Top News:
Ken Davidoff / Newsday:
Torre says Pettitte not going to Dodgers — Joe Torre has spoken with Andy Pettitte, the Dodgers' manager confirmed to Newsday, but doesn't foresee Pettitte heading West for a reunion with his former manager. — “I don't think that's going to happen,” Torre said Thursday, in a telephone interview.
Discussion:
Ken Davidoff's baseball …, Sliding Into Home, River Avenue Blues, YanksBlog.com and iYankees
RELATED:
Tony Massarotti / Boston Globe:
Teams starting to make pitches — Just as the Red Sox were announcing a new $40.5 million contract for Dustin Pedroia yesterday, baseball's sputtering offseason finally began to whir. The pitching market began to develop, and the price appeared to be going up.
Discussion:
iYankees, Newsday, MLB FanHouse, Beerleaguer, MetsBlog.com, Phillies Nation and Sliding Into Home
Mark Feinsand / NY Daily News:
Sabathia's heart may be in S.F.
Sabathia's heart may be in S.F.
Discussion:
New Jersey Online, New York Post, JSOnline, McCovey Chronicles, Sliding Into Home, The Chuck Knoblog, MLB Rumors and iYankees
Dan Graziano / New Jersey Online:
Detroit Tigers acquire SS Jack Wilson from Pirates — It seems to be the week for shortstop roulette on the Hot Stove, and the latest is that the Pirates have sent Jack Wilson to the Tigers. — The teams had been in discussions for a while, but according to a person familiar with the deal, it is done.
RELATED:
Associated Press:
Report: Dodgers pursue Pirates' Wilson in trade — PITTSBURGH — The Dodgers have been involved in extensive talks this week about acquiring longtime Jack Wilson, with one hang-up being the Pittsburgh Pirates shortstop's $7.25 million salary for next season, a person familiar with the talks said Thursday.
Discussion:
Bless You Boys
JSOnline:
Brewers sign Julio — By Tom Haudricourt of the Journal Sentinel — Brewers general manager Doug Melvin has resurrected the careers of closers in the past, such as Derrick Turnbow, Dan Kolb and Francisco Cordero. — Perhaps he'll do it again with Jorge Julio.
RELATED:
Troy Renck / All Things Rockies:
Reds sign Lincoln to two-year deal — While the Rockies are moving methodically in their search for relievers, a few have come off the board over the last few days. The Cincinnati Reds signed right-handed free agent Mike Lincoln to a two-year, $4-million deal accoding to contract information obtained by The Denver Post.
RELATED:
Joe Sheehan / Sports Illustrated:
Baseball Prospectus: Joe Sheehan is Mets GM for a day … Here's the thing about the New York Mets: For all of the focus on their bullpen, which was definitely a reason for their late-season collapses in 2007 and 2008, that is both the most easily explained and the most reparable problem that they have.
RELATED:
Joel Sherman / Hardball:
3 UP: Putz Made Available, Bradford and Baldelli — 1. A rumor was floated yesterday that the Mets are working on a blockbuster that would net them both Bobby Jenks and Jermaine Dye from the White Sox, with top prospect Fernando Martinez going to Chicago. Talked to a few Met officials who called it nonsense.
RELATED:
Gordon Edes / Yahoo! Sports:
A-Rod to play for the Dominican in WBC — Buzz up! — Alex Rodriguez, who nearly sat out the inaugural World Baseball Classic because he did not want to choose between playing for his native United States or the Dominican Republic, the country of his parents' birth, is changing uniforms for the 2009 Classic.
David O'Brien / Atlanta Journal-Constitution:
Braves make offer to free-agent pitcher Burnett — GM Wren wouldn't discuss terms, but offer believed to be four years with option for fifth year — The Braves have made an offer to free-agent pitcher A.J. Burnett, who is considered the second-best starter available this offseason behind CC Sabathia.
Alyson Footer / MLB.com:
Tejada backup a goal for Meetings — Astros could use infield depth to support veteran shortstop — An overview of the Astros heading into next week's Winter Meetings, which open on Monday at the Bellagio in Las Vegas: — Club needs — Starting pitching: The Astros inked Mike Hampton to a low-based …
Discussion:
The Crawfish Boxes
Chad Finn / Boston Globe:
Tazawa: ‘I wanted to challenge myself’ — Junichi Tazawa met the Boston media at Fenway Park on Thursday. (Essdras M. Suarez/Globe Staff) — The Red Sox today formally announced the signing of 22-year-old Japanese pitcher Junichi Tazawa, who is expected to start his career in the minor leagues.
T.R. Sullivan / MLB.com:
Tigers, Reds showing interest in Laird — Texas on lookout for pitching in return for veteran backstop — ARLINGTON — The Cincinnati Reds and the Detroit Tigers appear to have shown the most interest in Rangers catcher Gerald Laird, according to Major League sources.
Buster Olney / ESPN:
Tough call coming for Manny — The last time that the agent for Manny Ramirez spoke with Dodgers general manager Ned Colletti, Barack Obama was on television in the background, making his acceptance speech on the night he was elected president. Since then, the Dodgers withdrew that two-year, $45 million offer to Ramirez.
Joe Posnanski:
A Hall of Fame Manifesto — So, the Baseball Hall of Fame ballot arrived in the mail on Tuesday ... and brilliant readers already know that this time of year makes me crazy. Here we are, back at the beginning, back with the Jack Morris and Jim Rice arguments, back wondering why more people …