Top News:
Mike Axisa / MLB Rumors:
Red Sox Sign Dan Wheeler — The Red Sox have signed reliever Dan Wheeler to a one-year contract worth $3MM guaranteed. The deal includes a $3MM option (no buyout) for 2012 that can vest with 65 appearances. Another $250K can be earned with 75 appearances. Wheeler has passed his physical.
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Ian Browne / MLB.com:
Red Sox continue 'pen upgrade with Wheeler — Native New Englander excited to join Boston's relief corps — BOSTON — The revamping of the Red Sox's bullpen continued on Saturday, as the club signed veteran right-hander Dan Wheeler, a native Rhode Islander who now gets to play for the team he rooted for as a kid.
Discussion:
MLB.com Hot Stove blog and lenNY's Yankees
Gordon Edes / ESPN:
Sources: Dan Wheeler to join Red Sox — BOSTON — The Great Bullpen Reconstruction continued Saturday, with news that the Red Sox had come to terms with another veteran setup man, right-hander Dan Wheeler, according to team sources. — Wheeler, one of the reliable pieces Joe Maddon employed …
Discussion:
Mets Today and Fire Brand of the …
Steve Phillips / Fanhouse MLB Blog:
Source: Dan Wheeler, Red Sox Agree to 1-Year, $3 Million Deal — Free-agent reliever Dan Wheeler has agreed to a one-year deal with Boston Red Sox, FanHouse has learned. — Wheeler, who passed a physical on Friday, will receive $3 million from the Red Sox in 2011, according to a source.
Discussion:
SOX & Dawgs
Alex Speier / Full Count:
Red Sox round out relief remake by adding Dan Wheeler
Red Sox round out relief remake by adding Dan Wheeler
Discussion:
Twinkie Town, Over the Monster and The Joy of Sox
JonPaulMorosi / mlbbuzz:
Sources: Marlins, Nolasco reach impasse in contract talks — The Florida Marlins and right-hander Ricky Nolasco have arrived at a stalemate in negotiations for a long-term contract, major league sources told FOXSports.com. — The impasse sets up a number of possibilities for Nolasco …
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The Goessling Game, Lone Star Ball, HardballTalk, MLB Rumors and JSOnline
Associated Press:
Ex-Cub Phil Cavarretta dies at 94 — CHICAGO — Phil Cavarretta, the 1945 National League MVP who led the Chicago Cubs to their last World Series appearance, has died. He was 94. — Cavarretta died Saturday evening in Lilburn, Ga., of complications from a stroke, according to his grandson, Jeffrey Brown, of Lubbock, Texas.
Discussion:
Bleed Cubbie Blue and Yahoo! Sports
Sam Mellinger / Kansas City Star:
Greinke changes agents, still wants to be traded — The Zack Greinke saga continues, with small details changing this week, but the outline remains the same. — Greinke changed agents from SFX Baseball to Casey Close of CAA, who also counts the Yankees' Derek Jeter among his clients.
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Buster Olney / ESPN:
The accelerated market for Zack Greinke
The accelerated market for Zack Greinke
Discussion:
MLB Rumors, Federal Baseball and Fox Sports
Marc Topkin / St. Petersburg Times:
Rays - still - not looking to deal a starter — With Cliff Lee making the unexpected decision to return to Philadelphia, Carl Pavano the next best option on the free agent market and Zack Grienke reportedly accelerating a trade from Kansas City, the Rays are going to get even more calls on their starting pitchers.
Discussion:
MLB Rumors and JSOnline
Dan Shaughnessy / Boston Globe:
Pieces of his mind — Picked up pieces while listening to Mitch Miller Christmas carols . . . When the Patriots were auditioning kickers they called retired Revolution star Taylor Twellman. Now with Comcast SportsNet, Twellman turned down the opportunity, telling the team, “I can't take another hit to the head.”
Dom Amore / Hartford Courant:
Walt Dropo Dies; 1950 AL Rookie Of Year With Red Sox, 3-Sport UConn Star — 1950 AL Rookie Of Year With Red Sox, 3-Sport UConn Star — Walt Dropo could have played football for the Chicago Bears. He could have played professional basketball as the NBA was getting started.
Discussion:
Yahoo! Sports and Full Count
Ian Begley / ESPN:
Omar Minaya, Sandy Alderson to talk — NEW YORK — Former New York Mets GM Omar Minaya said he plans to sit down with current Mets GM Sandy Alderson after the New Year to discuss a potential new role in the organization. — Minaya told ESPNNewYork.com that he has multiple offers on the table.
Discussion:
HardballTalk, Kranepool Society and Mets Merized Online
JSOnline:
Packers QB Aaron Rodgers declared out; Flynn will start — By Tom Silverstein of the Journal Sentinel — Providence, R.I. - Quarterback Aaron Rodgers has been ruled out of Sunday's game and backup Matt Flynn will start against the New England Patriots Sunday, a club spokesman said when reached by telephone this morning.
Discussion:
The Big Lead, NESN.com and ProFootballTalk
Richard Griffin / Toronto Star:
Blue Jay lineup an ongoing experiment — Alex Anthopoulos, the Blue Jays' 34-year-old GM, is no longer a rookie. After being forced to hit the ground running with the Roy Halladay trade last December, maybe he never was. As such, Anthopoulos will be the first to admit his club …
Discussion:
Bluebird Banter