Top News:
Baseball Insider:
“No real favorite” in 5-team Garza derby — There is “no real favorite” in the five-team Matt Garza sweepstakes, according to someone familiar with the talks. — The teams involved the derby for the 28-year-old Cubs righthander at this point are the Yankees, Blue Jays, Tigers, Red Sox and Marlins.
Discussion:
MLB Rumors, Twins Insider, Bleacher Report, The LoHud Yankees Blog, It's About The Money, FenwayNation, ESPN and mlbbuzz
RELATED:
Zach Links / MLB Rumors:
Blue Jays Acquire Jason Frasor From White Sox — The Blue Jays have acquired Jason Frasor from the White Sox in exchange for right-handed pitchers Myles Jaye and Daniel Webb, according to a press release. Frasor, 34, returns to Toronto where he played his entire big league career before being traded to the White Sox mid-season.
Discussion:
Bluebird Banter and Batter's Box Interactive …
Peter Abraham / Boston Globe:
Sox can't buy their way out of pitching problems — The Red Sox were a destination point for expensive free agents during the tenure of former general manager Theo Epstein, the doors to Fenway Park thrown open each winter for the best players in baseball. Invariably they left with big checks.
Discussion:
BoSox Injection and FenwayNation
Phil Rogers / Chicago Tribune:
MLB whispers: Jays prospect Drabek bait for Cubs' Garza
Discussion:
Chicago Sun Times, Pinstripe Alley, MLB Daily Dish and Detroit Free Press
Tom Haudricourt / JSOnline:
Nationals a favorite for Fielder — By Tom Haudricourt of the Journal Sentinel — An MLB official told me over the weekend that word is spreading in the industry that the Washington Nationals have emerged as a favorite to sign free-agent first baseman Prince Fielder.
Discussion:
Bleacher Report, HardballTalk, Federal Baseball, SI Tracking Blog and Baseball Nation
RELATED:
Ken Davidoff / Newsday:
Insider: Albert Pujols showed he's human — Our Baseball Person of the Year award goes to the person who helps us learn not just about the game but about ourselves as people. — This year's recipient is Albert Pujols, long of the Cardinals and now of the Angels. — Why?
Discussion:
Bleacher Report and HardballTalk
Adam Kilgore / Washington Post:
On Prince Fielder and the Nationals — The Nationals have frequently been linked this offseason with Prince Fielder, the best remaining free agent and the kind of slugger who would instantly make the playoffs in Washington seem closer to likelihood than fantasy.
Discussion:
Fox Sports, baseballmusings.com, MLB Rumors and Bleacher Report
Dan Connolly / Baltimore Sun:
Boras and Fielder did not meet with Angelos on free agent tour
Discussion:
Federal Baseball and HardballTalk
Joe Capozzi / Fish Tank blog:
Is Marlins All Star Hanley Ramirez finally warming to the idea of third base? — Perhaps the biggest question for the Marlins going into spring training is whether Hanley Ramirez will embrace his new position at third base. Judging from his comments Friday in the Dominican Republic …
Discussion:
Yahoo! Sports, HardballTalk and Miami Marlins
RELATED:
Associated Press:
Marlins' Ramirez Says He'll Accept Switch to 3B — SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic (AP) — Hanley Ramirez says he'll accept a position switch to third base so Miami Marlins newcomer Jose Reyes can play shortstop. — When Reyes signed a $106 million, six-year deal with Miami last month …
Discussion:
baseballmusings.com
Mike Axisa / MLB Rumors:
Padres Acquire Carlos Quentin — The Padres have acquired Carlos Quentin from the White Sox for pitching prospects Simon Castro and Pedro Hernandez, the teams announced. It's the second time Padres GM Josh Byrnes and White Sox GM Kenny Williams have gotten together for a trade involving Quentin …
RELATED:
Cincinnati.com:
Larkin is only no-doubter on Hall of Fame ballot — PLAYER VALUE RANKINGS ("WAR") — My second-favorite measuring tool to gauge who may or may not be a Baseball Hall of Famer is called “WAR” (Wins Above Replacement). — It judges a player's career value to his team by determining …
Discussion:
Halos Heaven
Jenny Vrentas / New Jersey Online:
Santonio Holmes benched as Jets' season ends with loss at Miami — MIAMI — As the Jets' season ended here with a 19-17 loss to the Miami Dolphins today, one of the Rex Ryan-appointed captains — receiver Santonio Holmes — was on the sideline, benched and frustrated and a symbol of this team's flawed chemistry.
Discussion:
NESN.com, ProFootballTalk, SBNation.com and Bleacher Report
Susan Slusser / San Francisco Chronicle:
Coco Crisp decides on next team, but won't say — Departures are the norm for the A's this winter, with pitchers Trevor Cahill, Gio Gonzalez and Craig Breslow all dealt away and free-agents Josh Willingham and David DeJesus officially moving on. — One of the A's own free-agent outfielders, however, remains on the team's radar.
Discussion:
MLB Rumors and HardballTalk
NBA.com:
STATEMENT FROM KINGS HEAD COACH PAUL WESTPHAL — “Whenever a new season begins, in any sport, there is great hope that everything will progress in only a steady, upward direction. As we all know, it seldom happens like that in this life! — As coaches, we can only ask that our players …
Discussion:
Sports Illustrated, ProBasketballTalk, Bleacher Report, NESN.com, SBNation.com and The Big Lead
