Top News:
Adam Kilgore / Boston Globe:
Henry: ‘We are not going to be a factor’ for Teixeira — Red Sox owner John Henry e-mailed several media members late tonight with a stunning twist in the team's pursuit of free-agent first baseman Mark Teixeira. — Henry's words: “We met with Mr. Teixeira and were very much impressed with him.
Discussion:
MetsBlog.com, The Bronx Block, Hardball Times, The Big Lead, Nationals Journal, The Bottom Line, Jorge Says No!, Bottom9 Baseball, Clubhouse Insider, SOX & Dawgs, Washington Post, Over the Monster, It is about the money, stupid, Oriole Post, Fire Brand of the …, PE.com, MVN, YFSF, River Avenue Blues, The Yankee Scrolls, MLB Rumors, Oleanders and Morning Glories, Baseball & The Boogie Down, Camden Chat and Boston Herald
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Nick Cafardo / Boston Globe:
Is it really over for Red Sox and Teixeira? — ANALYSIS — If the Red Sox have pulled out of the Mark Teixeira talks for good it would be a stunner to a lot of baseball people. — Of the people I've talked to this morning about John Henry's e-mail in which he said that Boston …
WCVB-TV:
Sox May Be Closer To Signing Teixeira — BOSTON — The Boston Red Sox may be close to signing Mark Teixeira, the premiere free agent available this off-season. — SportsCenter 5's Mike Lynch reported that team owner John Henry, CEO Larry Lucchino and General Manager Theo Epstein …
Adam Kilgore / Boston Globe:
Red Sox fall out of Teixeira talks — Henry: ‘We are not going to be a factor’ — Red Sox owner John Henry issued a stunning proclamation late last night regarding the team's pursuit of free agent first baseman Mark Teixeira, all but ruling out Boston's chance to land the prize hitter of baseball's offseason.
Tim Brown / Yahoo! Sports:
Angels close to re-signing Juan Rivera — Buzz up! — The Los Angeles Angels on Thursday night were nearing agreement with outfielder Juan Rivera on a three-year contract, according to baseball sources. — And as news spread of a meeting between their No. 1 offseason target …
George A. King III / New York Post:
TEIXEIRA TOO RICH FOR SAWX — The Red Sox say they got outbid for free agent first baseman Mark Teixeira. — Though Boston didn't talk about which teams offered more for the switch-hitting Teixeira, it wasn't the Yankees. — “Not us,” GM Brian Cashman told The Post late last night.
Discussion:
Los Angeles Times, Yahoo! Sports, Boston Globe, Surviving Grady, The Schmuck Stops Here and Angels blog
Bill Madden / NY Daily News:
Red Sox are off the Mark — The Red Sox seemed to be closing in on a deal for Mark Teixeira Thursday night when owner John Henry, president Larry Lucchino and GM Theo Epstein flew to Dallas for a meeting with the superstar first baseman and his agent, Scott Boras.
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New Jersey Online
ESPN:
Owner: Red Sox not a factor in Teixeira derby
Owner: Red Sox not a factor in Teixeira derby
Discussion:
bronxbanterblog.com, Angels blog, Federal Baseball, Clubhouse Insider, Bugs & Cranks, PE Angels Baseball and 6-4-2
ESPN:
Braves won't deal with Furcal's agents again — The Atlanta Braves aren't done complaining about the way they felt they were treated by the Wasserman Media Group, the firm representing free agent shortstop Rafael Furcal. — They are, however, apparently done doing business with them.
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Jeff Schultz / Atlanta Journal-Constitution:
Livid Schuerholz: Furcal dealings ‘despicable’
Livid Schuerholz: Furcal dealings ‘despicable’
Discussion:
Bottom9 Baseball, It is about the money, stupid, LA Times Sports Blog and Baseball Musings
Joel Sherman / Yankees Blog:
NO SHEETS FOR YANKS — Keep hearing from multiple sources that the Yankees will have nothing to do with Ben Sheets. They have real concerns about his health, especially they fret about the righty's history with back ailments. The Yankee theory is they already have taken their health gamble …
Discussion:
MLB Rumors, NorthJersey.com, Scott Proctor's Arm, MLB FanHouse, Talking Chop and New Jersey Online
Adam Rubin / Baseball America:
New York Mets — Baseball America's Top 10 Prospects lists are based on projections of a player's long-term worth after discussions with scouting and player-development personnel. All players who haven't exceeded the major league rookie standards of 130 at-bats or 50 innings pitched (without regard to service time) are eligible.
Dejan Kovacevic / Pittsburgh Post-Gazette:
Wilson: Pirates need ‘more players’ to compete — Shortstop urges management to practice accountability it preaches — Jack Wilson, sounding convinced he will return as the Pirates' shortstop next year, yesterday urged management to bolster the 2009 roster and heed its own call for accountability.
Tyler Kepner / New York Times:
Sabathia and Burnett to Skip World Baseball Classic — While Derek Jeter and Alex Rodriguez will play in the World Baseball Classic this spring, the Yankees' new starting pitchers almost certainly will not. C. C. Sabathia participated in 2006 but said he was likely to decline his invitation this time.
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David O'Brien / Atlanta Journal-Constitution:
Time for Braves to reassess? — It's 70 degrees with high humidity here in Atlanta one week before Christmas, which somehow seems appropriate weather for this end-is-near sort of vibe around the ol' Braves/MIB blog the past couple of days. — Hey, just so we're clear …
Geoff Baker / Mariners Blog:
Ibanez: Why he left — Just got done talking to Raul Ibanez for the first time since he left the Mariners and signed a three-year, $31.5 million deal with the Phillies. Ibanez said his decision came down to wanting to play for a competitive team right away.