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.

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.

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 …

All Things Boston  —  The Boston Red Sox made the biggest splash of the Winter Meetings on Tuesday by signing free agents J.D. Drew for five years/$70 million and Julio Lugo for four years/$36 million.  —  Drew and Lugo figure to be major upgrades over Trot Nixon and Alex Gonzalez.

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.

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.

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.

As Nats Plan for Future, Acta Embraces Present  —  Manny Acta is all too aware that even the people who run the Washington Nationals are bracing for the looming storm that could be the 2007 season, one in which the club is brazenly frank about how bad it might be.

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.

Pettitte decides to play in 2007  —  LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. (AP) — Andy Pettitte decided Wednesday he will pitch next year rather than retire, a move that will set off negotiations with his hometown Houston Astros and the New York Yankees.  —  "Andy told me he wants to play in 2007 and perhaps beyond …

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.

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 …

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.