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 …
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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.
Discussion:
MetsBlog.com, Bluebird Banter, Baseball & The Boogie Down, Sliding Into Home and Scott Proctor's Arm
Adam McCalvy / MLB.com:
Cameron could join CC in NY — Yankees will reportedly trade Melky to Milwaukee for vet — LAS VEGAS — CC Sabathia might have a familiar face joining him in the Bronx — former Brewers teammate Mike Cameron. — Multiple Major League sources told MLB.com early Thursday that the Brewers …
Tim Dierkes / MLB Rumors:
Mike Cameron Yankees Deal Unlikely? — By Tim Dierkes [December 11 at 1:01pm CST] — 1:01pm: Cameron's agent told Tyler Kepner nothing has been completed. Kepner says the Brewers have actually been asking about Igawa. — 11:49am: Joel Sherman talked to a top exec involved in the talks who called the chances of a deal “remote.”
Discussion:
JSOnline, Bats, umpbump.com, iYankees, Pinstriped Scranton, The Bronx Block, In Mo We Trust and It is about the money, stupid
JSOnline:Yankees like Cameron AND Hall
Discussion:
MLB.com, MLB FanHouse, Baseball & The Boogie Down, Brew Crew Ball and River Avenue Blues
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, Hardball Times, FanGraphs Baseball, Amazin' Avenue, Mets Minor League Blog and Let's Go Tribe!
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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 …
J.J. Cooper / Baseball America:
Rule 5 Draft Pick By Pick — Major League Portion — First Round — 1. Nationals — Terrell Young, rhp, Reds — 2. Mariners — Reggie Corona, ss/2b, Yankees — 3. Padres — Everth Cabrera, ss/2b, Rockies — 4. Pirates — Donald Veal, lhp, Cubs — *5. Orioles
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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 …
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.
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Amalie Benjamin / Boston Globe:
Boras: Sox made an offer to Varitek — LAS VEGAS - With the catching market shrinking by the minute - winter meetings deals for Gerald Laird and Ramon Hernandez already in the books - there was at least one person in the Bellagio Hotel who remained confident Jason Varitek would find an opportunity somewhere.
Discussion:
YFSF
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 …
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:
The Heater, MLB Rumors, NJ.com, Rays Index, ESPN, New Jersey Online, Bugs & Cranks, Projo Sox Blog, Hot Foot and Blogging the Bombers
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Corey Brock / Hot Stove Blog:
Peavy deal to Cubs dead — LAS VEGAS — San Diego general manager Kevin Towers just told reporters that a proposed deal to send pitcher Jake Peavy to the Chicago Cubs was dead. — “It doesn't look like anything is going to happen with the Cubs,” Towers said. — Towers indicated that Cubs GM Jim Hendry pulled out of the deal.
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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 …
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 …
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Joe Strauss / St. Louis Post-Dispatch:
Focus is firmly on Fuentes — LAS VEGAS — As the availability of proven closers narrows, the Cardinals now classify free-agent lefthander Brian Fuentes their “No. 1 priority,” manager Tony La Russa said Wednesday. — Though general manager John Mozeliak denied having extended a formal offer to Fuentes …
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Tim Sullivan / San Diego Union-Tribune:Club and closer still need each other, but can they mend the fences?
Discussion:
Gaslamp Ball
Joe Christensen / Around the Majors:
Twins re-sign Punto to two-year, $8.5 million deal with option for 2011 — The Twins have re-signed free agent Nick Punto to a two-year contract with an option for 2011. La Velle has more details from Las Vegas. — “Nick has been an important part of the Twins' success for the past five years …
