Source: Astros sign Lee to six-year, $100M deal  —  Carlos Lee is staying in Texas, but not with the Rangers.  —  A source told ESPN's Jayson Stark that the Houston Astros were set to announce Friday afternoon that they have signed the free-agent slugger to a six-year, $100 million deal.

Pat Dobson, former 20-game winner with Orioles, dies at 64  —  SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Pat Dobson was part of an illustrious pitching staff in Baltimore and a savvy scouting department with the San Francisco Giants, touching everyone from Earl Weaver to Brian Sabean along the way.

Ready for Long haul  —  New Yank hitting coach can't wait to get started  —  Spring training is still months away, but Kevin Long already has begun work in his new job as the Yankees' hitting coach.  He has had lunch with Alex Rodriguez to plan an offseason routine and will visit A-Rod …

Bat Maker Wants to Sell Company on His Terms  —  Sam Holman started making maple baseball bats in his garage in Ottawa 10 years ago because he was trying to win a bar challenge.  Holman wanted to prove to a baseball scout that a bat made from the wood of a rock maple tree would be more durable …

Wish list finally comes true for Angels  —  Matthews, switch-hitter and star center fielder, agrees to deal  —  The Angels landed a centerpiece for their holiday table with the signing of free agent Gary Matthews Jr. on Wednesday.  —  Matthews agreed to a five-year, $50 million deal that includes a partial no-trade clause.

Current market could spark flurry of trades  —  The free-agent spending spree is roughly only a week old, and already, the deals are staggering.  Alfonso Soriano got $136 million.  Aramis Ramirez got $75 million.  J.D. Drew is looking for $56 million.  Frank Thomas got $18 million.

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 …

Market watch: Best, worst free agents  —  So this year's free-agent frenzy is about to get cranking.  —  We've already seen a couple of major signings, and the intrigue is only going to increase as the days go by.  To give you some additional perspective on the forthcoming frenzy …

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.

Jeter is the real AL MVP  —  The writers missed the mark this year  —  THE DUMBEST MVP VOTE IN THE HISTORY OF CIVILIZATION, INCLUDING THE INFAMOUS 112 CE ROMAN EASTERN CHARIOT LEAGUE VOTE AND THE 1,000,276 CE "LAST MVP BEFORE THE SUN GOES NOVA SO LET'S GET THE !!  #@$# OUT OF HERE VOTE"