MLB helps revive push for new Marlins ballpark  —  MIAMI — The Florida Marlins have remained on the sideline during baseball's winter spending spree, a tight budget preventing them from addressing roster deficiencies that spoiled their surprising bid for a playoff berth in 2006.

Sources: Yankee Stadium to host '08 All-Star Game … Yankee Stadium will be the site of the 2008 All-Star Game, sources in baseball said, in the last year of the ballpark.  —  The new Yankee Stadium is scheduled to open in 2009, and old Yankee Stadium closed, 86 years after the ballpark …

Cubs, Ohman agree to $2.5 million, 2-year contract  —  CHICAGO (AP) -The Chicago Cubs and reliever Will Ohman agreed Tuesday on a $2.5 million, two-year contract.  —  A 29-year-old left-hander, Ohman was 1-1 with a 4.13 ERA last year and set career highs in appearances (78), innings (65 1-3) and strikeouts (74).

Slammin' Sammy returning?  —  The Rangers' search for another right-handed bat has led them to Sammy Sosa, who worked out for the Rangers and had dinner with general manager Jon Daniels and owner Tom Hicks on Monday.  —  Sosa, who was signed as a free agent by the Rangers in 1985 and later traded …

Sheffield Makes Noise Again, This Time in a Book  —  In an autobiography to be published this spring, Gary Sheffield, a player famous for voicing his displeasure, describes his relationship with Barry Bonds, his link to the Bay Area Laboratory Co-Operative steroid distribution case …

Pirates sign Gonzalez, Nady  —  Pair avoids arbitration, come to terms on one-year deals  —  PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Pirates signed left-hander Mike Gonzalez and outfielder/first baseman Xavier Nady to one-year contracts on Tuesday, thus avoiding arbitration with both players.

Rockies sign Mabry  —  While continuing to pursue right-hander Brian Lawrence, the Rockies landed their potential left-handed bat off the bench today.  —  Colorado signed veteran John Mabry, 36, to a one-year, minor-league deal.  Mabry, who finished last season with the Chicago Cubs …

Opting for low risk  —  Always looking for yet another low-risk, high-reward piece to the puzzle, general manager Omar Minaya will add Jorge Sosa to his pitching ranks this week when the Mets formally announce his one-year, $1.25-million deal for next season.

Q&A Colby Rasmus  —  The Cardinals' first pick in the 2005 draft, center fielder Colby Rasmus, excelled through his first full season in pro ball and is widely considered not only the team's top prospect but its center fielder of the future.  —  The organization increased his profile …

Phillies, Rowand avoid arbitration  —  Outfielder Aaron Rowand avoided arbitration by agreeing to a one-year deal with the Phillies, Assistant General Manager Ruben Amaro Jr. announced today.  —  Rowand will earn a base salary of $4.35 million, including award and performance bonuses.

Crede inks deal to avoid arbitration  —  White Sox and third baseman agree to one-year contract  —  CHICAGO — Joe Crede and the White Sox avoided arbitration for a second straight year by agreeing to a one-year, $4.94 million deal Tuesday.  The third baseman will earn $2 million more than last season …

Michaels, Tribe reach two-year deal  —  Pending physical, left fielder will split duties in '07 with Dellucci  —  CLEVELAND — Jason Michaels might see a drop in his playing time in 2007, but he'll also see a bump in his pay and a little more stability in his status.

Royals have a potential star in Gordon … When Dayton Moore took over as general manager of the woeful Kansas City Royals, he inherited the worst 25-man roster in the big leagues and an organization almost completely devoid of pitching.  But the cupboard wasn't bare, as the Royals …

My Old Man  —  My father had a heart attack when he was 39.  He continued drinking for about a half-dozen more years and finally quit when he realized that if he kept it up he would die.  He still smoked for many years after that but he stopped that too when he had quadruple bypass surgery less than ten years ago.

Little could get contract extension  —  With the Dodgers' chances of landing a power hitter before spring training dwindling, extending the contract of Manager Grady Little is one of the few loose ends.  —  Little and General Manager Ned Colletti have developed such a strong relationship that neither man considers the matter urgent.