ESPN is reporting that the Texas Rangers have traded 2B Alfonso Soriano to the Washington Nationals for OF Brad Wilkerson, OF Termel Sledge, and a minor leaguer to be named later.
It is expected that the Nationals will move Soriano to the outfield.
This makes sense…kind of…I mean, the Nationals only have to deal with him for [...]

Bill Ladson, Nationals site reporter for MLB.com, cites two baseball sources as saying the Nationals had talked to the Rangers about a swap of OF-1B Brad Wilkerson and 2B Alfonso Soriano…
…wilkerson’s name is flying all over the place…i guess soriano would have to move to the outfield if he were acquired by the nationals…something he [...]

According to Gordon Edes’s blog at the Boston Globe, the A’s, Dodgers and Giants are no longer interested in LHP David Wells.  The Padres are still in, but may ask the Sox to take RHP Woody Williams back in the deal…
…as i suggested earlier, the a’s inquired about wells as a potential short-term replacement should they [...]

Mets manager Willie Randolph addressed the media today from the Winter Meetings in Dallas…
For clips of the Q&A, check out Marty Noble’s column at MLB.com…
…i can’t believe i just read a few hundred words about the team’s batting order…in December…it certainly is the silly season…
…i actually can’t wait to switch-gears and start dissecting these acquisitions…i’ve [...]

In the Boston Herald, Tony Massarotti writes the Red Sox have completed a trade that will send back-up C Doug Mirabelli to the Padres for 2B Mark Loretta…
…a deal that likely takes them out of the second base market for 2B Mark Grudzielanek…
The 34–year-old Loretta is a .301 career hitter, and signed through 2006 at [...]

Appearing on New York’s WFAN 660, SI.com’s Tom Verducci says that LHP Barry Zito is available, but only in the perfect deal…
…i.e., if you can get Billy Beane a pitcher to take zito’s place, a bat for the outfield, and you team’s best prospect…
Also, Verducci stated, the Red Sox are pushing OF Manny Ramirez on [...]

Appearing on ESPN News, Buster Olney believes that the Yankees are interested in RHP Roger Clemens, who was refused salary arbitration by the Astros earlier in the night…
…what a shocker…
…if he re-signs with the yankees, does he have to return that ridiculous vehicle they gave him as a retirement gift…
…by the way, where has buster [...]

As Ken Rosenthal points out at FOXSports.com, if the Cardinals do not re-sign free-agent 2B Mark Grudzielanek by midnight tonight, they will lose negotiation rights as his contract stipulates the team cannot offer him salary arbitration…
Rosenthal suggests that in addition to the Mets, the Red Sox are also interested in Grudzielanek…
…buzz from the mets is [...]

ESPN.com is reporting that RHP Trevor Hoffman will re-sign with the Padres, agreeing to a two-year deal worth $13.5 million, with a third-year option at $5.5 million…
Also from the closer’s market, MLB Radio reports that the Braves have traded RHP Danny Kolb back to the Brewers for RHP Wes Obermuller…
…i believe this is technically called [...]

In his final post of the day at the Journal News, Peter Abraham writes that a deal between the Mets and Royals for RHP Kris Benson is appearing less likely…
Abraham offers up a bunch of interesting notes, such as the the A’s will not trade LHP Barry Zito, the Braves are still trying to get [...]

According to several people at the Winter Meetings, the Astros have officially told free-agent RHP Roger Clemens that they will not offer him salary arbitration, which means the team can no longer negotiate with him until May 1, 2006…
…amazing…
…this will have a wild impact on the pitcher’s market…

1B-OF Mark Sweeney has signed a $1.8 million, two-year contract with the San Francisco Giants, writes the San Diego Union-Tribune…
…several teams were pursing sweeney, including the mets…
In 221 at-bats, mostly off the bench, he posted a .395 OBP, with 8 HR and 40 RBI…

The holidays are known as a time for giving and I would like to ask you all to think about giving this holiday to MetsBlog.com…

In today’s Notebook, I focus on A’s LHP Barry Zito, and specifically how the Mets factor in. My apologies to those of you who hope to learn about another subject. I also address how and why certain information is leaked to the public…enjoy…

While appearing on the Dan Patrick Show, ESPN’s Peter Gammons said he feels that A’s LHP Barry Zito will not be traded…
He also suggests that RHP Trevor Hoffman is not close to signing with the Indians, as has been reported, and that the closer could still end up re-signing with the Padres.  In fact, that’s [...]