Top News:
Bob Nightengale / USA Today:
Albert Pujols mulls 3 offers: Cardinals, Marlins, and 1 more — DALLAS — Marquee free-agent first baseman Albert Pujols, fueling the most lucrative bidding war in baseball history, obtained three 10-year contract proposals Tuesday that would pay him in excess of $200 million, an official close to the negotiations told USA TODAY.
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Enrique Rojas / MLB:
Hanley Ramirez doesn't want 3B move — By By Enrique Rojas ESPNDeportesLosAngeles.com — DALLAS — Hanley Ramirez has informed the Miami Marlins that he does not want to move from shortstop to third base, a source told ESPNdeportesLosAngeles.com on Tuesday.
Discussion:
HardballTalk, Miami Marlins and SI Tracking Blog
St. Louis Post-Dispatch:
DALLAS • Talks for free agent first baseman Albert Pujols may finally have found their missing element: momentum. — The Cardinals and Miami Marlins further defined themselves Monday as the leading contenders to secure the three-time National League most valuable player during alternating talks …
ESPN.com:
Sources: Albert Pujols has 10-year offer
Discussion:
ESPN, SI Tracking Blog, Miami Marlins, Fish Tank blog, MLB and NESN.com
Derrick Goold / St. Louis Post-Dispatch:
Lohse hasn't been approached about trade
Discussion:
MLB Rumors, HardballTalk, MLB.com Hot Stove Blog and Chicago Tribune
St. Louis Post-Dispatch:
Winter Meetings: Pujols pursuit picks up
Discussion:
Getting Blanked, Viva El Birdos and baseballmusings.com
David Villavicencio / Inside Sports …:
Albert Pujols to join Miami Marlins
Discussion:
Baseball Prospectus and HardballTalk
Luke Adams / MLB Rumors:
Mets Agree To Two-Year Deal With Francisco — The Mets appear determined to fill out their entire bullpen before the night is out. The team has agreed to a two-year deal with Frank Francisco, pending a physical, tweets Ken Davidoff of Newsday. Francisco is the third reliever the Mets …
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Michael Baron / MetsBlog.com:
Mets sign Jon Rauch to one-year deal — According to Jim Duquette of MLB Network Radio, the Mets have agreed to terms on a one-year contract with RHP Jon Rauch. — Duquette says the deal is pending a physical and it's for $3.5 million plus performance bonuses. Rauch earned $3.75 million with the Blue Jays last season.
Discussion:
Amazin' Avenue, MLB Rumors, Yahoo! Sports, MLB Daily Dish, Baseball Nation and Mets Merized Online
Luke Adams / MLB Rumors:
Giants Acquire Pagan From Mets For Torres, Ramirez — The Giants and Mets have agreed on a deal that will send Andres Torres and Ramon Ramirez to New York and Angel Pagan to San Francisco, tweets Joel Sherman of the New York Post. The deal is pending physicals, Sherman reports (via Twitter).
Discussion:
baseballmusings.com, Mike Silva's …, Real Dirty Mets Blog and SI Tracking Blog
Enrique Rojas / ESPN:
Source: Papi to accept Boston's arbitration offer — DALLAS — Designated hitter David Ortiz plans to accept the offer of salary arbitration that the Red Sox extended to him, meaning that he will return to Boston for the 2012 season, a source told ESPNDeportesLosAngeles.com on Tuesday.
Discussion:
MLB Rumors, joy of sox, NESN.com and SI Tracking Blog
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ESPN:
Red Sox source: David Ortiz will be back — DALLAS — A Red Sox source said Tuesday that “one way or another” he expects free-agent designated hitter David Ortiz to return to Boston for the 2012 season. — That would mean Ortiz either accepts what is believed to be a two-year deal …
Discussion:
Boston Globe, Over the Monster, HardballTalk and SI Tracking Blog
Nate Smeltz / ESPN MediaZone:
Terry Francona Joins ESPN; Multi-faceted Role Includes Sunday Night Baseball Analyst
Discussion:
Boston Globe, Pinstripe Alley, NESN.com and HardballTalk
Tom Haudricourt / JSOnline:
Brewers a ‘favorite’ for Ramirez — By Tom Haudricourt of the Journal Sentinel — Dallas - I just spoke with Paul Kinzer, the agent for third baseman Aramis Ramirez, who told me he considers the Brewers “a favorite” to sign his free-agent client. — Kinzer, who has met with the Brewers …
Discussion:
HardballTalk and MLB Rumors
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Jayson Stark / ESPN:
Sources: Placido Polanco not on block — DALLAS — The Phillies are feeling out other teams' interest in third baseman Placido Polanco, but are only interested in trading Polanco if they can't re-sign free-agent shortstop Jimmy Rollins, sources told ESPN.com Tuesday.
Discussion:
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Tim Dierkes / MLB Rumors:
Blue Jays Acquire Sergio Santos — The Blue Jays acquired reliever Sergio Santos from the White Sox for righty prospect Nestor Molina, announced the team. — In Santos, 28, Blue Jays GM Alex Anthopoulos found his closer on the trade market. The converted infielder posted a 3.55 ERA …
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Scott Merkin / MLB.com:
Quentin aware of rumors, eager to learn his fate
Discussion:
Baseball Prospectus, Talking Chop and Bluebird Banter
T.R. Sullivan / MLB.com:
Rangers trying to keep reliever Oliver
Discussion:
Viva El Birdos, MLB Daily Dish and MLB Rumors
Steve Gilbert / MLB.com:
D-backs closing in on deal with Overbay — DALLAS — It was an extremely slow day for the D-backs on Tuesday at the Winter Meetings. — Arizona heard back from free-agent first baseman Lyle Overbay on their one-year contract offer, but it wasn't a yes or no. Still, it seems like the deal will get done.
Discussion:
MLB Rumors and HardballTalk
Dick Kaegel / MLB.com:
Talent-rich Royals drawing interest in Dallas — DALLAS — Wearing a workout top and running shoes, Dayton Moore looked more ready to go jogging through the wet streets of Dallas than to go sprinting after a deal in the bustling lobby of the Hilton Anatole.
Discussion:
Kansas City Star and MLB Rumors
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Bill Chastain / MLB.com:
Rays alert on ‘busy’ first day of Winter Meetings
Discussion:
DRaysBay and HardballTalk
Hardball in the Rockies:
Rockies agree to acquire Slowey from Twins — DALLAS — The Rockies have agreed to acquire right-handed pitcher Kevin Slowey from the Twins for a player to be named. The deal will be announced officially sometime Tuesday morning. — Slowey, 27, is coming off a difficult 2011 …
Tim Dierkes / MLB Rumors:
Giants Trying To Trade Keppinger, Torres, Ramirez — 12:37pm: It'd be a fairly easy call for the Giants to non-tender Keppinger, reports Andrew Baggarly of the San Jose Mercury News. Baggarly also notes that the Giants intend to work out a multiyear deal with starter Ryan Vogelsong, who would be eligible for free agency after 2012.
Discussion:
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Troy E. Renck / Denver Post:
Rockies discussing Street-for-Volquez deal with Reds — DALLAS — The Rockies and Reds, two teams willing to talk about myriad trade scenarios at this week's winter meetings, have discussed a deal involving reliever Huston Street in exchange for starter Edinson Volquez, according to a major-league source.
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Thomas Harding / MLB.com:
Trade interest heats up for Rockies' Smith
Discussion:
U.S.S. Mariner, Yahoo! Sports and MLB Rumors
