Boomer's Diamond/Gridiron Notes: MLB FA Hot Stove & NFL at Turkey Day

Josh Hamilton & Zach Greinke head the Free Agent talk,
heading into the winter months of baseball.

Now that the postseason awards in the Major Leagues have been handed out, it's time for club GM's to dive into free agency and/or trade talks, in hope of filling that missing piece on their teams roster before the start of the 2013 MLB season. Won't you take a look around the diamond with me...

MLB News & Notes: (ESPN MLB Homepage)
Keeping track of the 2012 MLB Free Agents

Following the huge trade a week ago, the Jays have a new (former) skipper

Melky Cabrera, Blue Jays finalize $16 million deal

Ichiro passes on playing for Japan in the 2013 WBC

Leon Lett's "blunder" in 1993 vs. the Dolphins, cost the
Cowboys a Turkey Day victory.

Hard to believe the NFL season has reached the Thanksgiving Day mark already. Well, with THREE games on the slate for "turkey day", Thanksgiving stuffing won't be the only thing to feast yourself with. In the early game, the Detroit Lions (4-6) host the Houston Texans (9-1), a game in which the Lions need, if they want to keep their slim chances of making the playoffs for a second year in a row, alive. In the afternoon contest, a fierce rivalry is renewed, when the Dallas Cowboys (5-5) host RGIII & the Washington Redskins (4-6), a important game for both NFC East teams. The night cap, if anything will be entertaining to watch, when the NY Jets (4-6) look to turn things around in the 2nd half of the season, when they host their AFC East rivals, the New England Patriots (7-3). With last week, being the last for teams on the Bye Week, Week 12 begins the stretch of the season, where teams fight for playoff positioning, divisional crowns, and top seeds in the NFL playoffs. NFL Power Rankings: Week 12

NFL News & Notes: (ESPN NFL Homepage)

Plax, back in the Steel City

Leftwich (ribs) ruled out, 37-year old Charlie Batch to start vs. Browns

Following the Niners rout of the Bears, SF will go with "hot hand" at QB

McGahee (torn MCL) out 6-8 weeks

Games to keep an eye on in Week 12: (Complete Week 12 Schedule)

Houston at Detroit, Texans D going up against a "must-win" Stafford & Megatron, sign me up.

Washington at Dallas, The national audience gets to finally see RG3 live vs. the Cowboys, in a game that has NFC East implications written all over it.

New England at NY Jets, These two teams played a thrilling OT game back in Week 7, with the Pats coming out on top, 29-26. The NY Jets look to split the season series, when they host their hated divisional rivals in a Thanksgiving Night Primetime showdown on NBC.

Atlanta at Tampa Bay, Riding a four-game winning streak, the Bucs look to make it five vs. the NFC leading 9-1 Falcons, in this critical NFC South matchup down in Florida.

San Francisco at New Orleans, A rematch of a classic playoff battle (Niners winning 36-32) from a season ago, down in the "Big Easy" Sunday afternoon. The Saints following their 0-4 start, have won 5 out of 6 face a tough task vs. the 49ers D.

Green Bay at NY Giants, a pivotal matchup on SNF, between two NFC divisional leaders, the Giants have dropped two-straight and are coming off their Bye Week, while the Packers have won five-straight since starting the season 2-3. The two teams played twice last season, with the Packers winning in the regular season, 38-35 in New York, while the NY Giants eliminated the Packers in the NFC Divisional Playoff game, 37-20 in Green Bay.

Carolina at Philadelphia, Panthers (2-8), Eagles (3-7), NFL schedulers did not see these two being this bad when they slated the two for the MNF game following Thanksgiving. It could be an ugly scene in the City of Brotherly Love.