Top News:
Bill Madden / NY Daily News:
CC's agent pitches curves to Yankees — LAS VEGAS - The $140 million game of chicken began in earnest Sunday night when Brian Cashman met with CC Sabathia and his agent, Greg Genske, on the eve of the winter meetings at the Bellagio hotel. — According to industry sources …
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George A. King III / New York Post:
TROUBLE BREWIN' IN YANKS' CC CHASE — Prior to Yankee GM Brian Cashman's meeting with CC Sabathia yesterday in Las Vegas, there was a feeling in the baseball universe the stud free-agent lefty would eventually re-sign with the Brewers. — Since the Yankees' six-year …
Discussion:
MLB Rumors, Newsday, MetsBlog.com, Subway Squawkers, Pinstripes, Pa., New Jersey Online and Sports Illustrated
Adam McCalvy / MLB.com:
Brewers to meet with CC's agents — LAS VEGAS — The Brewers hope for some sort of response from free-agent left-hander CC Sabathia on Day 1 of the Winter Meetings. — General manager Doug Melvin is scheduled to meet with Sabathia representatives Greg Genske and Brian Peters at the Bellagio today …
Discussion:
Respect Jeter's Gangster
ESPN:
Sabathia's agent to meet with Red Sox — The much-ballyhooed face-to-face meeting between Yankees GM Brian Cashman and CC Sabathia was finally scheduled to kick off Sunday night in Las Vegas, according to a baseball source with knowledge of the meeting. But it wasn't Cashman who requested this close encounter.
Discussion:
The LoHud Yankees Blog, iYankees, JSOnline, Zell's Pinstripe Blog and Scott Proctor's Arm
Troy E. Renck / Denver Post:
Rockies test Nats' interest in Taveras — LAS VEGAS — It is with a bit of irony that in a troubled economy, baseball arrived Sunday in a city nicknamed “Lost Wages.” — That doesn't mean the Rockies won't make a ripple in the Bellagio's 8-acre artificial lake.
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David Lennon / On the Mets beat:
Dining with K-Rod — General manager Omar Minaya and his staff dined with Francisco Rodriguez for over four hours Sunday night at a nearby steakhouse, but Minaya was tight-lipped about the details upon his return to the Bellagio at roughly 11:30 p.m. — Minaya only smiled when asked whether …
John Perrotto / Unfiltered:
Winter meetings updates —Las Vegas isn't just a mecca for gamblers (my Florida minus-2 gambit against Florida State failed in college hoops tonight) but closers, too. Free-agent closers Francisco Rodriguez, Brian Fuentes, and Trevor Hoffman are all in town to meet face-to-face with clubs …
Discussion:
whygavs.com, Rays Index, Bleeding Blue and Teal, The Cub Reporter (TCR), MLB Rumors and Hot Foot
Hal McCoy / Dayton Daily News:
Source: Reds deal Bailey for White Sox slugger — Jermaine Dye, a 12-year veteran with a .278 career average, would give team a proven right-handed batter. — With baseball's annual winter meetings unfurling this week at the Bellagio in Las Vegas, rumors run rampant.
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Mark Gonzales / Chicago Tribune:
White Sox shoot down trade rumors about Dye, Jenks — LAS VEGAS - While the White Sox awaited word on whether free-agent Orlando Cabrera would decline their salary arbitration offer, two trade scenarios were shot down Sunday night on the eve of the winter meetings.
Joe Strauss / St. Louis Post-Dispatch:
St. Louis Cardinals won't pursue Jake Peavy — The Cardinals now intend to retain second baseman Adam Kennedy (7) rather than trade him. Kennedy says his “gut feel” is that he will be back in St. Louis. (Scott Boehm/Getty Images) — ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH
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Gordon Wittenmyer / Chicago Sun Times:
Peavy deal not imminent — But sources expect Cubs to acquire ‘07 Cy winner eventually — LAS VEGAS — The Cubs’ chances of acquiring former Cy Young Award winner Jake Peavy from the San Diego Padres appeared to improve Sunday after both teams arrived at the Bellagio Hotel on the eve of the winter meetings.
Jon Paul Morosi / Detroit Free Press:
Tigers and Rangers making significant progress on possible trade — LAS VEGAS - The Tigers and Texas Rangers have made significant progress toward a trade that would send catcher Gerald Laird to Detroit and pitching prospect Guillermo Moscoso to the Rangers. — It's not clear if the Tigers would include other prospects in the deal.
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Joe McDonald / Providence Journal:
Boras: Varitek declines arbitration from Sox — LAS VEGAS — Agent Scott Boras arrived at the Bellagio Hotel at 8:15 p.m. local time Sunday and quickly made his way through the lobby. — When asked if his client Jason Varitek would accept or decline the Red Sox' salary arbitration offer, the super agent quickly said, “No.”
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Mike DiGiovanna / Los Angeles Times:
Darren Oliver accepts Angels' offer of arbitration — Francisco Rodriguez, Mark Teixeira and Jon Garland turn down arbitration, as do Manny Ramirez, Derek Lowe and Casey Blake of the Dodgers. — Darren Oliver has decided to accept the Angels' offer of arbitration, his agent said Sunday night …
Discussion:
Halos Heaven
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Nick Cafardo / Boston Globe:
Las Vegas dealers — Milwaukee Brewers general manager Doug Melvin runs a baseball team in middle America. The economy is tough, yet he waits to hear whether CC Sabathia will accept their $100 million offer or whether he'll have to move on to Plan B. — As baseball's winter meetings …
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La Velle E. Neal III / Minneapolis Star Tribune:
Reyes opts to become a free agent — Dennys Reyes declined arbitration from the Twins late Sunday and became a free agent. — LAS VEGAS - Lefthander Dennys Reyes declined arbitration from the Twins late Sunday and became a free agent. — When Reyes signs with another team …
Discussion:
Twinkie Town
