Check out Mini-Ballbug for simple mobiles or Ballbug Mobile for modern smartphones.
8:25 AM ET, December 19, 2019

Ballbug

 Top News: 
Associated Press:
APNewsBreak: Red Sox, Yanks, Cubs sent 2019 luxury tax bills  —  NEW YORK (AP) — Boston will pay a Red Sox record $13.4 million luxury tax after failing to make the playoffs and the New York Yankees finished with a $6.7 million bill, likely a fraction of what they will pay next year.
RELATED:
Bob Nightengale / USA Today:
Dodgers, Red Sox discussing trade for superstar Mookie Betts  —  The Los Angeles Dodgers have engaged in exploratory trade talks with the Boston Red Sox about former MVP outfielder Mookie Betts, according to two officials with direct knowledge of the discussions.
Bill Wagner / capitalgazette.com:
Navy denies Noah Song's request to play pro baseball … Noah Song's baseball career is on hold despite a presidential policy designed to give service academy graduates like him an opportunity to pursue professional sports.  —  Song, who spent last summer playing for a minor league affiliate …
Connor Byrne / MLB Trade Rumors:
Reds Sign Wade Miley  —  An already impressive Reds rotation became deeper Wednesday, as the team announced the signing of left-hander Wade Miley to a two-year contract worth a guaranteed $15MM.  (The Reds, unlike most clubs, revealed the basic contractual terms themselves.)
RELATED:
Associated Press:   Joe Smith, Astros agree to $8 million, 2-year contract
Jeff Todd / MLB Trade Rumors:
Astros Re-Sign Joe Smith
Mark Gonzales / Chicago Tribune:
Cubs will offer pitcher Danny Hultzen, who had an 8-year journey to reach the big leagues, a minor-league deal  —  The Cubs will offer Danny Hultzen, the No. 2 pick in the 2011 draft who finally made his major-league debut in September, a minor-league contract with an invitation to spring training …
Associated Press:
Boras' billions: baseball agent creates free-agent flurry  —  SHARE URL EMAIL FBMSNGR WHATSAPP SMS  —  NEW YORK (AP) — Scott Boras showed up at the winter meetings with his own press conference backdrop.  How appropriate, given his banner offseason.
Sahadev Sharma / The Athletic:
Both Nicholas Castellanos and the Cubs would love a reunion.  But money is a major obstacle.  —  Sitting in front of Chicago reporters in his suite at the Manchester Grand Hyatt in San Diego last week, Cubs president Theo Epstein talked about his team's unpopular, uncertain offseason plan.
Jeff Todd / MLB Trade Rumors:
Brewers Sign Ryon Healy  —  The Brewers announced a one-year deal with corner infielder Ryon Healy.  Financial terms aren't known.  Healy had been cut loose by the Mariners at the outset of the offseason.  —  Healy will presumably be given a shot at earning a role in camp — if he can show he's at full health.
Discussion: Brew Crew Ball and Al's Ramblings
Yonhap News Agency:
Ex-MLB pitcher Ben Lively re-signs with KBO's Samsung Lions  —  Former major league pitcher Ben Lively will be back in South Korea for another season.  —  The Samsung Lions of the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) announced Wednesday that they've re-signed Lively to a one-year deal …
Jeff Todd / MLB Trade Rumors:
Marlins To Sign Matt Kemp  —  The Marlins have struck a minor-league pact with outfielder Matt Kemp, according to Bob Nightengale of USA Today (via Twitter).  The deal includes an invitation to MLB camp.  —  We've heard all winter that the Fish wish to add more pop to their corner outfield mix.
Steve Adams / MLB Trade Rumors:
Cardinals Designate Adolis Garcia For Assignment  —  The Cardinals announced Wednesday that they've designated outfielder Adolis Garcia for assignment.  His spot on the 40-man roster goes to lefty Kwang-Hyun Kim, whose two-year contract with the club is now official.
Discussion: Viva El Birdos
Associated Press:
Rays complete 2-year deal with Japanese slugger Tsutsugo  —  SHARE URL EMAIL FBMSNGR WHATSAPP SMS  —  ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — The Tampa Bay Rays and Japanese slugger Yoshitomo Tsutsugo have finalized a two-year contract worth about $12 million.  —  The 28-year-old Tsutsugo …
RELATED:
Marc Topkin / Tampa Bay Times:
Brewers in discussions to sign former Rays outfielder Avisail Garcia
Joe Rutter / Greensburg Tribune-Review:
Steelers coach Mike Tomlin, on his relationship with Le'Veon Bell: ‘I have none’  —  Mike Tomlin isn't sentimental about facing former Pittsburgh Steelers running back Le'Veon Bell.  —  Bell, who held out the 2018 season rather than play on the franchise tag, will face his former team Sunday …
Discussion: New York Post and ProFootballTalk
Ken Rosenthal / The Athletic:
Interesting talks, unlikely deals — what Padres, Yanks discussions about Lindor, Schwarber really mean  —  The left side of the Padres' infield — Fernando Tatis Jr. at shortstop and Manny Machado at third base — is one of the most dynamic in baseball.  —  Why, then, would the Padres …
 
 Archived Page Info: 
This is a snapshot of Ballbug at 8:25 AM ET, December 19, 2019.

View the current page or another snapshot:


 
 See Also: 
Ballbug: site main
Ballbug River: reverse chronological Ballbug
Ballbug Mobile: for phones
Ballbug Leaderboard: Ballbug's top sources
 
 Subscribe: 
Ballbug RSS feed
 
 
 More News: 
Anthony Fenech / Detroit Free Press:
Detroit Tigers will retire Lou Whitaker's No. 1 during 2020 season
Discussion: Bless You Boys
Craig Calcaterra / MLB Baseball News, Scores …:
Top 25 Baseball Stories of the Decade — No. 23: The Strasburg Shutdown
Discussion: Yahoo! Sports and Federal Baseball
Barry Jackson / Miami Herald:
Has Flores seen all he needs to see from Josh Rosen? Here's his answer and his QB plan
Discussion: New York Post and ProFootballTalk
 Earlier Picks: 
Jeff Todd / MLB Trade Rumors:
Yankees To Sign Adam Warren
Jesse Yomtov / USA Today:
Anthony Rendon wanted to go to White House ‘so bad’, says Trump ‘bailed’ on golf with Nationals stars
Jeff Wilson / Fort Worth Star-Telegram:
Texas Rangers trade with Cleveland Indians for two-time Cy Young winner Corey Kluber
 

 
From WeSmirch:

TMZ.com:
Josh and Heather Altman Leaving ‘Million Dollar Listing Los Angeles’

James Hibberd / The Hollywood Reporter:
‘Game of Thrones’ Movie in Early Development at Warner Bros.

Riley Cardoza / Page Six:
John Legend's manager details ‘terrifying’ experience at Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs' NYE party

 
Sister Sites:

Techmeme
 Top news and commentary for technology's leaders, from all around the web
Mediagazer
 Top news and commentary for media professionals from all around the web
memeorandum
 What US political commentators are discussing online right now
WeSmirch
 The top celebrity news from all around the web on a single page