Top News:
ESPN:
Angels Land Pujols — DALLAS — The Los Angeles Angels have landed the two biggest prizes of the offseason. — First, Albert Pujols agreed to a 10-year deal for at least $250 million with the team, sources told ESPN The Magazine's Buster Olney on Thursday.
Discussion:
baseballmusings.com, Batter's Box Interactive …, New York Magazine, Plain Dealer and ESPN.com
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Alden Gonzalez / MLB.com:
Angels land both Pujols and Wilson — Iconic slugger departs St. Louis; lefty goes home to West Coast — DALLAS — The Angels' huge Winter Meetings splash didn't stop with Thursday's stunning agreement with Albert Pujols. They also came to terms on a deal with free-agent left-hander C.J. Wilson.
Discussion:
Where Have You Gone …, LA Times Sports Blog, Pinstripe Alley and baseballmusings.com
Jayson Stark / ESPN:
Sources: Albert Pujols talks ongoing — DALLAS — For four days, the parade of bidders has traipsed through the winter meetings hotel suite of Albert Pujols' agent, Dan Lozano. But when the meetings end Thursday, it's now clear that Pujols' negotiations will be far from over, sources told ESPN.com.
Discussion:
ESPN, Halos Heaven, Athletics Nation, Phillies Nation and River Avenue Blues
Bob Nightengale / USA Today:
Marlins offered Albert Pujols $275 million — DALLAS — While the Los Angeles Angels' signing of free-agent first baseman Albert Pujols to a 10-year contract for around $255 million stunned the baseball world, there was a development that was even more remarkable. — Pujols actually left money on the table.
Discussion:
Fish Tank blog, MLB Rumors, Fish Stripes, MLB Daily Dish and Pinstripe Alley
Tim Dierkes / MLB Rumors:
Angels Sign C.J. Wilson — Lefty C.J. Wilson will join Albert Pujols in Los Angeles, as the Angels continue a surprising free agent spending spree. The Halos completed a deal with Wilson today, learned Joel Sherman of the New York Post. It's a five-year, $77.5MM contract …
Discussion:
HardballTalk, 6-4-2, Eye on Baseball, Lone Star Ball and Pinstripe Alley
Philly.com:
Inside the Phillies: Phillies' deal for Howard not all that bad in light of Pujols and Fielder situations — DALLAS - Imagine, for a second, that this free-agent market being sorted through at the Hilton Anatole included a third high-profile first baseman. — That's what would have happened …
Discussion:
Crashburn Alley
Tim Dierkes / MLB Rumors:
Angels Sign Albert Pujols — The Angels are the bridesmaid no more. Albert Pujols signed a ten-year deal with the Angels, reports Yahoo's Tim Brown. He receives a full no-trade clause. Pujols decided this morning, writes Brown. The Angels have since announced the monumental signing, which ESPN's Buster Olney says is for $254MM.
Discussion:
New York Times, Full Count and HardballTalk
Tim Brown / Yahoo! Sports:
Pujols agrees to terms with Angels on landmark deal — Albert Pujols(notes), the heart and hammer of the St. Louis Cardinals for more than a decade, will leave St. Louis and sign with the Los Angeles Angels, a person with knowledge of the deal told Yahoo! Sports.
Discussion:
New York Magazine and Deadspin
Fox Sports:
Angels in lengthy negotiation for Pujols
Angels in lengthy negotiation for Pujols
Discussion:
Washington Post, Halos Heaven, Baseball Nation, Viva El Birdos, Sports Illustrated and NESN.com
Anthony DiComo / MLB.com:
Excited Torres believes he can help Mets — DALLAS — Upon receiving word of his trade to New York earlier this week, outfielder Andres Torres thought immediately of his father, a lifelong Mets fan. He thought of his cousins and other relatives spread throughout New Jersey, Long Island and Connecticut.
Discussion:
MetsBlog.com
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Andy Martino / NY Daily News:
NY Mets pitcher Jonathon Niese is on Yankees' shopping list — Yankees among teams looking into Mets' starting pitcher — Mets find Jonathon Niese draws interest from Yankees as well as Boston, San Diego, Colorado and Toronto. — DALLAS — As of Wednesday night, the Mets had not decided whether …
Discussion:
Amazin' Avenue and New Jersey Online
J.J. Cooper / Baseball America:
2011 Rule 5 Draft Results — Here are the results of the 2011 Rule 5 draft. — Team — Player, Pos. — Old Team — 1. Astros — Rhiner Cruz, rhp — Mets — A hard-throwing righthander who has impressed in winter ball (14 strikeouts in 11 innings with reports that he's touching the high 90s).
Discussion:
Where Have You Gone …
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Fox Sports:
Source: Darvish to be posted Thursday — A day long anticipated by major league teams finally has arrived. — Japanese right-hander Yu Darvish will be posted on Thursday, taking the first step toward pitching in the majors next season, according to a source familiar with his plans.
Discussion:
MLB Rumors
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Steve Adams / MLB Rumors:
Yu Darvish To Be Posted Thursday — Nippon-Ham Fighters ace Yu Darvish will be posted tomorrow, tweets agent Don Nomura. Dylan Hernandez of the L.A. Times tweets confirmation from Darvish himself, while NPB Tracker's Patrick Newman provides a translation of Darvish's message to fans.
Discussion:
Boston Globe, Oakland Athletics, Rangers Blog, NPB Tracker, Yahoo! Sports, Baseball Nation and Bluebird Banter
Susan Slusser / San Francisco Chronicle:
Blue Jays enter the Gio Gonzalez sweepstakes — Dallas — Toronto became the latest team to join the Gio Gonzalez fray at baseball's winter meetings, and the Blue Jays just might be a fine match for the A's All-Star left-hander. — The Blue Jays and A's are frequent trade partners …
Discussion:
Batter's Box Interactive … and NESN.com
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Richard Griffin / Toronto Star:
Kelly Johnson to accept Jays arbitration offer
Kelly Johnson to accept Jays arbitration offer
Discussion:
Globe and Mail and Batter's Box Interactive …
Tim Dierkes / MLB Rumors:
Red Sox Sign Jesse Carlson — The Red Sox signed lefty reliever Jesse Carlson to a split contract with a spring training invite, his brother told Robert Mayer of the local online newspaper the Berlin Patch in a story published yesterday. Carlson, 30, had rotator cuff surgery in May and was removed …
Discussion:
Boston Globe