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 …
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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 …
Jayson Stark / ESPN.com:
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 …
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.
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.
Cork Gaines / MLB Rumors:
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
NY Daily News:
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
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 …
Yahoo! Sports:
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.
Andrew Baggarly / Extra Baggs:UPDATED: Giants talk to Sabathia's camp; Yanks rumored to be out, Brewers emerging
Dan Graziano / New Jersey Online:Cashman leaves hotel for mystery meetings — Burnett? Sabathia again?
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 …
Discussion:
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Jon Paul Morosi / Detroit Free Press:As other closers picked off, potential deal for J.J. Putz gains momentum
La Velle / Twins Insider:
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.
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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:
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Anthony DiComo / MLB.com:Mets, K-Rod look to have deal
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John Perrotto / Unfiltered:Vegas updates 4:50p.m.
Discussion:
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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 …
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Mike DiGiovanna / Los Angeles Times:Mark Teixeira remains Angels' Plan A
Discussion:
Sliding Into Home
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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Joe Strauss / St. Louis Post-Dispatch:
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 …
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 …
New York Post:
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 …
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 …
Discussion:
The LoHud Yankees Blog
