Top News:
Apple:
Apple and Major League Baseball to offer “Friday Night Baseball” — Fans can tune in to two games on Friday nights during the regular season, available only on Apple TV+ — CUPERTINO, CALIFORNIA Apple and Major League Baseball (MLB) today announced “Friday Night Baseball,” …
Discussion:
Forbes, Sportico, Bleed Cubbie Blue, Cubs Insider, New York Post, Battery Power, The Athletic, USA Today and MLB Trade Rumors
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Jeff Passan / ESPN:
Sources: MLB to cancel another week of games if deal not reached by Tuesday night — Major League Baseball plans to cancel another week of regular-season games if it can't agree to a new collective bargaining agreement with the MLB Players Association by Tuesday night, adding another layer …
Ken Rosenthal / MLB - The Athletic:
MLB willing to increase luxury tax if players move in other areas, people with knowledge of league's thinking said — Major League Baseball is willing to increase the first competitive-balance tax threshold from $220 million if the Players Association makes moves in other areas, people with knowledge of the league's thinking say.
Discussion:
The Athletic, FanGraphs Baseball, Bleacher Nation, Deadspin, Camden Chat, Bless You Boys, True Blue LA and baseballmusings.com
John Ourand / Sports Business Journal:
MLB, Apple link up for “Friday Night Baseball” — MLB made its Apple deal official today with a comprehensive rights agreement that includes a weekly “Friday Night Baseball” doubleheader on Apple TV+. Apple CEO Tim Cook made the announcement during an online presentation today.
Discussion:
Sports Illustrated, BoSox Injection and Bleacher Nation
The Athletic:
MLB points to Tuesday as deadline for 162-game schedule, full pay, service time: Sources — Major League Baseball is pointing to a new deadline for players, sources told The Athletic: If a deal is not reached by Tuesday, then MLB has told the union the owners are likely to be unwilling to play …
Discussion:
MLB - The Athletic, Sportsnet.ca, True Blue LA, MLB Baseball News … and Bleed Cubbie Blue
Jesse Rogers / ESPN:
Sources: New MLBPA proposal includes $5M reduction in pre-arbitration pool
Discussion:
Deadspin, New York Post and baseballmusings.com
Bob Nightengale / USA Today:
MLB gives the players union a Tuesday night deadline to accept a new deal as talks gain urgency
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Associated Press
Bob Nightengale / USA Today:
‘We are deadlocked’: MLB could cancel another week of games soon as talks show little progress
Discussion:
MLB Trade Rumors, DRaysBay and MLB Baseball News …
Jesse Rogers / ESPN:
Max Scherzer floats ‘ghost win’ playoff proposal with MLB labor talks set to resume Sunday
Discussion:
Bleed Cubbie Blue, Amazin' Avenue and baseballmusings.com
David Furones / Sun-Sentinel:
Dolphins place franchise tag on tight end Mike Gesicki, keeping standout pass catcher in Miami for another year — The Miami Dolphins are hanging onto the top pass-catching tight end slated for free agency this offseason, securing him in Miami for at least another year.
Discussion:
Associated Press and Mercury News
Ken Rosenthal / MLB - The Athletic:
How was baseball's luxury tax supposed to work? Rob Manfred, Gene Orza weigh in — A club executive was on the line, voicing an objection. Media members, he said, were unfairly characterizing a critical element of baseball's labor negotiations. Nowhere in any previous collective-bargaining agreement …
Discussion:
FanGraphs Baseball and baseballmusings.com
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Matthew Roberson / New York Daily News:
Four MLB owners opposed increasing the luxury tax at all: reports
Discussion:
Sportico, Sportsnet.ca, Pinstripe Alley and Forbes
Dan Wiederer / Chicago Tribune:
What happens to the NFC North — and the Chicago Bears — if QB Aaron Rodgers leaves the Green Bay Packers? — During Super Bowl week last month in Los Angeles, Green Bay Packers coach Matt LaFleur scheduled an important business lunch. Over the course of three seasons …
Discussion:
Associated Press
Peter King / ProFootballTalk:
FMIA: A Peek Inside The Journal Of Aidan Hutchinson, And What We Learned At NFL Scouting Combine — INDIANAPOLIS — “I don't know why I did it,” Aidan Hutchinson said Saturday night after his NFL Scouting Combine workout, sitting in his room at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, a few long spirals from Lucas Oil Stadium.
Discussion:
Sports Illustrated, Pride Of Detroit, Lions Wire, The Big Lead, DraftKings Nation and CBS Boston
Prospects Live:
2022 Preseason Top 100 Prospects List — Introduction — Our Top 100 prospect list is finally here! This is a culmination of efforts forged by over 20 different individuals here at Prospects Live. We began our offseason report writing in early October with the aim to grade …
Discussion:
North Side Bound, Lookout Landing, Bleacher Nation and Fish Stripes
The Athletic:
LeBron, the Lakers and their road back to ‘winning time’: Why Magic Johnson and Phil Jackson still matter, plus what's next — LOS ANGELES — When LeBron James was sending all those unsettling messages the Lakers' way over All-Star weekend in Cleveland — the ones that left so many wondering …
Discussion:
Silver Screen and Roll, The Big Lead, New York Post, Sports Illustrated and Associated Press
Gordon Wittenmyer / NBCSports.com:
Cubs' Heuer undergoes Tommy John surgery … Cubs reliever Codi Heuer underwent Tommy John surgery on his pitching elbow, suffering the injury during an independent workout not supervised by the team. — It appeared he underwent the surgery this week, having posted a photo …
Discussion:
Chicago Tribune, Cubs Insider, MLB Baseball News …, MLB Trade Rumors, Bleed Cubbie Blue, Chicago Sun-Times and FanSided
