Top News:
ESPN.com:
Mets get reliever Putz in 3-team, 12-player deal — LAS VEGAS — The New York Mets obtained J.J. Putz from Seattle on Wednesday night as part of a three-team, 12-player trade that gives them a set-up man for new closer Francisco Rodriguez. — New York dealt seven players …
RELATED:
Jim Street / MLB.com:
Mariners deal Putz in three-team trade — Seattle acquires Mets pitcher Heilman, three other players — LAS VEGAS — The Seattle Mariners have agreed to a deal to send right-handed closer J.J. Putz to the New York Mets on Wednesday night as part of a three-team, nine-player trade.
Discussion:
Hardball Times, CastroTurf, MLB FanHouse, The Musings and Prophecies …, Trumbull and Michigan and Bless You Boys
Anthony Castrovince / MLB.com:
Three-way deal could send Putz to Mets — Mariners and Indians also involved in trade talks — LAS VEGAS — The Mets, Mariners and Indians appear to be on the verge of a three-team deal in which J.J. Putz would go to New York as the setup man to the newly acquired Francisco Rodriguez.
Discussion:
Lookout Landing, Let's Go Tribe!, MetsBlog.com, Tribe Report, Mets Merized Online and New Jersey Online
Anthony DiComo / MLB.com:
Mets acquire Putz to set up K-Rod — Heilman, Smith, Chavez, Carp dealt in three-team trade — LAS VEGAS — Whatever celebration followed the Mets' signing of Francisco Rodriguez had already subsided by early Wednesday afternoon. General manager Omar Minaya was in his Bellagio suite …
Discussion:
ESPN
John Hickey / seattlepi.com Mariners blog:Putz appears headed to Mets in three-way deal
Discussion:
MetsBlog.com
Jerry Crasnick / ESPN:
Source: Yanks offer fifth year to reel in Burnett … Yankees Make A.J. Burnett Five-Year Offer — LAS VEGAS — The New York Yankees, making a hard late charge to beat out the Atlanta Braves for A.J. Burnett, offered the free-agent right-hander a guaranteed five-year contract Wednesday, a baseball source told ESPN.com.
RELATED:
Tony Massarotti / Boston Globe:
Burnett deciding between Yankees and Braves — LAS VEGAS - The Red Sox never seemed fully invested in talks for A.J. Burnett, so it should it come as no surprise that the competition for the pitcher now seems to have come down to two teams: the Yankees and Braves.
Discussion:
Phillies, NY Daily News, Jorge Says No!, Projo Sox Blog, Boston Herald, Yahoo! Sports, SOX & Dawgs, ESPN, Sliding Into Home, MLB Rumors, MetsBlog.com and Over the Monster
Adam Kilgore / Boston Globe:
Boras: Sox offer Tek, multiple offers for Tex — LAS VEGAS — Scott Boras addressed a massive pack of reporters here at the Bellagio at roughly 4:20 p.m. local time. He said Mark Teixeira, the most prominent free agent remaining, has received contract offers from every team with interest …
Discussion:
ESPN, Halos Heaven, The Bottom Line, MLB Rumors, Zell's Pinstripe Blog and Sliding Into Home
Paul Sullivan / Chicago Tribune:
Cubs' budget has room for Peavy trade and left-handed hitter — Losing DeRosa, Marquis would open up millions — LAS VEGAS — It isn't easy being Jim Hendry, but it's sure fun to try. — And truth be told, any fan with a calculator, a computer and Internet service can try to figure …
RELATED:
Mike DiGiovanna / LA Times Sports Blog:Cubs inquire about Angels' Chone Figgins
Discussion:
MLB Rumors
Denver Post:
Bid for Mets' Heilman comes to end — LAS VEGAS — The road to trade for the Mets' Aaron Heilman wasn't going through Huston Street. — So it was that the Rockies lost their shot at the Mets pitcher Wednesday night. Heilman was shipped to the Mariners in a three-team …
RELATED:
Associated Press:
Rays send RHP Jackson to Tigers for OF Joyce — LAS VEGAS — The Tigers acquired right-hander Edwin Jackson from the Tampa Bay Rays on Wednesday for outfielder Matt Joyce, Detroit's second trade in three days at the winter meetings. — Jackson is set to join a rotation alongside Justin Verlander …
RELATED:
Ian Casselberry / Bless You Boys:Thundercat, Go? Joyce Traded to Tampa
Discussion:
DRaysBay, The Detroit Tiger Weblog, Lookout Landing, Tiger Tales, Baseball Musings and The Daily Fungo
Mark Feinsand / NY Daily News:
Sources: Yankees to trade Melky for Cameron — The Yankees have found their center fielder for 2009, as they are set to send Melky Cabrera to Milwaukee for veteran outfielder Mike Cameron on Thursday, according to two major league sources. — The Yankees have been saying that Cabrera …
Scott Lauber / Phillies:
HERE'S THE DEAL: PHILS ACQUIRE CATCHER — LAS VEGAS — So, it seems the “small trade” mentioned by Ruben Amaro Jr. will be a swap of catchers. The Phils will send Class AAA catcher Jason Jaramillo to the Pirates for Ronny Paulino, a .278 hitter in parts of four seasons.
RELATED:
Dejan Kovacevic / PBC Blog:
Pirates trade Paulino to Phillies for Jaramillo — LAS VEGAS — The Pirates tonight traded catcher Ronny Paulino to the Philadelphia Phillies for catcher Jason Jaramillo. — Details to follow ... UPDATE 9:40 p.m.: Going to be brief here because I am up against the newspaper deadline.
Jonathan Mayo / MLB.com:
Gems can be unearthed in Rule 5 Draft — Cubs' Veal, Tribe's Lofgren among players available Thursday — LAS VEGAS — To get an idea of just how much of a shot in the dark the Rule 5 Draft is, take a look at the past two years. — Last year, the Major League phase produced no great impact-type players.
RELATED:
Mike DiGiovanna / LA Times Sports Blog:
Mark Teixeira negotiations heating up — LAS VEGAS — The Yankees' imminent signing of free-agent left-hander CC Sabathia to a seven-year, $160-million deal would seem to take them out of the running for Mark Teixeira, but that will hardly ease the competition the Angels face in retaining the free-agent first baseman.
RELATED:
Andrew Baggarly / Extra Baggs:
Angry Sabean rails against media, questions Sabathia's interest — Giants General Manager Brian Sabean's face turned red and his voice built into a shout. He didn't hide his displeasure during a stunning session with four beat reporters in his Bellagio hotel suite.
Discussion:
El Lefty Malo
Bill Chastain / MLB.com:
Abreu's representatives meet with Rays — Club continues to pursue sluggers at annual Winter Meetings — LAS VEGAS — Rays executive vice president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman confirmed meeting with free-agent outfielder Bobby Abreu's representatives on Wednesday …
ESPN:
Source: Farnsworth, Royals make deal — With many teams looking for bullpen help, veteran right-hander Kyle Farnsworth landed on his feet on Wednesday. — A source with knowledge of the negotiations told ESPN's Steve Phillips that Farnsworth has agreed to a two-year …
Discussion:
Trumbull and Michigan
