Top News:
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 …
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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 …
Discussion:
Hardball, Bugs & Cranks, Pinstripe Alley, The LoHud Yankees Blog, Deadspin, Pinstriped Scranton, Hardball Times, Ken Davidoff's baseball …, River Avenue Blues, Red Sox Monster, NJ.com, Coast to Coast Baseball, Brew Crew Ball, Bottom9 Baseball, Yahoo! Sports, Respect Jeter's Gangster, BASEBALL HOT CORNER, It is about the money, stupid, bronxbanterblog.com, JSOnline, New Jersey Online, Sliding Into Home, WasWatching.com, Scott Proctor's Arm, iYankees and MLB.com
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 …
Nick Cafardo / Boston Globe:
Opposing 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 …
Tim Brown / Yahoo! Sports:
Furcal is nearing a deal with the Dodgers — Buzz up! — At the end of a couple of curious days, during which Rafael Furcal reportedly agreed to sign with the Atlanta Braves, then resumed negotiations with the Los Angeles Dodgers (depending on one's perspective), the free-agent shortstop …
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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 …
Los Angeles Times:
Dodgers and Rafael Furcal: Is there still a chance?
Dodgers and Rafael Furcal: Is there still a chance?
Discussion:
BBTF's Baseball Primer …
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.
Discussion:
The Heater, MLB Rumors, Walkoff Walk, Rays Index, Seattle Mariners, Bluebird Banter, A Red Sox Fan …, River Avenue Blues, WEEI Blogs and DRaysBay
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Marc Topkin / The Heater:
Baldelli: “An encouraging development” — Free agent OF Rocco Baldelli clarified the Rhode Island TV reports this morning, saying there has been an updated diagnosis that is “an encouraging development” and with adjustments to his current medication he hopes “to be on the field on a much more regular basis.”
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.
Marty Noble / MLB.com:
Mets anticipate lull in roster revisions — Club hopes to complete moves by Feb., but is being patient — NEW YORK — Not until Groundhog Day did the Mets complete the transaction that made their 2008 season as successful as it turned out to be — the acquisition of Johan Santana.
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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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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.
Larry Dobrow / CBS SportsLine.com:
Peavy, Manny and the Mets' 'pen — checking in on the NL — On Monday we attempted to delay baseball's post-trade-meetings hibernation with a Q&A survey of the junior circuit. Why do the AL first? Because, in layman's terms, the AL is the Chuck Liddell to the NL's Betty Boop.
Discussion:
FishStripes
Sully / SULLY BASEBALL:
NEW YORK METS - ALL TIME HOME GROWN TEAM vs. ALL TIME ACQUIRED TEAM — I've got 26 more teams to breakdown their homegrown vs. acquired all time roster and only 3 ½ months to do it. — No time to rest. — We did the Yankees... let's go across town and check out the Mets. — Ahhh the Mets.
Discussion:
Mets Lifers