Rangers lay groundwork  —  Daniels doesn't sign or trade anyone, but possibilities are many  —  NAPLES, Fla. - Despite an aggressive approach to trades and free agents, Rangers officials will leave the Major League Baseball general managers meetings this morning without an acquisition.

Frandsen might bump Durham  —  The Giants typically don't give opening-day jobs to unproven players, but infielder Kevin Frandsen is forcing the organization to take notice.  —  Frandsen's performance in the Arizona Fall League has the Giants leaning toward giving him a shot at second base …

SHEA IT'S SO  —  YANKS EYEING HILLENBRAND  —  Shea Hillenbrand's rickety reputation isn't scaring the Yankees away in their search for a right-handed hitting first baseman.  —  According to industry sources, the Yankees have Hillenbrand high on their list.

Manny might be a bargain at $17M  —  NAPLES, Fla. - The chances of the Red Sox making another offseason blockbuster move - trading Manny Ramirez, in particular - remain slim, but they did increase at the general managers meetings, which concluded yesterday.  —  GMs are realizing there is a lot …

METS GET NEW ENDY  —  MINAYA COMPARES JOHNSON TO CHAVEZ  —  Omar Minaya is a scout at heart, so he is always looking for the gem who has yet to fulfill his promise.  The Mets GM last year unearthed Duaner Sanchez, Endy Chavez and Xavier Nady.  —  Minaya followed the same gut feeling …

Spiezio will return  —  Scott Spiezio reached the Cardinals last February with a red soul patch, a nonguaranteed contract and a need to remind the sport that his career had not ended in the 2002 World Series.  —  Thursday, Spiezio reached agreement with the Cardinals on a two-year …

Team counting on Jacobs at first  —  NAPLES — Since Wes Helms won't be returning, the Marlins are prepared to give Mike Jacobs another shot at being the team's full-time first baseman in 2007.  —  Jacobs, who came into 2006 as the starter, wound up splitting time with Helms because of a sore right ankle.

GLAVINE '50-50'  —  STILL TORN BETWEEN METS AND BRAVES  —  All-Star left-hander Tom Glavine, who isn't signed yet and who has said he'll pitch for the Mets or Atlanta, told The Post yesterday he is not leaning toward Shea Stadium or Turner Field.  —  "I would say right now it's a pretty solid 50-50 …

Phillies pitch to Soriano  —  Waiting for response after informing free agent of interest  —  NAPLES, Fla. - Talk is cheap.  Signing free agents isn't.  —  And somewhere in the middle is where the Phillies find themselves after meeting with free-agent outfielder Alfonso Soriano at a hotel near …

Rockies likely to lose Jennings as vaults open  —  Naples, Fla. - On Monday night, a comedian provided after-dinner entertainment for the general managers.  Even free, he wasn't funny, setting the tone for a week that became more humorless with each free-agent contract.

Acta is the antithesis of Robinson … A Washington Nationals player was late to the ballpark for a game last summer.  When he finally showed up in the dugout in the fourth inning, he didn't even tell manager Frank Robinson that he had arrived.  Why?  Because he was afraid of what Robinson might say or do.

Slashing Payroll May Be No Bargain  —  If the Florida Marlins or the Pittsburgh Pirates had made the trades, they would be called salary dumps.  So let's call it what it is, even though it was the Yankees who made the trades.  It was a salary dump by the Yankees, of all teams.  Or was it?

EXECS: ZITO WILL END UP A MET  —  NAPLES, Fla. - Eight execu tives were queried as they departed the GM Meetings yesterday on where they thought free agent Barry Zito would end up, and five predicted the Mets.  —  Omar Minaya would not comment on either that perception or on where his club stands with Zito.