'Duk's Dozen is a heaping morning serving of baseball items, links and takes — designed to keep you warm all offseason long.
1. Another day, another round of speculation. And while our own Jeff Passan weighs the LeBronesque intrigue of Albert Pujols to the Chicago Cubs, Jon Paul Morosi says the Toronto Blue Jays can — and should — join the bidding for Prince Fielder.
First off, I have to say that it's great to have an offseason that the Yankees and Red Sox are seemingly taking off in terms of the main draws. Though their dormancy isn't good news for Pujols' or Fielder's final paycheck, it allows us the opportunity to imagine how their talents would reshape teams we normally wouldn't even consider interested.
Second, I also love the idea of Fielder to the Blue Jays and for many of the reasons that my man, The Pope, cites. A young team on the cusp. A franchise backed with billions of corporate dollars. A fan base that could use the vote of confidence. Sign Fielder and the already-entertaining race between Boston, New York and Tampa Bay gains another serious contender. It'd be great for baseball. Fox Sports
2. Prince Fielder: Who needs him? Miller Park Drunk
3. I imagine that it was probably his agent who made the call, but I still love imagining the awkward scene of Jorge Posada dialing up the New York Mets, asking if they're interested in a catcher and being told that they're all good. MetsBlog
4. Mark Teixeira is focusing on his left-handed swing this winter, but the rates for his cage time may have just doubled. Seems that the ol' switch-hitter has been doing most of his offseason work at Bobby Valentine's training facility in Stamford. NY Daily News
5. Speaking of Stamford, Brian Cashman is fresh off his nap in Times Square and planning to rappel down the side of the Landmark Building again this weekend. The Rockettes, the Rockefeller Center tree and the New York Yankees GM acting like he's seen one too many showings of "Mission: Impossible." Yes, it's holiday time on the East Coast. LoHud
6. A fish needs a pair of pants like a fish needs a bicycle. Or something. Whatever the case, whoever said that Billy the Marlin stole his new look from Sinbad's closet won the Internet on Wednesday. SB Nation
7. Pablo Sandoval's winter plans are focused more on extracting more money out of the Giants and less on extracting more out of his swing. Translation: No winter ball for Panda this season. 22 Gigantes
8. Barry Zito's winter plans: Get married to a former Miss Missouri. SF Chronicle
9. The Giants' plans to bring back their classic '80s road uniforms are sure to conjure up some bad memories on Chicago's North Side. But even I have to admit that it's pretty sweet to see the old interlocking "S-F" return to the team's road unis. Sports Logos
10. The Atlanta Braves have Brian McCann under contract for another two seasons, but that won't stop Dave O'Brien from speculating on a timeline for a possible extension. AJC
11. The last time the Minnesota Twins opened up the checkbook for a free-agent closer, Rick Aguilera was the lucky man on the receiving end. That was all the way back in 1997 and provides part of a good answer on how the Twins were able to build a consistent winner with a budget of relatively limited resources. Twinkie Town
12. The Twins have plenty of questions to answer this offseason, but they're hoping to figure out a position for Justin Morneau sometime soon. Eye on Baseball
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