Top News:
John Harper / NY Daily News:
Derek Lowe eyes dollars, so Mets might try cheaper options — Derek Lowe is a hotter commodity in the free-agent market than the Mets envisioned, a development that is forcing them to rethink their plan of signing the 35-year-old righthander and plugging him into Oliver Perez's spot in the starting rotation.
Discussion:
The 'Ropolitans, 24 Hours From Suicide, Ya Gotta Believe, Mets Fever and Can't Stop The Bleeding
RELATED:
Ken Davidoff / Newsday:
Yankees in need of a killer-instinct rotation — What the Yankees missed most of all in 2008, you sense from talking to people around the team, is that intimidation factor one gets only from possessing a strong, deep starting rotation. — When the Yankees rode the bus from their Toronto hotel …
Discussion:
WasWatching.com
Phil Rogers / Chicago Tribune:
What if Sabathia, Burnett, Lowe jilt Yankees? — Whiffing on 3 biggest free-agent pitchers could cause chaos — With no playoffs in 2008 and a new stadium opening in 2009, the New York Yankees are trying their hardest to make the three top free-agent starting pitchers extremely rich.
Discussion:
NY Daily News, Newsday, NJ.com, River Avenue Blues, Lady At The Bat, Surviving Grady and 24 Hours From Suicide
New York Post:
YANKS & METS FACE COMPETITION FOR FREE-AGENT ARMS THEY CRAVE — The Yanks also have indicated they will put a time limit on their six-year, $140 million offer for Sabathia. But that is a worthless time limit. They said last year they would not re-sign Alex Rodriguez if he opted out …
RELATED:
ESPN:
Knicks could help lead CC to New York — CC Sabathia's best friend in baseball is Brewers reliever David Riske, and in the days leading up to Sabathia's trade to Milwaukee in July, the two talked repeatedly about the latest rumors, about how great it would be to play together again.
Orange County Register:
Angels likely not on Teixeira's wish list — The free-agent first baseman seems to be leaning toward an East Coast team. — Recommend — Spraying to all fields, wondering what Angels fans want for Christmas: — Well, we found out this week what Angels free agent Mark Teixeira wants — a home for the holidays.
Nick Cafardo / Boston Globe:
On the Coast, it's very clear — Dodgers, Angels need to keep their sluggers — The Los Angeles teams can't afford to lose the best hitters on the free agent market: Mark Teixeira and Manny Ramírez. And deep down, they know it. — Question is, can either afford to keep them?
Ray McNulty / TCPalm.com:
Gary Carter deserves a chance to coach in the big leagues — Maybe, just maybe, there's some truth to Gary Carter's suspicions that he has been blackballed in baseball. — How else do you explain his conspicuous absence from a game in which he has enjoyed so much success?
Discussion:
24 Hours From Suicide
Poughkeepsie Journal:
Mets reportedly considering adding closer Hoffman — MCCLATCHY-TRIBUNE — This winter's market for closers has created a sort of perfect storm for the New York Mets — in desperate need of a closer and presented with a surplus of candidates and not enough big-market teams to pay them all.
ESPN.com:
Dodgers' Billingsley has surgery after fall at home — LOS ANGELES — Dodgers pitcher Chad Billingsley had surgery on Saturday after fracturing his leg in a fall at his Pennsylvania home. — Team spokesman Josh Rawitch said that the 24-year-old Billingsley slipped on ice outside his house in Reading …
Mike Florio / ProFootballTalk.com:
A BIZARRE STORY FROM THE BAYOU — Here's one from a reliable source that, frankly, is too weird to be fabricated. — Saints owner Tom Benson owns various car dealerships. We're told that, each year, he brings a mini-fleet of new cars to the team facility in the hopes of getting some of his employees to make a purchase.
Bill Madden / NY Daily News:
Madden: Hal takes reins, but News had it last year — Quite a historic week in baseball - George Steinbrenner officially cedes control of the Yankees to his younger son, Hal, Mike Mussina becomes the first pitcher since Sandy Koufax in 1966 to retire off a 20-win season and Dustin Pedroia becomes …
