Top News:
Tim Lemke / Washington Times:
Teixeira Announcement Today — A major league baseball source has told The Washington Times' Thom Loverro that there will be an announcement today regarding the future of free agent first baseman Mark Teixeira. — While the source declined to discuss specifics, there are strong indications …
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ESPN:
Teixeira nears decision, but where will he sign? … At a time when Mark Teixeira's decision about where he wants to sign is seemingly imminent, the Baltimore Orioles' negotiations for the free-agent first baseman appear dormant. The Yankees, on the other hand, continue to review their options …
Roch Kubatko / MASN Online:
The Nationals may have taken the lead! — According to multiple sources, the Washington Nationals have sweetened their proposal to first baseman Mark Teixeira, offering him an eight-year deal worth $178 to $184 million. — The Nats were believed to have an eight-year, $160 million offer on the table.
Michael S. Schmidt / New York Times:
For All Boras's Clients but One, There's No Deal — Felipe López is a 28-year-old journeyman second baseman who has a .262 career batting average. Two weeks ago, he quietly signed a one-year, $3.5 million contract with the Arizona Diamondbacks. — That deal is noteworthy …
TwinCities.com:
Charley Walters: A hint of Joe Mauer's next deal could be forthcoming — As the Mark Teixeira free-agent negotiations go, so might go the market for Joe Mauer, who can become a free agent after the 2010 season. — Teixeira, 28, is seeking a deal in excess of $20 million a season.
Mike / Sons Of Simmons:
Sources: Red Sox Agree In Principle On Deal With Mark Teixeira — Sources have confirmed to Sons of Simmons, that the Boston Red Sox have agreed in principle to an eight-year deal with first basemen Mark Teixeira. Details are still sketchy at the moment, but it looks to be for around $170 Million dollars …
Brian McNally / www.dcexaminer.com:
Race for Teixeira heats up with reports that Nats raise offer — The Examiner's Jim Williams has learned that the Nats have upped their contract offer to Mark Teixeira. The Nationals made a decisive move on Monday in their bid to sign free-agent first baseman Mark Teixeira, according to industry sources.
Discussion:
MASNsports.com
Tim Dierkes / MLB Rumors:
Teixeira Announcement Expected Today — By Tim Dierkes [December 23 at 10:28am CST] — 10:28am: Buster Olney and Peter Gammons say Teixeira's decision is “seemingly imminent.” The journalists say the Orioles' negotiations for Tex “appear dormant.” They suggest the Yankees are lurking …
Discussion:
Sliding Into Home
Steve Silva / Boston Globe:Nationals reportedly up the ante for Teixeira
Discussion:
Baseball Musings
Bryan Hoch / MLB.com:
Jeter thinks Manny would fit with Yanks — Team captain impressed by signings of two top pitchers — NEW YORK — Derek Jeter can't claim to have a close personal relationship with Manny Ramirez, but if the Washington Heights, N.Y., product winds up back in New York, the Yankees captain believes he will fit in.
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Mike Puma / New York Post:
CASH: NO OFFERS PENDING FOR TEIXEIRA, RAMIREZ — Mark Teixeira and Manny Ramirez are still available to the Yankees, but it doesn't appear GM Brian Cashman will have either player sitting under his Christmas tree this week. — “We don't have any offers out there on anybody,” Cashman said yesterday.
Kobrien / On the Yankees beat:Yankees not on verge of signing Manny Ramirez
Discussion:
iYankees, MLB FanHouse, Zell's Pinstripe Blog, MY BASEBALL BIAS, Sliding Into Home and YanksBlog.com
Associated Press:
Yankees-Cubs bleacher seats to go for 25 cents — NEW YORK — The price of a bleacher seat for the exhibition openers at the new Yankee Stadium will cost far less than a soda. — The Yankees said Tuesday that bleacher seats for the games against the Chicago Cubs on April 3 and 4 will sell …
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Kobrien / On the Yankees beat:
Winter freeze/exhibition opener — Barring news over the next several days, the blog is going to take a little holiday hibernation while I visit family in the deep freeze of Iowa (negative wind chill). — If there's any big news (e.g. a Mark Teixeira signing somewhere), I'll post.
Discussion:
Yahoo! Sports
Tom Singer / MLB.com:
Yankees, Tigers hit with luxury tax — The Yankees' disappointing 2008 season came with a price tag: a $26.9 million luxury tax bill they were handed on Monday by the Commissioner's Office. — The 2008 payroll threshold for luxury-tax liability was $155 million.
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Rich Lederer / Baseball Analysts:
Q&A with Dave Studenmund: The Hardball Times Baseball Annual — Dave Studenmund and I broke into the baseball blogosphere at about the same time in 2003. We became fast friends and have provided guest columns for each other's sites or books. As destiny would have it …
Discussion:
Hardball Times
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette:
Pirates pursue recovering Baldelli — Free-agent outfielder, once a star, has had medical issues — , Pittsburgh Post-Gazette , Pittsburgh Post-Gazette — The Pirates are in pursuit of outfielder Rocco Baldelli, one of the most intriguing — and risky — players available in Major League Baseball's free agency.
