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 …
Discussion:
The Schmuck Stops Here, Oriole Post, MLB FanHouse, MASN Online, Nationals Journal, The Bronx Block and Projo Sox Blog
RELATED:
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, MLB FanHouse, Pinstripe Alley, The LoHud Yankees Blog, Bugs & Cranks, Bottom9 Baseball, River Avenue Blues, NJ.com, Deadspin, Pinstriped Scranton, Yahoo! Sports, Ken Davidoff's baseball …, Hardball Times, Respect Jeter's Gangster, Red Sox Monster, WasWatching.com, Sliding Into Home, It is about the money, stupid, bronxbanterblog.com, JSOnline, New Jersey Online, Scott Proctor's Arm and iYankees
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 …
Discussion:
Over the Monster, The Schmuck Stops Here, MLB Rumors, Bugs & Cranks, MLB FanHouse and Sliding Into Home
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 …
Discussion:
MLB.com, MLB Rumors, The Knobler Blog, Blue Collar Baseball, New York Post, True Blue LA and Redleg Nation
RELATED:
Los Angeles Times:Dodgers and Rafael Furcal: Is there still a chance?
Discussion:
BBTF's Baseball Primer …
David O'Brien / Atlanta Journal-Constitution:Furcal matter handled smoothly, eh?
Discussion:
Associated Press
Susan Slusser / San Francisco Chronicle:With Furcal out of the picture, A's might turn back to Crosby
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:
medterms.com, The Heater, Seattle Mariners, Walkoff Walk, Bluebird Banter, A Red Sox Fan …, WEEI Blogs and DRaysBay
RELATED:
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.”
KNSD-TV:
Alleged Beating by Padre Caught on Tape — A videotape released Tuesday shows San Diego Padre Brian Giles allegedly assaulting his then-girlfriend in an Arizona bar. — Giles isn't commenting on a civil lawsuit filed against the Padres star outfielder. He is accused of verbally …
RELATED:
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.
RELATED:
Kobrien / On the Yankees beat:
Cameron-Cabrera talks off — It sounds as though the Yankees will not be getting Mike Cameron to play centerfield next year. That could change, of course, but I just got off the phone with Brewers GM Doug Melvin. He said: “Nothing new. At this point, I don't anticipate it's something that we would (do). ...
Discussion:
Scott Proctor's Arm
Baltimore Sun:
MacPhail: ‘We have flexibility’ on Teixeira offer — O's president says club could alter initial proposal, negotiations ongoing — O's president says club could alter initial proposal, negotiations ongoing with free-agent slugger Poll: Will the O's land Teixeira?
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
Juan Gonzalez / NY Daily News:
How city went to bat for Yanks in tax ripoff — Mayor Bloomberg's aides secretly pressured city tax assessors to inflate the value of land under the new Yankee Stadium so the team could qualify for nearly $1 billion in tax-free bonds, city e-mails show. — In March 2006, the city's chief …
Bill Conlin / Philly.com:
Ibanez may fit perfectly for Phillies in leftfield — IT IS THE MONTH when Ruben Amaro, aka Ponce de Ruben, has set up shop at the Phountain of Youth. The first major move of his stewardship as Phillies general manager has been to sign free-agent outfielder Raul Ibanez, age 36, in winter-meetings overtime.
