Top News:
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 …
RELATED:
Joel Sherman / New York Post:
YANKS OFFER CABRERA FOR MIKE CAMERON — LAS VEGAS - CC Sabathia was not enough. Now the Yankees are zeroing in on adding his pal Mike Cameron, as well. — The Yankees would trade at least Melky Cabrera to obtain Cameron, a speedy, defensively elite center fielder who hits homers, but strikes out at a high rate.
ESPN.com:
Report: Yankees eye Cabrera for Cameron deal — The New York Yankees are on the verge of a deal sending Melky Cabrera to the Milwaukee Brewers for Mike Cameron, according to two major league sources, the New York Daily News reported. — The acquisition of Cameron would give the Yankees …
JSOnline:Yankees like Cameron AND Hall
Discussion:
MLB Rumors, MLB FanHouse, Brew Crew Ball, MLB.com, Baseball & The Boogie Down, River Avenue Blues and Al's Ramblings
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.
RELATED:
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 …
Keith Law / ESPN:
Putz fills the Mets' eighth-inning void — If the Mets get the healthy J.J. Putz — he missed time with rib and elbow injuries in 2008 — they might actually have acquired the best closer of their offseason, one even better than their new capital-C closer Francisco Rodriguez.
Discussion:
MetsBlog.com, Amazin' Avenue, Hardball Times, FanGraphs Baseball and Mets Minor League Blog
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:
Mark Feinsand / NY Daily News:
Yankees won't wait forever on Pettitte — LAS VEGAS - The Yankees have made it clear that they would welcome Andy Pettitte back to the Bronx next year. How long that remains the case, however, remains to be seen. — While Pettitte remains on the Yankees' radar, a source told the Daily News …
Discussion:
MLB Rumors, NJ.com, Rays Index, ESPN, New Jersey Online, Hot Foot and Blogging the Bombers
Newsday:
Yankees reach deal with CC, zero in on Burnett — The Yankees finalized a record agreement with CC Sabathia early yesterday morning, and then they went right back to work. As of late last night, they appeared to be closing in on a deal to also land free-agent pitcher A.J. Burnett.
Tony Massarotti / Boston Globe:Burnett deciding between Yankees and Braves
Discussion:
Phillies, ESPN, SOX & Dawgs, Jorge Says No!, Projo Sox Blog, Yahoo! Sports, MLB Rumors, MetsBlog.com and Over the Monster
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
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:
Boston Herald:
Scott Boras: Jason Varitek has offer to return — LAS VEGAS - The Red Sox [team stats] have presented a contract offer to Jason Varitek [stats], said agent Scott Boras yesterday at the winter meetings. The deal is believed to be for two years, although the terms remain under wraps.
RELATED:
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, Tiger Tales, The Detroit Tiger Weblog, Lookout Landing, Baseball Musings and The Daily Fungo
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 …
Buster Olney / ESPN:
Pirates, utility infielder Vazquez close to deal … The Pittsburgh Pirates are on the verge of a two-year, $4 million deal with infielder Ramon Vazquez. — Vazquez hit a career-high .290 with a .365 on-base percentage with the Texas Rangers last season. — A left-handed hitter …
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.
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 …
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
