after re-signing Dempster — The news that the Chicago Cubs signed pitcher Ryan Dempster on Tuesday could severely affect the club's participation in the Jake Peavy sweepstakes. — But according to some published reports, it might not.
Discussion:
Gaslamp Ball
RELATED:
Ken Davidoff / Newsday:
Mets have choice of either K-Rod or Fuentes — The Mets have many goals and many choices in this baseball offseason, but as they take in the lay of the land now, they think they know this: — Acquiring a closer will be first on their list of accomplishments.
RELATED:
New York Post:
BERNIE: I'M NOT DONE YET — Musician Bernie Williams said last night he has a new CD coming out in April called “Moving Forward.” — Just in case any GMs like Brian Cashman are interested, Williams also said he has not shut the door on his baseball career. Williams, 40, is not totally ready to move forward away from baseball.
RELATED:
Richard Justice / Houston Chronicle:
Commentary: Valverde, Wigginton have to go — Goodbye, Jose Valverde. You, too, Ty Wigginton. Pick up your lovely parting gifts at the door. — The Astros seem likely to trade both of them in the next few weeks. You won't like the reason. Don't shoot the messenger.
Discussion:
Bluebird Banter, MLB Rumors, The Crawfish Boxes, Kranepool Society and The Musings and Prophecies …
Matthew Cerrone / MetsBlog.com:
News: Murphy has a Knee Sprain — According to a league source, Mets 2B Daniel Murphy suffered a right knee sprain in the Arizona Fall League, which is why he has not played since Nov. 10. — Murphy had been hitting .397 with 18 RBI in 15 games during the AFL.
Discussion:
Kranepool Society
RELATED:
Gordon Wittenmyer / Chicago Sun Times:
Cubs go Dempster crazy — After settling mound concerns by giving Dempster 4-year, $52M deal, team set to address lineup worries — Having accomplished their top offseason priority more than a week before Thanksgiving, the Cubs start turning their attention today to the left-handed-hitting …
Discussion:
Chicago Tribune
RELATED:
Troy Renck / All Things Rockies:
Wakamatsu to Mariners, Dempster contract info — It was eight days ago that reality intervened with vacation. I was supposed to be on vacation when Matt Holliday was traded to the Oakland Athletics. It brought to mind not Dante Bichette, but Dante from “Clerks.”
Jerry Crasnick / ESPN:
Prominent hitters who may swing it in '09 or call it a career … The Hot Stove season is off to a fine start for Ryan Dempster, Jeremy Affeldt and Eri Yoshida, the 16-year-old female knuckleballer who was drafted by a Japanese League club this week. And life is good if your name happens to be CC Sabathia …
Discussion:
MLB Rumors