Top News:
Dave Sheinin / Baseball Insider:
Red Sox-Mets Talking Deal For Schneider — Two industry sources here at the Bellagio have confirmed the Boston Red Sox are in discussions with the New York Mets about catcher Brian Schneider, a further indication the Red Sox are preparing for the departure of captain Jason Varitek.
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Joel Sherman / Hardball:
Winter Meetings update — The Mets talked several weeks ago to the Red Sox about dealing Brian Schneider. But the Met plan then was to trade Schneider and hopefully sign free agent Jason Varitek because the Mets thought better game-calling was needed. But once the Red Sox agreed …
New York Post:
K-ROD'S AGENT WILLING TO BE CREATIVE WITH METS — TALKING ABOUT SHORTER DEAL WITH OPT-OUT — Francisco Rodriguez's agent, Paul Kinzer, acknowledges his client set the single-season saves record at the wrong time. With the economy spiraling, Kinzer acknowledged the bids for his client are down, as well.
Scott Miller's Bull Pennings:
Phillies involved in Cubs-Padres Peavy talks — LAS VEGAS — The continued effort between San Diego and the Cubs to figure out a way to send ace Jake Peavy to Chicago has resulted in their engaging the Philadelphia Phillies as a potential third team to help facilitate a deal, CBSSports.com has learned.
Discussion:
MASN Online, Chicago's Inside Pitch, Phillies Nation, Balls, Sticks, & Stuff and Hot Foot
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Hot Stove Blog:
Is a Peavy deal close? — LAS VEGAS - The legwork, complex and time-consuming, for a potential Jake Peavy trade to the Chicago Cubs has essentially been completed. — Now, all Padres general manager Kevin Towers needs is for his Cubs' counterpart, Jim Hendry, to give him the go-ahead to make the deal.
Troy Renck / All Things Rockies:
Marquis appears a longshot given Rockies' payroll — LAS VEGAS — The Rockies have intensified their search for a starter at the winter meetings today, but the Cubs' Jason Marquis doesn't appear a fit. Colorado likes Marquis and has discussed him internally.
ESPN.com:
GM: Sabathia says he would like to be a Dodger — Maybe CC Sabathia does indeed want to work close to home. — Dodgers general manager Ned Colletti told ESPN.com's Jayson Stark on Monday that he ran into the free agent on Sunday night in a hotel lobby and the left-hander told him that he wants to be a Dodger.
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Ken Gurnick / MLB.com:
CC tells Colletti of interest in Dodgers — Dodgers GM hopes to re-sign Blake; talks for Cano not substantial — LAS VEGAS — In the Bellagio Hotel to meet with Yankees brass on Sunday night, free-agent pitcher CC Sabathia ran into Dodgers general manager Ned Colletti and told him he wants to be a Dodger, Colletti said on Monday.
Discussion:
Inside the Dodgers, The LoHud Yankees Blog, Hot Stove Blog, Associated Press, True Blue LA, JSOnline and iYankees
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David Lennon / On the Mets beat:
K-Rod looking cozy with Mets — It seems that the lobby of the Bellagio is no longer the place to be for stakeout duty here. Now the crush of reporters, as well as curious passersby, are clogging the area around the elevator banks on the fringe of the casino.
Discussion:
New York Post, Mets Fever, Can't Stop The Bleeding, Seven Train to Shea Mets Blog and MetsBlog.com
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Tim Brown / Yahoo! Sports:
Rodriguez isn't thrilled by Mets' offer — Buzz up! — LAS VEGAS - Francisco Rodriguez walked through the lobby at the Bellagio hotel after meeting with the New York Mets on Monday and didn't give the impression that he'd been bowled over by an offer. — Asked if he was meeting with anyone else …
David O'Brien / Atlanta Journal-Constitution:
Maddux will be missed; could Ankiel be a Brave? — Las Vegas — He walked among us as just another guy, with an rather unimpressive physique and a wonderful whacked-out, self-deprecating sense of humor. — But atop the pitcher's mound, Greg Maddux was not just another guy. Or even just another major league ace.
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La Velle / Twins Insider:
Before you fire up the snowblower, here are more winter meetings updates — Just spoke with sources on both sides of the Delmon Young-to-the-Phillies rumor: — It would take more than Jason Donald for the Twins to make that deal. The Phillies are looking for a corner outfielder …
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National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum:
Gordon elected to Hall by Veterans Committee — Former Yankees, Indians second baseman to be enshrined in 2009 — National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum — COOPERSTOWN, N.Y. — Nine-time All-Star and five-time World Series champion Joe Gordon was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame today by the Veterans Committee.
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Joel Sherman / New York Post:
YANKEES MEET WITH BEN SHEETS — LAS VEGAS — In addition to meeting with CC Sabathia today, the Yankees met with his former Brewers teammate and fellow free agent, Ben Sheets, late this afternoon. — Sheets, 30, who started the All-Star Game for the National League this season …
Discussion:
MLB.com, Pinstriped Scranton, Hot Stove Blog, Zell's Pinstripe Blog, MLB Rumors, The Yankee Scrolls and Pinstripes, Pa.
Jack Curry / New York Times:
Baseball Executives Face the Odds — LAS VEGAS — The mission for every general manager at the baseball winter meetings here is to help build a team into a World Series champion. Some teams have a legitimate chance. Some have almost no chance. If the executives want to know how their chances …
