Dodgers reach agreement with Schmidt  —  ORLANDO, Fla. - The Dodgers have landed the biggest free-agent pitching prize to date, reaching a preliminary agreement on a three-year, $47 million contract with right-hander Jason Schmidt, FOXSports.com has learned.

Piazza close to deal with A's, who add Embree  —  LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. — The Oakland Athletics and left-handed reliever Alan Embree agreed to terms on a two-year contract Wednesday, and the club also was closing in on a deal with Mike Piazza to be designated hitter.

Mets to meet with A's, seek Harden  —  LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. — The Mets are expected to meet with Oakland today about acquiring right-hander Rich Harden or possibly another of the A's top starting pitchers, SI.com has learned.  —  A's GM Billy Beane is due to arrive here Wednesday night.

Sox break bank — Agree with Drew, Lugo; Ramirez talks may be dead  —  LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. - Not long after announcing an agreement in principle with outfielder J.D. Drew [stats], the Red Sox [team stats] continued an aggressive offseason spending spree last night by coming to terms …

SEXSON MIGHT BE 1ST OPTION  —  While the Yankees met with Shea Hillenbrand's agent yesterday, another option at first base surfaced.  And while Richie Sexson is an expensive alternative, it could be one for the Yankees.  —  The Mariners have let teams know they are looking to move Sexson …

Winter meetings: Pirates chase Atlanta's LaRoche  —  Team seen as souring on Suppan, other free-agent pitchers  —  By Dejan Kovacevic, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette  —  LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. — The Pirates are plenty interested in Atlanta Braves first baseman Adam LaRoche …

Brewers turn attention to trade market  —  Free agent landscape steers Melvin toward alternate options  —  LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. — Unable to compete in the soaring free agent market, Brewers general manager Doug Melvin is looking to swing some trades before these Winter Meetings adjourn on Thursday.

Rowand playing the waiting game  —  LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. — Outfielder Aaron Rowand is in a tough spot.  On one hand, Chicago is where he got his major-league career started before the White Sox traded him to the Philadelphia Phillies for Jim Thome last winter.

Dodgers sign Lieberthal to one-year contract  —  LOS ANGELES — The Los Angeles Dodgers announced today that they have signed two-time All-Star catcher Mike Lieberthal to a one-year contract with a club option for a second year, according to Dodger General Manager Ned Colletti.

Post-Dispatch's Hummel named to Hall of Fame  —  The Baseball Writers Association of America this morning announced Post-Dispatch baseball columnist Rick Hummel as winner of the Spink Award, and with it enshrinement into the writers' wing of the National Baseball Hall of Fame.

Cards stay in bidding, view options  —  LAKE BUENA VISTA, FLA. — The Cardinals added new definition to "creative" Tuesday when general manager Walt Jocketty and manager Tony La Russa introduced Braden Looper as a candidate for next season's rotation.  —  The suggestion comes as the Cardinals continue …

Nats' Risky Business  —  The Nationals live in the future, not the present.  They wish you would, too.  It'd make their lives much easier.  And cheaper, too.  —  After losing 21 percent of their attendance last season, their second in Washington, the Nats now want to roll the dice with the affections of their paying public.

Milledge as popular as ever in Florida  —  Local product's name is a buzzword at Winter Meetings  —  LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. — Lastings Milledge may be best remembered some 100 miles away in this state as a high school phenom, but his name has been regularly uttered at Disney World during this week's Winter Meetings.

Five Deals I like  —  Gary Sheffield, OF-DH, Tigers (via trade)  —  By the time he's through, Sheffield will have had the most itinerant career for a Hall of Famer since Gaylord Perry.  As great a hitter as he is, he simply cannot avoid wearing out his welcome.  Look at his career.

Bonds makes surprise appearance at meetings  —  ORLANDO, Fla. - Nothing that happens this off-season will be more surprising than the sight of Barry Bonds showing up at the winter meetings, looking for a job.  —  The only time players of Bonds' stature attend the meetings is when they are introduced …

Trade talks caught Cordero off guard  —  Closer hopes to spend the rest of his career in Washington  —  LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. — Nationals closer Chad Cordero acknowledged on Tuesday that he was surprised that his name was brought up in trade discussions.  He hopes to spend the rest of his career in Washington.

Center field will be an inside job  —  Rockies unwilling to test market further to fill void in outfield  —  LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. - The Rockies have taken their search for help in center field internal.  —  "We've seen what has become (of) the center field market and we are not going to play …