Top News:
Michael S. Schmidt / New York Times:
Yankees Keep Eye on Teixeira and Wait — Although the Yankees have not actively pursued the free-agent first baseman Mark Teixeira, team officials continue to monitor the negotiations between Teixeira's agent, Scott Boras, and other teams. — The Yankees are interested in signing Teixeira …
RELATED:
Buster Olney / ESPN:
Fuentes may land in offseason bargain bin — • The Rays remain cautiously optimistic about picking up a proven hitter this winter, writes Marc Topkin. — • Heard this from a party who has been in recent contact with the Nationals' front office: They absolutely do not expect to win the bidding for Mark Teixeira.
Kat O'Brien / Newsday:
Yankees on fringes of Teixeira talks — Despite agent Scott Boras' efforts to get the Yankees involved in the Mark Teixeira sweepstakes, the Yankees remain on the periphery of the bidding, sources said yesterday. — Early yesterday, SI.com's Jon Heyman reported that in the wake …
Discussion:
New Jersey Online, MLB Rumors, Ken Davidoff's baseball …, MASN Online and The Final Score
Kobrien / On the Yankees beat:
Boras calls Yankees on Teixeira — So the Yankees talked to Scott Boras Friday about Mark Teixeira, as I first learned by reading Jon Heyman's story on SI.com. But what I learned yesterday from talking to multiple sources is that Boras reached out to the Yankees.
Discussion:
Lone Star Ball
New York Post:WITH SAWX STEPPING ASIDE, BOMBERS MAKE SMART PLAY
Discussion:
Respect Jeter's Gangster, Zell's Pinstripe Blog, Pinstripes, Pa., NJ.com, Sliding Into Home and NY Daily News
David Pinto / Baseball Musings:Creating a Market — Scott Boras called the Yankees about Mark Teixeira:
Discussion:
YFSF
Marc Topkin / St. Petersburg Times:Outlook positive for Tampa Bay Rays to sign a good free-agent hitter
Discussion:
DRaysBay
Tom Krasovic / San Diego Union-Tribune:
Talented teams of the '90s quite different than today — Should a sale go through, whoever buys the Padres from John Moores would be lucky to get a Padres club as talented as the one Moores bought in late 1994. — True, when Moores took control, the Padres were coming off a 47-70 season.
Discussion:
Pinstriped Scranton
RELATED:
Tim Dierkes / MLB Rumors:
Padres Sign Chris Britton — By Tim Dierkes [December 21 at 1:41pm CST] — We missed this one - apparently the Padres signed recently non-tendered reliever Chris Britton, according to Tom Krasovic of the San Diego Union-Tribune. The big righty will compete for the seventh-inning role in 2009.
External / ESPN:
Olney: Market forces at work — Brian Fuentes began the offseason as, theoretically, the most second-most coveted reliever, after a season in which he earned 30 saves and accumulated a 2.73 ERA, and held left-handed batters to a .184 average, with 20 strikeouts in 49 at-bats.
Discussion:
Purple Row
RELATED:
Alex Walsh / MLB Rumors:
Olney: Latest On Fuentes — By Alex Walsh [December 21 at 10:55am CST] — Buster Olney has an update on the future of Brian Fuentes. Fuentes will likely not be receiving the 3-year/$30MM deal he was recently hoping for, says Olney, and could expect something closer to $15-18MM over the same 3-year period.
Discussion:
Mets Fever
Jerry Crasnick / ESPN:
Source: Pirates, Doumit reach deal … The Pittsburgh Pirates have reached an agreement on a three-year deal with catcher Ryan Doumit that will take him through his salary arbitration years, a baseball source told ESPN.com. — The contract includes a club option that will take Doumit into free agency, the source said.
Nick Cafardo / Boston Globe:
It's the offseason of hope — Ability to play again would be perfect gift — Rocco Baldelli might not be out of the woods, but after further evaluation at Massachusetts General Hospital and the Cleveland Clinic he at least has hope that the mitochondrial disorder that nearly ruined …
Associated Press:
Japanese team won't extend Valentine's contract after 2009 — TOKYO (AP) — The Chiba Lotte Marines have decided not to offer Bobby Valentine a contract extension after his current four-year deal expires at the end of 2009 season, the former New York Mets manager said Sunday.
Discussion:
Tales Of A Transplanted …
Murray Chass / Murray Chass On Baseball:
CASE OF THE TAINTED TERM SHEET — This column was going to be about the number of shortstops available as free agents this winter, among the better known Edgar Renteria, Orlando Cabrera, David Eckstein, Omar Vizquel, Nomar Garciaparra, Rafael Furcal, Adam Everett, Cesar Izturis.
Discussion:
MLB Rumors
Peter Abraham / The LoHud Yankees Blog:
Catching up on some Winter League stats — A few winter league observations: — Ian Kennedy is back home after pitching 34.2 innings over six starts in Puerto Rico. He went 2-2 with a 1.56 ERA. He allowed 19 hits, struck out 31, walked 12 and allowed one home run.
