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 …
Discussion:
New Jersey Online, The Bottom Line, Hardball Times, Rivera's Cutter and The Yankee Scrolls
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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.
New York Post:
CASHMAN FLIES TO SEE PETTITTE — MESSAGE: ONE ROTATION SPOT LEFT FOR $10 MILLION — By JOEL SHERMAN IN LAS VEGAS and GEORGE A. KING III IN NEW YORK — LAS VEGAS — Brian Cashman again jetted away from the Winter Meetings to meet face-to-face with a lefty starter.
Discussion:
MLB Rumors, Scott Proctor's Arm, My Pinstripes, Sliding Into Home and Respect Jeter's Gangster
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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, NJ.com, Rays Index, Boston Globe, MLB Rumors, Bugs & Cranks, New Jersey Online, ESPN, Hot Foot and Projo Sox Blog
David O'Brien / Atlanta Journal-Constitution:
This isn't what Braves planned
This isn't what Braves planned
Discussion:
Baseball Musings
Yahoo! Sports:
Teixeira negotiations continue to escalate — Buzz up! — LAS VEGAS - The Mark Teixeira negotiations have put agent Scott Boras in a position he loves. Information about the amount of money and length of a deal offered to his client continually leaks out - some of it probably coming …
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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.
Discussion:
MLB FanHouse
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.
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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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Nick Cafardo / Boston Globe:
No offer to Varitek — LAS VEGAS — Except for the “offer” of arbitration, which he declined, free agent catcher Jason Varitek has not received a contractual offer from the Red Sox, a source familiar with the talks said. — Varitek's agent, Scott Boras, had been asked at a press briefing Wednesday …
J.J. Cooper / Baseball America:
Rule 5 Draft Pick By Pick — Major League Phase — 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
Discussion:
El Lefty Malo, Extra Baggs, Bless You Boys, Baseball Insider, Rays Index, Chop-n-Change and Nationals Journal
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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.
Jerry Crasnick / ESPN:
Sources: Pirates, infielder Vazquez close to deal … The Pittsburgh Pirates are close to an agreement on a two-year, $4 million deal with free-agent infielder Ramon Vazquez, two baseball sources told ESPN.com. — Pirates general manager Neal Huntington declined to address terms but said a deal could be reached shortly.
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Dejan Kovacevic / PBC Blog:
Winter Meetings, Day 4: Pirates ‘very, very close’ …
Winter Meetings, Day 4: Pirates ‘very, very close’ …
Discussion:
Baseball America, Raise the Jolly Roger!, whygavs.com, Pirate Revolution and Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
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 …
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The Professor / Rays Index:
[THE HANGOVER] The One Where We Look At What The Edwin Jackson Trade Means For The Rays — The One Where We Look At What The Edwin Jackson Trade Means For The Rays — Last night the Rays acquired outfielder Matt Joyce from the Detroit Tigers for Edwin Jackson. — What this trade means for the rotation...
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Tim Sullivan / San Diego Union-Tribune:
Club and closer still need each other, but can they mend the fences? — LAS VEGAS — The case for Trevor Hoffman is conditional. It is predicated on the departure of Jake Peavy and the return of peaceful coexistence to the Padres. — Baseball's career saves leader has some fences to mend …
Discussion:
Gaslamp Ball
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Craig Calcaterra / Hardball Times:
Cole Hamels Meets Talk Radio — I'm not usually a fan of trash talk, accusations of overratedness, or discussions that center around the word “choke.” But with just about every important baseball figure on an airplane heading home from Las Vegas this afternoon, it's a slow news day …
Ken Gurnick / MLB.com:
Tendering Saito a ‘tough call’ for LA — Dodgers also waiting to hear word from shortstop Furcal — LAS VEGAS — The Dodgers don't know how long they must wait for Rafael Furcal to decide if he'll return as shortstop, but they'll know by Friday if closer Takashi Saito will be back.
Discussion:
Associated Press, Athletics Nation, Inside the Dodgers, PE.com, True Blue LA, Dodger Thoughts and LA Times Sports Blog