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Josh Hamilton Rumors: Friday

The Winter Meetings are over and the top free agent position player remains unsigned. Josh Hamilton has drawn serious interest from the Mariners and Rangers, and the Red Sox continue checking in on the outfielder. Here's the latest...

• The Phillies have shown very little interest in Hamilton and they seem wary of him, ESPN.com's Jayson Stark reports (on Twitter).
• One GM wondered to Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com why teams would make Hamilton offers if the outfielder will take the offers to Texas and provide the Rangers with the chance to match (Twitter link).
• As Joel Sherman of the New York Post explains, much would have to fall into place for the Yankees to sign Hamilton. At this point the chances of him joining the Yankees seem slim at best.

Earlier updates:

• Baseball people suggest Hamilton and agent Michael Moye are still holding out for a six or seven-year contract worth $25MM or so per season, ESPN.com's Jayson Stark reports.
• A rival general manager says Yankees people other than GM Brian Cashman are quietly running a background check on Hamilton, Bob Nightengale of USA Today reports (on Twitter). Jim Bowden of ESPN and MLB Network Radio recently suggested the Yankees should be viewed as a potential destination for Hamilton. However, the team aims to lower payroll below $189MM by 2014, so some creativity would be required to add a premium player such as Hamilton.
• Joel Sherman of the New York Post"will only believe the Yankees are truly out" on Hamilton when he's at a press conference wearing another team's jersey. While GM Brian Cashman has discussed the importance of remaining patient, Sherman senses that the Yankees are "incredibly touchy" to recent criticism and could pursue the slugging outfielder.

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