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Mark Feinsand / NY Daily News:
Source sees Yankees' pursuit of Manny Ramirez as front office splits — Are the Yankees preparing to give Manny Ramirez a happy homecoming? — The pride of Washington Heights remains one of the biggest names left on the free-agent market, and while it may take some time before the future Hall …
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Sean McAdam / Boston Herald:
Mark Teixeira's not a 10 — Sox' attraction limited in years — As the bidding intensifies for free agent Mark Teixeira, the Red Sox [team stats] have let it be known they are willing to go only so far. Should another team up the ante and, as has been speculated, offer a 10-year deal …
Buster Olney / ESPN.com:
Sources: Orioles fall behind in Teixeira derby … Unless Mark Teixeira is willing to give the Orioles a major hometown discount, it does not appear he will be playing in Baltimore. — The Orioles have stood by their initial offer and have not upgraded it, and sources say that the other teams involved …
Nick Cafardo / Boston Globe:
GM: Sox in lead for Teixeira — A general manager of one of the five teams involved in the Mark Teixeira talks said this morning that in his opinion if the talks ended right now, Boston would land the coveted free-agent first baseman. — “I think they're in the lead and ahead of where everyone else is right now,” he said.
Tom Singer / MLB.com:
Teixeira decision likely coming soon — Recruiting of free agent reportedly ‘nearing a conclusion’ — The shopping days to Christmas are dwindling. Does that mean the countdown is also on for the offseason's most anticipated deal, the one waiting for Mark Teixeira?
Susan Slusser / San Francisco Chronicle:
With Furcal out of the picture, A's might turn back to Crosby — (12-16) 20:40 PST — Oakland's pursuit of Rafael Furcal ended Tuesday, but the A's will not automatically readjust their sights on the next available shortstop target. — An A's source said that Oakland does not have interest …
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Dejan Kovacevic / Pittsburgh Post-Gazette:
Pirates' options for Wilson trade dwindle — Dodgers, possibly last suitor, show no sign of fresh interest — It is shaping up as if the Pirates might not be able to trade Jack Wilson this offseason. — The Los Angeles Dodgers appeared to lose out on an attempt to re-sign free-agent …
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MLB Rumors
Dylan Hernandez / Los Angeles Times:
Dodgers are trying to keep Rafael Furcal
Dodgers are trying to keep Rafael Furcal
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Athletics Nation
Ken Bell / WLNE-TV:
Family says doctors misdiagnosed Rocco Baldelli's condition — GREAT NEWS FOR ROCCO BALDELLI. A VISIT TO THE CLEVELAND CLINIC LAST WEEK REVEALED THAT DOCTORS HAD MISDIAGNOSED HIS ILLNESS. — BALDELLI MISSED MUCH OF LAST SEASON, AND WHEN HE DID PLAY, HE WAS LIMITED BECAUSE OF EXTREME FATIQUE.
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WPRI-TV:
Baldelli was misdiagnosed — (WPRI) - Cumberland native Rocco Baldelli was misdiagnosed when doctors told him he had mitochondrial disease. — Eyewitness News spoke with Baldelli's father Tuesday, and he says iIt turns out Baldelli actually has a condition known as channelopothy.
Mark Feinsand / NY Daily News:
It'll be 2-for-1 as Yanks to greet CC, A.J. — The Yankees shook up the free-agent market last week by committing $243.5million to a pair of pitchers they hope will start a winning tradition at the new Yankee Stadium. — But CC Sabathia and A.J. Burnett will get one last look at the old ballpark Thursday …
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Sliding Into Home
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Joe Strauss / St. Louis Post-Dispatch:
Fuentes waits, so Birds mull options — Increasingly impatient over talks that may have slowed to accommodate another suitor, Cardinals general manager John Mozeliak vowed Tuesday he would not allow the pursuit of free-agent closer Brian Fuentes to “create a paralysis” within the club's search for pitching help.
Ken Davidoff / Newsday:
Mets would like Perez back, discussing Pedro — The Mets have two slots in their starting rotation to fill, and they know what they want to do with the more important one. To replace Oliver Perez, who had become a vital pitcher, they want either Perez himself or Derek Lowe.
Jon Heyman / For the Record:
Cubs, Yankees among several teams eyeing Lowe — The Cubs could become a landing spot for star free-agent pitcher Derek Lowe. — Chicago had been talking seriously to the Padres about trade target Jake Peavy for weeks until pulling out at the winter meetings, and some baseball people think discussions could be revived at some point.
Matthew Leach / MLB.com:
Cards sign pair to Minor League deals — Knoedler, Thurston get invites to Major League Spring Training — ST. LOUIS — The Cardinals signed two players to Minor League contracts for 2009 on Tuesday, while details of the organization's Minor League coaching staffs for the upcoming season also began trickling out.
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