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8:30 AM ET, December 8, 2011

Ballbug

 Top News: 
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: Phillies Nation, ESPN, MLB and USA Today
RELATED:
Mike DiGiovanna / LA Times Sports Blog:
Angels reach agreement for reliever LaTroy Hawkins  —  The Angels reached an agreement with free-agent reliever LaTroy Hawkins on a one-year, $3-million deal pending a physical, according to a person familiar with negotiations who was not authorized to speak about them publickly.
Discussion: Angels blog, MLB Rumors and 6-4-2
MLB:
Marlins, lefty Buehrle agree to four-year deal  —  DALLAS — The Miami Marlins plucked another free agent prize Wednesday, reaching a deal with four-time All-Star pitcher Mark Buehrle for $58 million over four years.  —  Manager Ozzie Guillen praised Buehrle over and over at baseball's winter meetings.
Fox Sports:
Angels in lengthy negotiation for Pujols  —  The most compelling question of the baseball offseason — Where is Albert Pujols going to sign? — isn't nearly as straightforward as it seemed.  —  Sources told FOXSports.com on Wednesday evening that the Los Angeles Angels …
Bill Madden / NY Daily News:
Miami Marlins out of running for Albert Pujols, turn attention to Prince Fielder
Discussion: HardballTalk
Jayson Stark / ESPN.com:
Sources: Marlins want pitching if Pujols says no
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  —  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.
Tim Dierkes / MLB Rumors:
Marlins To Sign Mark Buehrle  —  The Marlins' heavy offseason spending continued today, as they agreed to sign lefty Mark Buehrle to a four-year, $58MM deal, tweets Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports.  The durable lefty will head to the National League for the first time in his career to bolster Miami's rotation.
RELATED:
MLB:
Sources: Marlins ready to move on from Pujols
Jeff Blair / Globe and Mail:
Kelly Johnson accepts Blue Jays' arbitration offer  —  Toronto second baseman Kelly Johnson will remain with the team after accepting an offer of salary arbitration.  —  Johnson had until 11 p.m. CST to take the offer.  He made $5.85 million last season.  —  The Blue Jays got him from Arizona …
RELATED:
Richard Griffin / Toronto Star:
Kelly Johnson to accept Jays arbitration offer
Jonathan Mayo / MLB.com:
Clubs eyeing undervalued talent in Rule 5 Draft  —  Unprotected Minor Leaguers can be taken by others Thursday  —  DALLAS — The final act of the Winter Meetings — the Rule 5 Draft — might seem to be an anticlimactic conclusion every December, what with all the talk of free-agent signings and trade rumors.
Peter Abraham / Boston Globe:
Ortiz accepts arbitration from Red Sox  —  DALLAS — It's official, David Ortiz has accepted salary arbitration from the Red Sox, according to a team source.  That binds him to the team for 2012 with at least a one-year contract.  —  The sides can continue to work on a multi-year deal up until conceivably February.
RELATED:
Nick Cafardo / Boston Globe:
Case is far from closed in bullpen
Discussion: MLB Daily Dish, MLB Rumors and NESN.com
Troy E. Renck / Denver Post:
Huston Street says trade from Rockies to Padres is “bittersweet”  —  DALLAS — Huston Street heard the rumors, read the stories, received the text messages.  He knew his days with the Rockies were numbered given the team's bullpen depth and desire to use his money to pursue a veteran starter or everyday player.
Discussion: baseballmusings.com
RELATED:
Jenifer Langosch / By Gosh, It's Langosch:
Bucs swing deal to acquire Navarro  —  The Pirates made a trade late on Wednesday to acquire infielder Yamaico Navarro from the Royals in exchange for Minor Leaguers Brooks Pounders and Diego Goris.  Pittsburgh will officially add Navarro to the 40-man roster on Thursday …
Matthew Cerrone / MetsBlog.com:
Photo: Jose Reyes in a Marlins hat, thanks the Mets  —  “I have to thank the New York Mets for giving me the opportunity to play in the big leagues,” Jose Reyes said this afternoon, while wearing his new Marlins hat and jersey.  “Right now, I'm really excited and happy to go to Miami.I'm part of this family now, and I have to move on.”
Discussion: Fish Stripes
RELATED:
Matthew Cerrone / MetsBlog.com:   Will the Mets trade David Wright?
Dick Kaegel / MLB.com:
Moore interested in long-term deal for Gordon  —  DALLAS — Getting left fielder Alex Gordon's name on a long-term contract is being explored by Royals general manager Dayton Moore.  —  “We respect Alex a great deal in what he's accomplished here,” Moore said Wednesday at the Winter Meetings.
Discussion: HardballTalk and MLB Rumors
Peter Abraham / Boston Globe:
Bobby Valentine touches on some topics ... and says he hates the Yankees  —  DALLAS — Bobby Valentine did a session with the media just now and after a few questions, Bob Klapisch of The Record in New Jersey asked him about facing the Yankees.  —  A smiling Valentine cut him off.
Discussion: Baseball Prospectus
Grant Brisbee / McCovey Chronicles:
A Love Letter to Andres Torres  —  The 2010 Giants were not expected to win the World Series.  No, please, sit down.  Hear me out.  It was a bit of an unexpected run.  Everything came together in just the right way, and the baseball monkeys ended up producing the entire works of Shakespeare …
Discussion: New Jersey Online and Extra Baggs
RELATED:
Andrew Baggarly / Extra Baggs:
BREAKING: Giants trade OF Andres Torres and RHP Ramon Ramirez to the Mets for OF Angel Pagan
Discussion: Wahoo's on First
Bernard O'Donnell / WMAZ-TV:
John Rocker Still Trying to Clear Name  —  The former Atlanta Braves reliever has co-written a book, “Scars and Strikes” that mixes baseball memories with his political and social opinions.  —  Rocker says he's written the book partly in response to a 1999 Sports Illustrated article that he says ruined his good name forever.
 
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 More News: 
Tom Haudricourt / JSOnline:
Melvin: K-Rod not a miscalculation
Discussion: MLB Rumors
Brian McTaggart / Tag's Lines:
Astros hire Luhnow as general manager
Discussion: MLB.com and Yahoo! Sports
Nick Piecoro / Arizona Republic:
Diamondbacks willing to make moves to set up playoff run
Discussion: MLB Rumors
Alden Gonzalez / MLB.com Hot Stove Blog:
Angels closing in on C.J.
Discussion: HardballTalk and Angels blog
 Earlier Picks: 
MLB.com:
McCarver wins Frick Award for broadcasting
Jean-Jacques Taylor / ESPN:
Josh Hamilton would like extension
Bill Shaikin / Los Angeles Times:
MLB agreement says Frank McCourt must sell Dodgers by end of April
Discussion: Dodgers Blog
 

 
From WeSmirch:

Tim Lewis / The Guardian:
‘Friends keep me tethered’: actor Joe Alwyn on fame, dating Taylor Swift and keeping his feet on the ground

People:
Brady Corbet Says ‘My Heart Is with Aubrey Plaza’ After Death of Her Husband Jeff Baena in Golden Globes Speech

Hephzibah Anderson / The Guardian:
Julian Lennon: 'I'm not part of the Beatles inner circle - I never have been'

 
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