Top News:
Fox Sports:
Marlins ready to make major noise — The meetings with Buehrle and Reyes will take place in South Florida, one source said. The meeting with Cespedes, which will include Marlins owner Jeffrey Loria, will take place in the Dominican Republic. — The Marlins' No. 1 priority is upgrading their rotation.
Discussion:
MLB Rumors, MLB.com, Florida Marlins, HardballTalk, Fish Bytes, Full Count and Phillies Nation
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Andy Martino / NY Daily News:
Miami Marlins among suitors lining up for NY Mets' Jose Reyes
Discussion:
MetsBlog.com, Amazin' Avenue and New Jersey Online
Clark Spencer / Fish Bytes:
Marlins Talking to Jose Reyes
Discussion:
MetsBlog.com, Baseball Nation, HardballTalk, MLB Rumors and Mets Merized Online
Ben Nicholson-Smith / MLB Rumors:
Fielder, Pujols On Marlins' Radar
Discussion:
Riptide 2.0, Baseball Nation and JSOnline
Sports Illustrated:
Cubs, Red Sox have similar lists as they hunt for a new manager
Discussion:
CloserNews, Baseball Nation, JSOnline and Fox Sports
Tim Dierkes / MLB Rumors:
Jose Reyes To Meet With Marlins
Discussion:
MetsBlog.com, HardballTalk and Fish Stripes
Michael Baron / MetsBlog.com:
Marlins talked to Reyes, also seek Pujols, Fielder
Discussion:
MLB Rumors
Peter Abraham / Boston Globe:
Red Sox keep ticket prices the same — In the wake of the September collapse and the subsequent fallout, the Red Sox probably had little choice but to keep ticket prices the same and that's what they did. Here's the release from the team:
Discussion:
FenwayNation
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Will Yoder / SI Tracking Blog:
Red Sox Targeting Carlos Beltran — The Boston Red Sox have reportedly targeted outfielder Carlos Beltran, according to Sports Illustrated's Jon Heyman. A baseball executive reportedly told Heyman that the All-Star free-agent could get a two-year deal. — Beltran, 34, just finished …
Discussion:
HardballTalk
Ian Browne / MLB.com:
Maddux withdraws from Sox's manager search — BOSTON — One day before he was scheduled to interview at Fenway Park, Rangers pitching coach Mike Maddux withdrew his name from consideration for the managerial position of the Boston Red Sox. — Maddux cited family reasons for his decision, putting out a statement through the Rangers.
Discussion:
joy of sox
T.R. Sullivan / Postcards From Elysian Fields:
Maddux withdraws from Boston; Cubs still in play
Discussion:
WEEI, MLB Daily Dish, Full Count, HardballTalk, Bleed Cubbie Blue, Baseball Nation and Yahoo! Sports
Fox Sports:
Notebook: Oswalt looking good; Pap, too — The Nationals plan a major push for free-agent right-hander Roy Oswalt, viewing him as the perfect veteran complement to Stephen Strasburg, Jordan Zimmermann, John Lannan and Chien-Ming Wang, major-league sources said.
Discussion:
HardballTalk, McCovey Chronicles and SI Tracking Blog
Bradley Woodrum / FanGraphs Baseball:
Money Wins: Is There Enough Parity In Baseball? — Yesterday afternoon, Jayson Stark considered the question, “Is the MLB's competitive balance a joke?” His answer was a rather blunt no: … Stark's method of proving it — plucking facts from the recent playoff series and comparing …
Discussion:
baseballmusings.com
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Jayson Stark / ESPN.com:
MLB's competitive balance second to none
Discussion:
The Yankee Analysts and It's About The Money
Andrew Baggarly / Extra Baggs:
Giants news and notes on Melky Cabrera's new role, Pablo Sandoval's winter plans and how today's trade sets up the rest of the offseason — Just finished the conference call with Brian Sabean, Bruce Bochy and Melky Cabrera. Here are the main news points, including some offseason news on Pablo Sandoval.
Discussion:
HardballTalk
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Bob Dutton / Kansas City Star:
Royals get Sanchez from Giants for Cabrera
Discussion:
Let's Go Tribe, The LoHud Yankees Blog and WasWatching.com
Tom Singer / MLB.com:
Ballplayers fear induction into ‘Get Smart Club’ — Significant statistics ending in ‘nine’ can haunt players, careers — A highly-anticipated movie entitled “Nine” — with the subtitle, “Be Italian” — opened during the holiday season in 2009. — Had that flick been about baseball, the subtitle would have been, “Be Frustrated.”
Associated Press:
Orioles' Simon cleared of manslaughter charge — SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic — Baltimore Orioles reliever Alfredo Simon has been acquitted of an involuntary manslaughter charge. — Simon — Defense attorney Dinora Dilone said Simon was acquitted Tuesday in the New Year's Eve shooting death …
Discussion:
baseballmusings.com
George King / New York Post:
Buehrle could become Yankees' top target — C.J. Wilson is considered the best pitcher on the free agent market in most circles. Yet, when it comes to fitting inside the often hectic Yankees' universe, several major-league talent evaluators believe Mark Buehrle might be the better fit.
Discussion:
The LoHud Yankees Blog and Sliding Into Home
Bill Shaikin / Dodgers Blog:
McCourt might still try selling Dodgers' TV rights — Frank McCourt soon could ask the U.S. Bankruptcy Court to let him sell the Dodgers' television rights along with the team, a strategy that could violate his sale agreement with Major League Baseball and revive his dormant litigation with Fox Sports.
Discussion:
Wall Street Journal, HardballTalk and ESPN
Robert Emrich / MLB.com:
Paulsen, Arenado lead Rafters to win — Rockies prospects combine to plate five runs in Salt River rout — Ben Paulsen has struggled to find his groove this fall. He found some new moves Monday. — The Rockies prospect was 2-for-4 with three RBIs as Salt River defeated Scottsdale, 9-4.
Discussion:
AZ Snake Pit and Purple Row
Alden Gonzalez / MLB.com:
Prospect Gose working on consistency at plate — Centre fielder aiming to live up to expectation of ideal leadoff man — Prized center-field prospect Anthony Gose, fresh off taking part in the Arizona Fall League's esteemed Rising Stars Game, has long been coveted by the Blue Jays.
Discussion:
Baseball America and Batter's Box Interactive …
Troy E. Renck / Denver Post:
Rockies eye starting pitching through trade, free agency — Adding a starting pitcher remains a top priority for the Rockies, leading them to discuss trades internally and express interest in free agents Kevin Millwood, Rich Harden and Bruce Chen. — The rival Giants set the bar …
Discussion:
MLB Rumors and FanGraphs Baseball
Associated Press:
Twins dismiss GM Smith, return Ryan as interim — MINNEAPOLIS — The Minnesota Twins have fired general manager Bill Smith and returned Terry Ryan to the role on an interim basis. — The change was announced Monday. — Smith was one of Ryan's assistants who took the job four years ago …
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