Top News:
Joel Sherman / New York Post:
CC SABATHIA PICKS YANKEES — LAS VEGAS - CC Sabathia is not going to play on the West Coast. He is not going to play in the National League. CC Sabathia is going to be a Yankee, The Post has learned exclusively. — After three straight days of face-to-face meetings between GM Brian Cashman …
Discussion:
MLB Rumors, Boston Globe, Baseball Insider, MVN, MetsBlog.com, Fire Ned Colletti Now, Deadspin, Newsday, Respect Jeter's Gangster, Yankees Blog, Ken Davidoff's baseball …, MLB FanHouse, bronxbanterblog.com, The Bottom Line, Riding with Rickey, Subway Squawkers, Twinkie Town, Hot Foot, Zell's Pinstripe Blog, Sliding Into Home, It is about the money, stupid, Mets Merized Online, Projo Sox Blog, Fire Brand of the …, IT IS HIGH, IT IS FAR, IT IS, New Jersey Online, WEEI Blogs, Scott Proctor's Arm, Nationals Journal, Lady At The Bat, Mike Silva's NY Baseball …, WasWatching.com and Baseball & The Boogie Down
RELATED:
ESPN:
Sources: Yankees close to deal with Sabathia — LAS VEGAS — The New York Yankees were “very close” to a preliminary agreement with CC Sabathia on Wednesday morning, following an in-person meeting between Yankees GM Brian Cashman and Sabathia in California, a baseball source with knowledge of the deal told ESPN.com.
Newsday:
Brian Cashman meeting with CC Sabathia for third time — Pitcher CC Sabathia (AP Photo) — LAS VEGAS - Brian Cashman is meeting with CC Sabathia for the third consecutive day, this time in San Francisco. — Multiple sources confirmed the Cashman-Sabathia meeting to Newsday.
Jon Heyman / Sports Illustrated:
Cashman, Sabathia meet a 3rd time … LAS VEGAS — Yankees general manager Brian Cashman flew up to the Bay Area to meet Tuesday with top free-agent pitching target CC Sabathia amid growing optimism that the Yankees might yet win the battle for the superstar southpaw.
Discussion:
Talking Chop, YanksBlog.com, New Jersey Online, River Avenue Blues, iYankees and Newsday
Jon Heyman / Sports Illustrated:
Yanks, Sabathia close to deal … LAS VEGAS — Free-agent pitcher CC Sabathia is about to sign with the Yankees, SI.com has confirmed. The deal being finalized now is expected to pay Sabathia about $160 million over seven years. — The two sides are on the verge of an agreement …
Discussion:
MetsBlog.com, MLB Rumors, Baseball & The Boogie Down, bronxbanterblog.com and River Avenue Blues
Bill Madden / NY Daily News:
CC agrees to 7-year, $160M deal with Yanks — LAS VEGAS - Brian Cashman went to San Francisco and got his man early Wednesday morning, bagging free-agent lefty, CC Sabathia. The Daily News has learned the deal is believed to be a record-setting 7-year, $160 million contract.
Discussion:
Hot Stove League
Dan Graziano / New Jersey Online:
Yankees making big-time progress with Sabathia — There appears to have been a major break in the Yankees' negotiations with free-agent left-hander CC Sabathia, and the sides appear closer than ever to a deal. — “From (Tuesday) morning until (Tuesday) night, things are looking a lot …
Discussion:
Hot Stove Blog, Replacement Level …, iYankees, Scott Proctor's Arm and Sliding Into Home
Andrew Baggarly / Extra Baggs:
UPDATED: Giants talk to Sabathia's camp; Yanks rumored to be out, Brewers emerging — UPDATE: An executive close to the CC Sabathia talks told me the perception is that the Brewers are emerging as the frontrunner. — It's been confirmed to me that the Giants had discussions with CC Sabathia's camp …
Jon Heyman / Sports Illustrated:
Moreno says Teixeira still top target … LAS VEGAS — While speculation has swirled at different times about the possibility of the Angels interrupting their well-known pursuit of free-agent first baseman Mark Teixeira to make a play for ace starter CC Sabathia, who has made it known he'd prefer …
Associated Press:
Report: Sabathia, Yanks come to terms on deal … LAS VEGAS (AP) — Yankees general manager Brian Cashman left the winter meetings Tuesday and traveled to the San Francisco area to meet with CC Sabathia. — The New York Post reported on its Web site early Wednesday morning that Sabathia has agreed to sign with the Yankees.
Tyler Kepner / New York Times:
Cashman in California to Meet With Sabathia — LAS VEGAS — After meeting with C. C. Sabathia here on Sunday and Monday, General Manager Brian Cashman was content to let him leave town without responding to the Yankees' six-year, $140 million contract offer.
Discussion:
iYankees
Dan Graziano / New Jersey Online:Cashman leaves hotel for mystery meetings — Burnett? Sabathia again?
Peter Abraham / The LoHud Yankees Blog:Yankees making a move on Sabathia
Discussion:
The Chuck Knoblog
Paul Sullivan / Chicago Tribune:
Jake Peavy deal waits on Cubs decision — Sources say DeRosa, Marquis included in proposed 3-team trade — LAS VEGAS - While general manager Jim Hendry said he spoke to representatives of three or four free agents Tuesday on the second day of baseball's winter meetings, the Jake Peavy rumors continue to take center stage.
RELATED:
Jeff Passan / Yahoo! Sports:Peavy deal hinges only on Marquis move
Discussion:
Hot Stove Blog, Full Court Press, MetsBlog.com, ESPN, San Diego Union-Tribune and Blogging Baseball
Keith Law / ESPN:
By signing K-Rod, Mets made the safe pick — The signing of Francisco Rodriguez addresses one of the Mets' biggest weaknesses, adding probably three wins of value over the Mets' in-house options for late-game relief. It doesn't finish their bullpen — and they still need to add a starter (Derek Lowe?)
Discussion:
Sabernomics, Mets Minor League Blog, It's Mets For Me, Touching Base and Beyond the Box Score
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Anthony DiComo / MLB.com:Mets, K-Rod look to have deal
Discussion:
Amazin' Avenue, ESPN, sox1fan.com, Baseball Prospectus, New Jersey Online, CastroTurf, Lone Star Mets and Hot Stove Blog
Kat O'Brien / Newsday:
Source: Yankees to top Braves' offer for Burnett — LAS VEGAS - The Yankees plan to top the Braves' offer to A.J. Burnett, a source said Tuesday afternoon. — The Braves' offer is believed to be for four years and $60-million with a vesting option. A Yankees source said, “We can do better.”
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Troy E. Renck / Denver Post:
Rockies' priority: pitching — Veteran reliever Embree agrees to one-year deal while team still purses Redding — LAS VEGAS — The Rockies' strategy at the winter meetings centers more on protecting leads than building them. — Colorado has agreed in principle on a one-year contract …
RELATED:
Troy Renck / All Things Rockies:Redding for Taveras dead for now, but Rockies could still end up with Redding
Discussion:
Nationals Journal
Hot Stove Blog:
Brewers jump into closer chase — The Brewers entered the market for free agent closers on Tuesday, meeting with representatives for Brian Fuentes, Trevor Hoffman and Kerry Wood. — General manager Doug Melvin met in the morning with Pat Rooney, who represents Wood, and Rick Thurman, who has both Fuentes and Hoffman.
RELATED:
Chicago Tribune:
Former Cubs pitcher Kerry Wood agrees to deal with Cleveland Indians — LAS VEGAS — With two teams to pick from in the American League Central, Kerry Wood appears to have rejected overtures from Detroit to take a deal with Cleveland. — Wood's decision to sign with the Indians followed …
Scott Lauber / Phillies:
Dec. 9 — MANUEL'S CONTRACT EXTENDED — LAS VEGAS — Deadline for The Paper is creeping up, but Ruben Amaro Jr. just let us know (so, we'll let you know) that Charlie Manuel has received a contract extension. The Phillies picked up Manuel's 2010 option and tacked on an extra season.
Discussion:
Phillies Nation
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Marc Topkin / The Heater:
Rays met with Giambi — UPDATE, 9:18: Executive VP Andrew Friedman called it “a very good meeting” and said Giambi has “got a lot of the characteristics of a hitter that we like.” He also said he spoke on the phone with a third potential addition, whom he would not name …
Baltimore Sun:
Orioles trade Hernandez — Catcher dealt to Reds for Freel, two minor league infielders — LAS VEGAS - The Orioles have met one of their objectives at the winter meetings, finding a taker for veteran catcher Ramon Hernandez. — The club announced tonight that it will send Hernandez …
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Jonathan Mayo / MLB.com:
Hanson first hurler named AFL MVP — Braves right-hander garners Joe Black Award at Winter Meetings — LAS VEGAS — There was little doubt who the most dominant player in the Arizona Fall League was this past season, but it was unclear until Tuesday whether or not that player would be given …
