Top News:
New York Post:
PEREZ TO YANKS, LOWE TO METS FINISHING TOUCHES FOR WINTER — THERE remains one final major move for the Yankees to make. Same goes for the Mets. — The Yankees still have a hole in their rotation. This has been an incredibly prosperous offseason for the Yankees and GM Brian Cashman …
RELATED:
Mike Rose / On the Mets beat:
The Lowe backup plan — Regis Courtemanche of Metsblog.com is our guest blogger for today. — Derek Lowe's agent Scott Boras thinks that the Mets should spend like the thriftless Yankees recently did for A.J. Burnett, roughly $16 million per season, or $4 million more per year than the Mets had initially offered.
Discussion:
MLB Rumors
Peter Abraham / The LoHud Yankees Blog:
Would Jones be worth a look? — The Dodgers have cut a financial deal with Andruw Jones that will lead to him getting traded or released. — The Yankees could use a center fielder. Jones is a five-time All-Star center fielder. So naturally many people have e-mailed wondering if the Yankees are interested.
Anthony McCarron / NY Daily News:
Yanks almost ready to unveil Teixeira — The Yankees are making plans for a press conference to fete new first baseman Mark Teixeira, perhaps as early as Tuesday, according to baseball sources. — Teixeira agreed to an eight-year, $180 million contract two days before Christmas.
Discussion:
MLB Rumors, The Yankee Scrolls, My Pinstripes, River Avenue Blues and Zell's Pinstripe Blog
RELATED:
Bombers Beat:
The last press conference at old Yankee Stadium? — Looks like the cutting board will be brought out one more time. According to a club source, the Yankees plan to hold an announcement at Yankee Stadium early this week to introduce Mark Teixeira, who agreed to an eight-year, $180 million contract on Dec. 23.
Mark Bowman / MLB.com:
Braves' interest in Jones, Lowe is slight — Outfielder's game in question, while righty's price is too high — ATLANTA — To say the Braves have absolutely zero interest in Derek Lowe and Andruw Jones wouldn't exactly be accurate. But their interest in these two players currently appears to be only moderate.
RELATED:
David O'Brien / Atlanta Journal-Constitution:
Lowe on hill, Andruw in (Braves) outfield? — Well, hello again, denizens, it's good to be back from Colorado's perfectly powdery slopes — with femurs, wrists and my back intact and spirits rejuvenated by a snowboarding vacation. — After the business of baseball slowed to a crawl through the holidays …
John Perrotto / Baseball Prospectus:
Stoking the Hot Stove Fires — There was no bigger story in baseball last year than the Rays, as the Tampa Bay franchise, which had known nothing but futility since its inception in 1998, dropped the Devil from its nickname, changed its color scheme and its uniform, and then dramatically changed their losing ways.
RELATED:
Marc Topkin / St. Petersburg Times:The amazing year of Tampa Bay Rays manager Joe Maddon still not done
Discussion:
DRaysBay
Buster Olney / ESPN:
Jones' career in jeopardy — • The Braves seemingly got to the 1-yard-line in their negotiations for Jake Peavy in November, reaching the point where they were haggling over the identity of the last prospects in the deal. We don't know yet if Jeff Moorad's proposed deal to buy the Padres …
John Perrotto / Baseball Prospectus:
Prospectus Q and A: Tony Blengino by David Laurila — Tony Blengino … David Laurila: How would you describe your role within the Mariners' organization? — Tony Blengino: My role is basically to be Jack's right hand in player evaluation of all types, be it at the major league level …
Steven / Fire Jim Bowden:
Rating the Managers by Intentional Walks — The intentional walk is one of the more controversial baseball plays in sabermetric circles, and for good reason. As you can see from this run expectancy table at Baseball Prospectus derived from the 2008 run environment, putting a runner …
Discussion:
Royals Review
Troy E. Renck / Denver Post:
Marquis, arbitration will hike payroll — Arbitration is recession-proof. The Rockies' payroll will increase slightly next season from $68 million to roughly $73 million with the acquisition of Chicago Cubs starter Jason Marquis and the salary increases of their six arbitration-eligible players.
Discussion:
Purple Row
