Pat Dobson, former 20-game winner with Orioles, dies at 64  —  SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Pat Dobson, one of four pitchers to win 20 games for the Baltimore Orioles in 1971, has died.  He was 64.  —  Dobson died suddenly Wednesday night in the San Diego area, the San Francisco Giants said Thursday.

Matthews is the centerpiece  —  After failing to land a slugger, Angels sign the slick-fielding outfielder to a five-year, $50-million contract.  He might bat leadoff.  —  The Angels, convinced Gary Matthews Jr., won't be a one-year wonder, signed the free-agent center fielder to a five-year …

Holiday Inn award honors utility pair  —  Eckstein, Inge named Look Again Players of the Year  —  An unheralded irony exists in a strange parallel between the film industry and the game of baseball.  —  In the movies, the year's best supporting actor gets an Oscar just for playing a role over a finite period of time.

Wallace Matthews  —  Mets making turkeys of fans  —  On the joyous occasion of Thanksgiving Day, let us take a moment to thank the New York Mets.  —  For nothing.  —  Last week, the club gleefully announced its sweetheart stadium deal that will hand over to them, rent-free …

Wallace Matthews  —  Crowns most valuable for Jeter  —  If it's any consolation to Derek Jeter, in 1980 "Ordinary People" won the Oscar for Best Picture over "Raging Bull."  A quarter-century later, people laugh about that one and someday, they'll laugh about this one, too, the year Ordinary Player …

OFFSEASON ADVENTURE  —  You are in an open offseason in your office in the headquarters of a successful west coast baseball team.  It is dark and raining here.  You are likely to be eaten by a grue.  —  There is a suitcase here.  —  There is a neatly stacked set of travel documents here.

Patience is key for rebuilding team  —  The Royals have saddled their fans with four 100-loss seasons in the last five years, but management says the team's quest for a turnaround will be focused on patient rebuilding, not a quick-fix solution.  —  "We've had enough of the 100-loss seasons …

Moving forward after a step back  —  The Brewers were a lot of peoples' dark-horse contender in the National League Central this past season.  After reaching the .500 mark in 2005 following 12 consecutive losing seasons, they seemed poised to make a move.  —  Milwaukee had a solid rotation …

Type A behavior  —  Justin Speier has 17 career saves in 459 outings in a career mostly spent in middle relief, and for that, he got a four-year, $18 million deal from the Angels.  Ted Lilly, on the other hand, is 37-34 as a starting pitcher in the American League East the last three seasons …