Top News:
Murray Chass / Murray Chass On Baseball:
WITH THIS WOULD-BE MANAGER, V IS FOR LOSER — The Boston Red Sox, trying to replace the Chicago Cubs as modern-day lovable losers, may be on the verge of extending their September swoon into a December descent. They may not realize it, but if they hire Bobby Valentine as their manager they could be adding injury to insult.
Discussion:
Full Count, Amazin' Avenue, ESPN, Can't Stop The Bleeding, baseballmusings.com, Mets Merized Online, THE BOOK and joy of sox
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Nick Cafardo / Boston Globe:
Suggestion box opened on behalf of Red Sox — The Red Sox didn't have to be first in naming a new manager, but the fact that they will be last has to be distracting in terms of trying to set their team for 2012. — It's not that they haven't done their due diligence in contacting free agents and other teams regarding deals.
Discussion:
NESN.com, Call to the Pen, MLB Rumors and FenwayNation
Gordon Edes / ESPN:
Source: Red Sox yet to make offer to Valentine — The Boston Red Sox have yet to make an offer to presumed managerial front-runner Bobby Valentine, according to an industry source. — The 61-year-old Valentine, an ESPN baseball analyst, had a formal interview with general manager Ben Cherington …
Discussion:
FenwayNation
John Tomase / Boston Herald:
Sox finalists: Bobby Valentine, Gene Lamont
Discussion:
Fox Sports, Over the Monster, Boston Globe, MLB Rumors, baseballmusings.com and joy of sox
Nick Friedell / ESPN:
New York Yankees' Joe Girardi backs Dale Sveum, considers Boston Red Sox minus Theo Epstein
Discussion:
The Yankee Analysts and Bombers Beat
Marc Topkin / The Heater Feed:
Rays trade C Jaso to Seattle for reliever Lueke — UPDATE, 9:01: Jaso, driving through the California mountains at the time, was caught off-guard by the news, expecting to come to spring training with a solid shot to be the front-line catcher: “Definitely surprised. ... It was a really big shock.”
Discussion:
Lookout Landing, Hardball Times, MLB Rumors, MLB Daily Dish, U.S.S. Mariner, Rays Index, DRaysBay and Yahoo! Sports
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Bill Chastain / MLB.com:
Rays acquire righty Lueke from Mariners — Dealing Jaso opens room for expected signing of J. Molina — ST. PETERSBURG — The Rays announced Sunday night that they had acquired right-handed pitcher Josh Lueke and a player to be named or cash considerations from the Mariners in exchange for catcher John Jaso.
Discussion:
baseballmusings.com
Zach Links / MLB Rumors:
Astros Dismiss Ed Wade, Tal Smith — 11:33pm: The Astros have confirmed in a press release that they are letting General Manager Ed Wade and President of Baseball Operations Tal Smith go. The release goes on to say that Assistant GM Dave Gottfried will serve as interim GM until a new GM is hired.
Discussion:
The Crawfish Boxes and Yahoo! Sports
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Fox Sports:
Sources: Major changes coming for Astros — The Astros are expected to announce major changes Monday, including the dismissal of general manager Ed Wade, according to major league sources. — Tal Smith, the team's president of baseball operations, also is expected to leave his current position, possibly by retiring, sources say.
Discussion:
Purple Row, Baseball Nation, MLB Daily Dish and Bucs Dugout
Gregor Chisholm / MLB.com:
Blue Jays acquire infielder Valbuena from Tribe — CLEVELAND — The Indians traded infielder Luis Valbuena to the Blue Jays in exchange for cash considerations on Saturday. — Valbuena, who showed promise a couple of seasons ago with the Tribe, had been designated for assignment on Nov. 18 …
Discussion:
Call to the Pen, Amazin' Avenue, Batter's Box Interactive … and Bluebird Banter
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Marty Noble / MLB.com:
Change of heart: Kaat deserves Cooperstown — Decades later, sturdy left-hander looks more like a Hall of Famer — 'Tis the season of “Upon further review,” and high time I use the available mulligan. I should have supported the Hall of Fame candidacy of Jim Kaat.
Discussion:
Hardball Times and Mike Silva's …
Juan C. Rodriguez / Florida Marlins:
Miami Marlins to host C.J. Wilson Monday; nothing on tap with Prince Fielder — Hope everybody had a wonderful Thanksgiving and emerged safely from any food comas. — The buzz has died down a bit on the Marlins since their initial free agent flurry, but it should start picking up again.
Discussion:
Lone Star Ball, MLB Daily Dish and MLB Rumors
Jeff Passan / Yahoo! Sports:
Post-Thanksgiving free-agent feeding frenzy begins — The fun starts now. Baseball's offseason isn't like the NFL's, where the best players sign within the first 72 hours, or the NBA's, packing a couple of locked-out, spoiled months into a few days. It's like barbecue: low and slow until the end …
Discussion:
HardballTalk
Adam Berry / MLB.com:
Report: Chili Davis to be A's hitting coach — Former slugger coached this past season in Red Sox system — The A's have hired Chili Davis to be their new hitting coach, according to a report by Comcast SportsNet New England. — Davis, 52, served as the hitting coach for Boston's Triple …
Discussion:
Giants Win, Pinstripe Alley, Yahoo! Sports and Halos Heaven
