Elephant Rumblings: Angels get their man, add Anthony Rendon on mega-contract

A’s Coverage:

• Gallegos: A’s keep it loose with few needs at Meetings...
• Slusser: A’s interested in Jed Lowrie reunion... ($)
• Perrotto: A’s showing interest in second baseman Adam Frazier; Pirates targeting catcher Jonah Heim in return...
• Slusser: MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred talks A’s stadium situation, threat of relocation... ($)
• Coffey: Commissioner Rob Manfred says ‘clock is ticking’ on A’s stadium situation; Blake Treinen reaches deal with LA... ($$$)
• Gallegos: A’s could take this route for lefty bat, ‘pen help...
• Schulman: A’s, Giants to extend protective netting to foul poles in 2020... ($)

Best of AN:

• Iversen: A’s free agents - Blake Treinen to Dodgers, Tanner Roark to Blue Jays...
• Hall: Oakland A’s rumors - Chad Pinder not going anywhere...
• Hall: Oakland A’s rumors - Interest in Matt Wieters...

MLB News:

• Bollinger: Angels agree to seven-year, $245M deal with star 3B Anthony Rendon...
• Rosenthal and Drellich: With 76,000 emails to review, MLB investigation of Astros likely will not be concluded before new year, sources say... ($$$)
• Passan: Uptick in home runs attributed to seam heights and batting techniques, not juiced balls...
• Heyman: Rockies listening to trade inquiries on superstar 3B Nolan Arenado...
• Nightengale: Dodgers, Indians engaged in serious talks regarding SS Francisco Lindor...
• Baer: Former A’s reliever Blake Treinen signs one-year, $10 million deal with Dodgers...
• Matheson: Tanner Roark, Blue Jays agree to two-year deal worth $24M...
• Fletcher: Angels in trade discussions for Cleveland ace Corey Kluber...
• McCalvy and Simon: Brewers have three-year deal with KBO MVP, former A’s righty Josh Lindblom...
• DiComo: Mets, Michael Wacha agree to one-year deal...
• Harding: Rockies sign reliever Scott Oberg to three-year extension worth $13M...
• Mayo: Rule 5 Draft - Order, eligible players and more...

Baseball Interest Stories:

• Baumann: The Angels Won the Anthony Rendon Sweepstakes. Now Can They Finally Build a Winner Around Mike Trout?
• Clemens: Let’s Put Mike Trout in Some Other Teams’ Lineups...
• McCullough: “I like the heat of the big market” - Approaching 40 and recovering from elbow surgery, Rich Hill isn’t ready to walk away... ($$$)
• Edwards: Evaluating the New All-MLB Teams by WAR...
• Clemens: Valuing Gerrit Cole’s Opt Out...
• Sarris: What’s in a title? Title inflation, innovation and importance in the modern front office... ($$$)

Today in Baseball History:

• 1911 — A rift between the leagues develops over widespread charges of ticket speculation during the World Series, and accusations that officials of the Giants and A’s were involved. The American League passes a resolution refusing to participate in another World Series until it has control of ticket sales in its own parks. The National Commission investigates the charge that speculators were given large blocks of tickets, but takes no action and releases no findings. The following spring, the Commission finds that much scalping occurred, but there is no evidence either team was involved, and peace is declared.
• 1933 — Connie Mack is still selling. First he sells Lefty Grove, the A’s top winner in each of the past five seasons, along with Max Bishop and George Walberg, to the Boston Red Sox for $125,000 and two players, pitcher Bob Kline and infielder Rabbit Warstler. Next, catcher Mickey Cochrane goes to Detroit, then George Earnshaw and backstop Johnny Pasek, just acquired from the Tigers, go to the White Sox for $20,000 and catcher Charlie Berry. Berry once led the NFL in scoring and will become a major league umpire in the 1940s. The day will be known as “Black Tuesday” in Philadelphia.

Best of Twitter:

• What an offseason for Scott Boras...

• A scout’s take on Oakland’s 2017 first-round pick...

• Probably shouldn’t put too much stock into this account, but this could be interesting...