Competition for Lilly heating up  —  Lefty has received offer from Cubs; Jays still in the mix  —  TORONTO — The race for Ted Lilly's services is heating up.  According to Lilly's agent, Larry O'Brien, the Chicago Cubs have put a four-year deal on the table in an attempt to lure the free-agent starter to the National League.

Giants agree to terms with second baseman Durham  —  The San Francisco Giants and Ray Durham agreed to a two-year contract Friday that will pay the second baseman between $14 million and $15 million.  —  The 35-year-old Durham, a switch-hitter and two-time All-Star, is coming off his best season in years.

Source: Glavine, Mets reach 1-year, $11 million deal … The New York Mets may not have ace righthander Pedro Martinez for at least half of the 2007 season.  But ace lefthander Tom Glavine will be back.  —  Glavine on Friday agreed to a one-year contract with the Mets.

Sox sign Japanese lefty Okajima  —  Versatile reliever with big-game experience gets two-year deal  —  BOSTON — If and when Daisuke Matsuzaka lands in Boston, he'll have a countryman by his side.  —  The Red Sox on Thursday announced the signing of 30-year-old Hideki Okajima …

Rockies go south for pitching help  —  Lefty Rivera called the best pitcher in Mexico by O'Dowd  —  Oscar Rivera is considered the top young pitcher in the Mexican League.  —  The Rockies want to find out how that translates to the big leagues.  —  Colorado agreed to purchase the left-hander …

Sox re-sign Pods for '07  —  Disdaining the high-priced free agent market, the White Sox re-signed left fielder Scott Podsednik to a one year, $2.9 million contract.  —  What to do with the leadoff hitter, whose statistics fell off this summer from the 2005 championship season, was one of the main priorities of early winter.

Mariners looking into Thomson  —  Seattle requests medical files on free-agent right-hander  —  SEATTLE — In their pursuit to add starting pitching, the Mariners are believed to be targeting former Braves right-hander John Thomson.  —  Sources have confirmed that the Mariners have had contact …

Hicks hopes Zito, Rangers are a fit  —  Rangers owner Tom Hicks was impressed by Barry Zito, who visited Arlington on Thursday, and hopes the free agent left-hander will want to come back and put on a Rangers uniform in 2007.  —  "He's certainly the kind of guy we'd like to have in our organization," Hicks said.

Brewers extend offer to Graffanino  —  Milwaukee wrapping up free-agent arbitration efforts  —  MILWAUKEE — The Brewers took a calculated gamble late Friday night and offered salary arbitration to free-agent infielder Tony Graffanino.  —  Graffanino, acquired by Milwaukee in a July trade …

The Autograph Man  —  A BASEBALL PLAYER ANSWERS HIS FAN MAIL 15 YEARS LATER.  —  Some tips on writing a letter to a major-league baseball player:  —  Begin with the formal address: It's "Dear Mr. Wilson," not "Dear Mookie."  The first sentence should read: "My name is Bryan Curtis …

Big Mac won't get a taste of Hall of Fame  —  Mark McGwire has as much chance of making the Baseball Hall of Fame as I do of making the Hip Hop Hall of Fame.  —  Hmmmm ... DJ Jazzy Rick?  Nah.  I can't rap, let alone rhyme, busta.  And McGwire can't dance around the fact he refused …