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:
ESPN, Batter's Box Interactive …, baseballmusings.com, 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 and Pinstripe Alley
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, Baseball Nation, 6-4-2, Lone Star Ball and Pinstripe 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 Baseball Nation
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, Over the Monster, Halos Heaven, Baseball Nation, Athletics Nation, River Avenue Blues, Phillies Nation and MLB
Philly.com:
Inside the Phillies: Phillies' deal for Howard not all that bad in light of Pujols and Fielder situations
Discussion:
Crashburn Alley
Tim Brown / Yahoo! Sports:
Pujols agrees to terms with Angels on landmark deal
Discussion:
New York Magazine and Deadspin
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:
Talking Chop and Where Have You Gone …
RELATED:
John Manuel / Baseball America:
Luhnow Hire Trumps Rule 5 Buzz
Discussion:
Minor League Ball and HardballTalk
Globe and Mail:
Pitcher Aaron Harang agreed Thursday to a $12 million, two-year contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers, filling out their projected starting rotation for next season. — The 33-year-old right-hander was 14-7 with a career-low 3.64 ERA in 28 starts for his hometown San Diego Padres last season.
RELATED:
Baseball America:
Orioles Trade For Dodgers' Eveland To Bolster Rotation — The Deal — New Orioles general manager Dan Duquette added depth to the Baltimore rotation by dealing a pair of low-ceiling prospects to the Dodgers for lefty Dana Eveland. Baltimore shipped low Class A lefty Jarret Martin …
Discussion:
Camden Chat and Yahoo! Sports
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
RELATED:
Steve Adams / MLB Rumors:
Yu Darvish To Be Posted Thursday
Discussion:
Boston Globe, Oakland Athletics, Rangers Blog, NPB Tracker, Baseball Nation, Yahoo! Sports 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
RELATED:
Richard Griffin / Toronto Star:
Kelly Johnson to accept Jays arbitration offer
Discussion:
Globe and Mail and Batter's Box Interactive …
Adam McCalvy / Brew Beat:
Brewers pick Gonzalez over Yuni for shortstop — The Brewers filled the most glaring hole on their roster before boarding a flight home from the Winter Meetings on Thursday when they agreed to terms with shortstop Alex Gonzalez on a one-year contract that reportedly includes a vesting option for 2013.
Discussion:
Yahoo! Sports and Brew Crew Ball
Andrew Blankstein / Los Angeles Times:
Dodger James Loney arrested after collision on 101 in his Maserati — Dodger James Loney was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence after his Maserati allegedly sideswiped several cars on the 101 Freeway before it came to a halt in the fast lane with the infielder passed out inside, authorities said Thursday.
Discussion:
Yahoo! Sports, Dodgers Blog and True Blue LA
Troy E. Renck / Denver Post:
Rockies in mix for free agent OF Michael Cuddyer — DALLAS — The Rockies' willingness to consider a three-year deal for Michael Cuddyer has made them a serious suitor for the free-agent outfielder. — Cuddyer is already sitting on a reported three-year, $25-million offer from the Twins, his existing club.
Discussion:
MLB.com and MLB Rumors
RELATED:
Troy E. Renck / Denver Post:
Huston Street says trade from Rockies to Padres is “bittersweet”
Discussion:
Gaslamp Ball and baseballmusings.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
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
