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, Pinstripe Alley, Bottom9 Baseball, MLB FanHouse, The LoHud Yankees Blog, Bugs & Cranks, River Avenue Blues, NJ.com, Deadspin, Pinstriped Scranton, Yahoo! Sports, Hardball Times, Ken Davidoff's baseball …, 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:
The Schmuck Stops Here, Over the Monster, MLB Rumors, MLB FanHouse and Sliding Into Home
David O'Brien / Atlanta Journal-Constitution:
Furcal matter handled smoothly, eh? — I'm at least as tired as most of you of waiting for Rafael Furcal and his agent to tell us something, so I'm resorting to the one guaranteed way to get an answer quickly - by writing a new blog about how tedious this whole thing has become.
RELATED:
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 …
Tim Brown / Yahoo! Sports:
Furcal is nearing a deal with the Dodgers
Furcal is nearing a deal with the Dodgers
Discussion:
Associated Press, Yahoo! Sports, MLB.com, MLB Rumors, The Knobler Blog, Blue Collar Baseball and True Blue LA
Susan Slusser / San Francisco Chronicle:
With Furcal out of the picture, A's might turn back to Crosby
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, Walkoff Walk, Seattle Mariners, 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:
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?
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
Curt Schilling Archive:
Why Boston Might Be Best — I often hear media members and sports ‘experts’ this time of year discussing the ‘details’ on free agents. Everything from ‘close friend says’ to ‘his choice is to live in’ and I wonder just how much you believe, and what you think they really know.
Discussion:
Angels blog
Associated Press:
Mets: Losses from Ponzi scam won't affect team … NEW YORK (AP) — Jeff Wilpon's phone rang last Thursday and his father was on the line. — “He said, ‘Bernie was arrested by the FBI.’ I'm like, ‘No way,”’ the New York Mets chief operating officer recalled Wednesday.
Discussion:
Angels blog
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.