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• THEIR anonymous sources are unreliable. Listen to THESE anonymous sources. Don't believe everything you read. Read between the lines. Too many rumors! Here are some more rumors. It's The HOT STOVE!! The Winter Meetings are officially underway. The Florida Miami Marlins stole the spotlight last night with their 6-year/$106M dollar deal with now-former Mets' SS Jose Reyes, making a Nats-and-Werth-esque splash to start the 2011 Winter Meetings after Miami gave closer Heath Bell a 3-year/$27M dollar deal last week. The Phillies signed Laynce Nix away from the Nats, who were interested but didn't convince the 2011 Nats' outfielder to return to D.C. The Nats are still being tied to some big name free agents like Mark Buehrle and at least one writer on the Nationals beat is hearing some trade talk. Here's your Monday lunchtime collection of links...
• THE BIG STORY!:
• "The Nationals have made an offer to free-agent left-hander Mark Buehrle, a team source confirmed to MLB.com on Sunday night. Terms of the offer were not disclosed." - "Nats making pitch for free-agent lefty Buehrle" - Bill Ladson, nationals.com: News
• NATS BEAT:
• "If the Nationals miss out on their big free-agent targets, for example, they will be more likely to pursue [Yoenis] Cespedes." - "Questions abundant at MLB winter meetings" - Jon Morosi, FOXSports.com
• "In the end, the Nats have some interest in [C.J.] Wilson, but not at the price he's expected to command when this is all said and done." - "Confirming/debunking some rumors" - Mark Zuckerman, NatsInsider.com
• "Last night, the new-look, new-park, new-everything Miami Marlins filled the role the Nationals played last year." - "As the winter meetings begin, the Marlins signing Jose Reyes won’t change the Nationals’ approach" - Adam Kilgore, Nationals Journal - The Washington Post
• "While their money has been spent in rumors two and three times over, the sense I've gotten from most Nationals executives is that they plan on being relatively quiet here." - "Winter Meetings: News, notes and rumors, Day 1" - Amanda Comak, Washington Times
• "New Boston general manager Ben Cherington is dangling Ryan Kalish and Josh Reddick in hopes that he can pry an arm from the Nationals, according to a major league source." - "Red Sox eyeing pitching, could offer Nats Kalish, Reddick" - Pete Kerzel, MASNSports.com
• "Prince Fielder at least entertains the possibility of playing in Seattle, Milwaukee, Texas, Toronto, Chicago and perhaps Washington." - "Marlins besting Mets for Reyes is bizarro baseball" - Jeff Passan, Yahoo! Sports
• "A team source told MLB.com that first baseman Prince Fielder is not a target for the Nationals. The source pointed out that the club has Adam LaRoche and Michael Morse at first base." - "Prince apparently not in the Nationals' plans" - Bill Ladson, nationals.com: News
• "As the baseball world arrived in Dallas on Sunday, the Nationals were another year removed from the losing and rebuilding days of their predecessors..." - "Nationals take familiar underdog role into winter meetings" - Amanda Comak, Washington Times
• "The Nationals did not let Laynce Nix leave for the Phillies without a fight..." - "Nationals ‘made a strong push at’ Laynce Nix before he signed with the Phillies" - Adam Kilgore, Nationals Journal - The Washington Post
• "Aside from birth date, the 31-year-old [Laynce] Nix doesn't figure to give the Phillies any more production in left field than they got out of 39-year-old Raul Ibanez last season." - "Making some sense of the Laynce Nix deal" - David Murphy, Philadelphia Daily News
• "Manager Davey Johnson is also expected to talk to the local media on Monday at 6 p.m. ET and give his take on the team." - "Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo will be active at the Winter Meetings" - Bill Ladson, nationals.com: News
• "So while Riggleman's chances of managing in the big leagues again are slim, he will get an opportunity to manage again in 2012." - "Riggleman to manage Reds' AA club" - Mark Zuckerman, NatsInsider.com
• "The Nationals and Nix had discussions immediately after the season, and the sides had more dialogue later in the offseason." - "Report: Laynce Nix agrees to two-year deal with the Phillies" - Adam Kilgore, Nationals Journal - The Washington Post
• "Former Nationals manager Jim Riggleman has found his next career landing spot." - "Jim Riggleman set to manage at Double-A for Reds organization" - Amanda Comak, Washington Times
• "Rizzo wants a front-line starting pitcher, a center fielder who can hit leadoff and some punch off the bench, and is already talking like the Nationals can contend in the NL East with some prudent additions." - "Is balance of power shifting toward D.C. in NL East?" - Pete Kerzel, MASNSports.com
• Your Daily Message From The Dalai Lama On Twitter (@DalaiLama): "It is vital that when educating our children’s brains that we do not neglect to educate their hearts."
• NATS MINOR LEAGUES/WINTER LEAGUES:
• "The Nationals need to refine [Hector] Nelo's location on his high-octane pitch and get his two other pitches to be steadily consistent." - "Hector Nelo hits 100 mph, Nationals believe he has 'best arm' in system" - Byron Kerr, MASNSports.com
• Double-A Harrisburg: "The Harrisburg Senators and Washington Nationals have announced that Matt LeCroy will manage the Senators in 2012." - "Senators Announce 2012 Coaching Staff" - Harrisburg Senators News
• Liga Mexicana del Pacifico: Navojoa 6, Mazatlan 5 - Rafael Martin (MAZ) - 1.2 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 K - Box Score.
• Liga Venezuela Beisbol Profesional: Lara 3, Caracas 2 - Henry Rodriguez (CAR) - 0.2 IP, 2 K's - Box Score.
• Liga Venezuela Beisbol Profesional: Margarita 4, Magallanes 0 - Jesus Flores (MAG) 1 for 4, 2 K's - Box Score.
• Liga de Beisbol Dominicano: Aguilas 4, Licey 0 - Jhonatan Solano (LIC) - 0 for 1, 1 BB - Box Score.
• "Winter League Roundup" - NationalsProspects.com
• NATSTOWN:
• "Numerous sources are reporting that the 31 year old free agent outfielder Laynce Nix signed a two-year contract with the Philadelphia Phillies, pending a physical." - "Free agent Nix agrees to deal with Phillies" - Kristen, Win For Teddy
• "Jose Reyes signs with the Marlins. It's not like the Nats were interested (despite what some baseball guys believed) and by itself it doesn't make the Marlins better than the Nats... necessarily*." - "Nothing would feel worse than it actually is" - Harper, Nationals Baseball
• "As a result of Reyes' huge contract and a weak market otherwise, trade interest in shortstops may significantly increase for teams that still have a need for one." - "Does Jose Reyes' Contract Increase Ian Desmond's Trade Value?" - Joe Drugan, The Nats Blog
• "Reports of pigs flying, snowball fights in hell, cats and dogs living in peace, and Jim Riggleman managing* a baseball team again." - "Jim Riggleman will have a blast in Pensacola, no doubt." - Nats Enquirer
• NL EAST UPDATES:
• Marlins: "So let's get to the $106 million question: Did the Marlins sign Reyes to an appropriate deal?" - "Jose Reyes Talented but Risky Bet For Marlins" - Michael Jong, Fish Stripes
• Mets: "As we've known since May, the New York Mets will listen to trade offers on David Wright. 'It only makes sense,' one source said." - "It's time for the Mets to consider deals while David Wright still has trade value" - Buster Olney, ESPN.com
• Braves: "As I said on Friday, the National League East is getting ... harder. On the eve of the Winter Meetings the Marlins made the first big move by spending as much money in signing Jose Reyes..." - "NL East Getting Crowdeder, Expensiver" - gondeee, Talking Chop
• Phillies: "This week, when the Phillies join the rest of baseball in Dallas, for the 2011 version of the winter meetings, they likely will be focusing on some in-house issues." - "Amaro taking Phillies wish list to Dallas" - David Murphy, Philadelphia Daily News