Top News:


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:
Hardball Times, MetsBlog.com, Baseball Insider, Newsday, Zell's Pinstripe Blog, Hardball, MVN, Fire Ned Colletti Now, Hot Stove League, Pinstripes, Pa., MLB FanHouse, Hot Foot, Ken Davidoff's baseball …, Respect Jeter's Gangster, Riding with Rickey, Deadspin, bronxbanterblog.com, The Bottom Line, Mets Merized Online, Subway Squawkers, Pinstripe Alley, Projo Sox Blog, Fire Brand of the …, IT IS HIGH, IT IS FAR, IT IS, New Jersey Online, It is about the money, stupid, Scott Proctor's Arm, Lady At The Bat, Mike Silva's NY Baseball …, PE.com, WEEI Blogs, WasWatching.com, Nationals Journal, Baseball & The Boogie Down and Talking Chop
RELATED:

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 …

Sources: Yankees close to deal with Sabathia — Sabathia And Yankees Very Close To A Deal — LAS VEGAS — CC Sabathia will be a New York Yankee. — The Yankees are “very close” to a preliminary agreement with Sabathia on Wednesday morning, following an in-person meeting between GM Brian Cashman …

Opt-out clause key to Sabathia going to Yankees — Buzz up! — LAS VEGAS - Baseball's perennial high-rollers, the New York Yankees, scored the biggest coup of the winter meetings when CC Sabathia reached preliminary agreement on a deal that will pay him $161 million over the next seven years.

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.


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.
Discussion:
New Jersey Online, Ken Davidoff's baseball …, Extra Baggs, MLB.com, The Yankee Scrolls, Hot Foot, Fox Sports and Inside the Dodgers

Sabathia Reaches Agreement With Yankees — By Cork Gaines [December 10 at 10:14am CST] — 10:14am: Tim Brown and Gordon Edes of Yahoo report that the deal is for $161MM over seven years (which would top Johan's average annual value). — The deal has an opt-out clause after the first three years, which are worth $69MM.
Discussion:
JSOnline

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 …


CC agrees to 7-year, $160M deal with Yanks — Brian Cashman went to San Fran and got his man, bagging ace lefty CC Sabathia for what is believed to be a record-setting 7-year, $160 million deal. CC timeline — The Bitter Bill: Another awful day for Met fans

Wisely Spending on CC — Apparently, CC Sabathia and the New York Yankees have agreed to a seven-year $160 million contract, which is just under $23 million per season. [Update: Tim Brown is reporting the deal is for $161 million (exactly $23 million per year) and has an opt-out clause after three years.]
Discussion:
It is about the money, stupid

Yankees making a move on Sabathia
Discussion:
MY BASEBALL BIAS

UPDATED: Giants talk to Sabathia's camp; Yanks rumored to be out, Brewers emerging

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 …
Discussion:
MetsBlog.com, FanHouse, Drunk Jays Fans, ESPN, Red Sox Monster, ESPN, Yahoo! Sports and Mets Merized Online
RELATED:

As other closers picked off, potential deal for J.J. Putz gains momentum

Vegas updates 4:50p.m.
Discussion:
The Spot Starters, MLB.com, Drunk Jays Fans, Newsday, Mariners Blog, Let's Go Tribe! and Yahoo! Sports

Twins could play a role in the Jake Peavy sweepstakes — Two persons with knowledge of negotiations said the Twins and Cubs talked yesterday about a deal for infielder Mark DeRosa - a potential move that would get the Twins involved in the most talked-about trade of the offseason.
RELATED:


Search for a closer escalates — LAS VEGAS — Going where the free agent current takes them, the Cardinals have made the search for a veteran closer their priority after apparently bidding too little for free agent Francisco Rodriguez. — General manager John Mozeliak said Tuesday …
Discussion:
MLB Rumors
RELATED:

By signing K-Rod, Mets made the safe pick
Discussion:
Sabernomics, Mets Minor League Blog, It's Mets For Me, Touching Base and Beyond the Box Score

Mets, K-Rod look to have deal
Discussion:
Amazin' Avenue, ESPN, sox1fan.com, Baseball Prospectus, CastroTurf, Lone Star Mets and New Jersey Online

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.”
RELATED:

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 …

ANKIEL SHOWS UP ON BOMBERS' RADAR — THE Cardinals are surprised at the level of interest in center fielder Rick Ankiel. The Yankees, along with the Braves, Rays and Giants, are among at least five teams looking into obtaining him. — Ankiel, the one-time erratic pitcher …