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 …

Maddux agrees to 1-year, $10M deal with Padres  —  LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. — Greg Maddux and the San Diego Padres reached agreement Tuesday night on a $10 million, one-year contract.  —  The deal for the four-time Cy Young Award winner contains a $6 million player option for 2008.

Have-nots go bargain-hunting  —  LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. — They're watching intently as the free agent market explodes, knowing their chances of signing an impact player have gone from remote to nil, yet hopeful of using the escalating prices to their advantage.

Source: Mets to get Burgos from Royals for Bannister  —  The New York Mets have agreed to a deal with the Kansas City Royals that will send right-handed starter Brian Bannister to Kansas City for right-handed reliever Ambiorix Burgos, ESPN's Steve Phillips reports.

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.

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 …

Jacque: Exit, stage right  —  Much-maligned Jones may get wish—trade; Cubs leaders for Lilly  —  ORLANDO — Jacque Jones never could understand why Cubs fans refused to give him the benefit of the doubt after his slow start in April.  By September, he had let it be known he wouldn't mind a new address in 2007.

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 …

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 …

Braves poised to wheel and deal  —  Rumored trade with Baltimore for Roberts, Penn falls through  —  LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. — When Braves general manager John Schuerholz and assistant Frank Wren made an abrupt exit from a steakhouse on Monday night, one top team official was under …

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.

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.

Angelos' baseball instincts once again are off base  —  Sometimes, the Orioles just crack me up.  Peter Angelos is believed to have quashed a proposed trade that would have sent Brian Roberts and Hayden Penn to the Atlanta Braves for young slugger Adam LaRoche and infielder Marcus Giles …

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.

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 …