Top News:
Peter Abraham / Boston Globe:
Red Sox select Bobby Valentine as manager — Bobby Valentine is the choice of the Red Sox, emerging from a long and convoluted search to become the 45th manager in franchise history. — The 61-year-old was offered the job by general manager Ben Cherington according to Major League sources …
Discussion:
FenwayNation, Boston Globe, New Jersey Online, The LoHud Yankees Blog, HardballTalk and SOX & Dawgs
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New York Post:
Red Sox get their lightning rod with Valentine — The greatest soap opera in baseball just got a hero — or a villain. — Bobby Valentine, who makes lifelong friends and enduring enemies in near-equal numbers, has reached an agreement to become the Red Sox manager, completing a process …
Discussion:
New York Times, joy of sox and WasWatching.com
Gordon Edes / ESPN:
Source: Valentine gets Red Sox job … Bobby Valentine, an analyst for ESPN, will be the next manager of the Boston Red Sox, a source close to the team said Tuesday night. — Valentine was offered the job Tuesday and accepted it. Valentine, who appeared at a charity event in Japan on Monday …
Discussion:
WCVB-TV, Over the Monster, The Big Lead and Fire Brand of the …
Mike Axisa / MLB Rumors:
Red Sox To Hire Bobby Valentine — Bobby Valentine will become the next manager of the Red Sox, reports Gordon Edes of ESPN Boston (on Twitter). He is expected in town on Wednesday. Mike Lynch of WCVB-TV in Boston was the first to report that the two sides had reached a verbal agreement (Twitter link).
Discussion:
MetsBlog.com, Call to the Pen, Baseball Nation, HardballTalk and Dan Shaughnessy Watch
Mike Lupica / NY Daily News:
Bobby Valentine will spice up NY Yankees, Boston Red Sox rivalry — Former NY Mets manager on board, playtime over in Boston — You never need much to make the Red Sox vs. the Yankees better, with the possible exception of shortening some of their games by about an hour.
Tim Kurkjian / MLB:
Kurkjian: Red Sox have a gem in Valentine — Red Sox's new manager will make them better ... and won't be boring … On the final day of the 1985 season, a young writer covering the Texas Rangers was raving about the ability of the team's rookie center fielder, Oddibe McDowell, predicting great things for him.
Discussion:
The Soxaholix and joy of sox
Ben Walker / Associated Press:
AP source: Red Sox choose Valentine as manager — The Boston Red Sox have picked Bobby Valentine to be their next manager and the sides were working to complete a contract, a person familiar with the decision told The Associated Press on Tuesday night. — The person spoke on condition …
Discussion:
Sliding Into Home
Evan Hilbert / SI Tracking Blog:
Report: Boston Red Sox And Bobby Valentine Reach Agreement
Discussion:
Full Count and NESN.com
Ron Chimelis / Union-News:
Hiring the Red Sox manager will be (or should be) more than just solving a metric equation
Discussion:
Boston Globe, Surviving Grady, MLB Daily Dish and HardballTalk
Chris Haft / MLB.com:
Giants extend Sabean, Bochy through 2013 — SAN FRANCISCO — The Giants executed a pair of long-anticipated moves Tuesday by extending the contracts of general manager Brian Sabean and manager Bruce Bochy through 2013 with club options for 2014. — The moves maintained the continuity …
Discussion:
El Lefty Malo
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Chris Creamer / SportsLogos.Net Blog:
Giants to Bring Back 80s Classic Uniform in 2012
Discussion:
Extra Baggs and HardballTalk
Ben Nicholson-Smith / MLB Rumors:
Giants Extend Brian Sabean, Bruce Bochy
Discussion:
McCovey Chronicles and Yahoo! Sports
Jim Callis / Baseball America:
More Draft Details From The CBA — More details about draft changes resulting from baseball's new collective bargaining agreement continue to trickle out. Some highlights: — The draft has been reduced from 50 to 40 rounds. — The draft caps for all 30 teams for the first 10 rounds …
Discussion:
Pirates Prospects, Bucs Dugout and River Avenue Blues
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Tony Jackson / ESPN:
Sources: Dodgers, Adam Kennedy close — The Los Angeles Dodgers are close to an agreement with free-agent infielder Adam Kennedy, according to multiple sources. Length and terms of the deal weren't immediately available. — Kennedy, who can play first, second and third …
Discussion:
True Blue LA, MLB Daily Dish, Mike Scioscia's tragic illness, HardballTalk and 6-4-2
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Ben Nicholson-Smith / MLB Rumors:
Dodgers, Adam Kennedy Near Deal
Discussion:
Fox Sports and SI Tracking Blog
Derrick Goold / St. Louis Post-Dispatch:
Cards seek clarity in Pujols talks — While the market for free-agent first baseman Albert Pujols continued to develop Tuesday with news of the Chicago Cubs' interest, the Cardinals are hoping that their chance of re-signing the three-time MVP gains clarity in the next couple of weeks so they can move forward or move on.
Discussion:
MLB Rumors and Fox Sports
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JonPaulMorosi / mlbbuzz:
Sources: Tigers interested in Angels' Izturis — The Tigers have interest in trading for Angels infielder Maicer Izturis, major-league sources told FOXSports.com, and it's believed that he ranks behind Atlanta's Martin Prado on Detroit's trade wish list. — The Tigers are looking for upgrades …
Discussion:
Call to the Pen, Motor City Bengals, MLB Rumors, HardballTalk and Bless You Boys
Phil Rogers / Chicago Tribune:
Greg Maddux leaving Cubs organization — After two seasons as a special assistant to the general manager, Greg Maddux is leaving the Cubs, according to major league sources. He soon may be named to a similar position with the Texas Rangers, joining his older brother Mike.
Discussion:
HardballTalk, Yahoo! Sports and baseballmusings.com
Greg Johns / MLB.com:
Mariners eyeing free-agent dance partners — Hot Stove expected to fire up at Winter Meetings — SEATTLE — When Jack Zduriencik and the Mariners brass head to Dallas next week for the Winter Meetings, they'll be looking for ways to improve an offense that ranked last in the Major Leagues in most categories last season.
Discussion:
Mariners Musings, MLB Rumors, Lookout Landing, Yahoo! Sports, HardballTalk, JSOnline and MLB.com Hot Stove Blog
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Fox Sports:
Crane can hit homer with new hires — If the Astros hire Rays GM Andrew Friedman, then more power to them. But new owner Jim Crane shouldn't count on it, given Friedman's loyalty to Rays owner Stuart Sternberg and club president Matt Silverman. — No, Crane should count on conducting …
Discussion:
Tedquarters, HardballTalk, Call to the Pen and MLB Rumors
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Evan Grant / Rangers Blog:
Source: Astros receive permission to speak with Thad Levine
Discussion:
Lone Star Ball
Jerry Crasnick / MLB:
Source: Broxton agrees to contract with Royals — Former Los Angeles Dodgers closer Jonathan Broxton has reached agreement on a one-year contract with the Kansas City Royals, a baseball source told ESPN.com. — The deal is contingent on Broxton passing a physical exam Wednesday, the source said.
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