Sources: BoSox willing to deal Ellsbury to Twins … With the Minnesota Twins insisting on center fielder Jacoby Ellsbury in any trade for pitcher Johan Santana, the Red Sox have altered their offer and have told the Twins they are willing to include the outfielder.

Hot Stove: GM wants to see 'hunger, fire' from Paulino  —  To fully understand the Pirates' approach heading into the winter meetings tomorrow in Nashville, Tenn., this should be clear: General manager Neal Huntington is not looking for immediate upgrades to his everyday eight.  —  No, not even at catcher.

Inside Angels-Marlins talks  —  Kendrick, Mathis among players offered for Cabrera  —  NASHVILLE, Tenn. — The Angels' big offer for young hitting star Miguel Cabrera included top young hitter Howie Kendrick, young catcher Jeff Mathis, one of two coveted young pitchers …

Astros sign 2B Matsui to 3-year, $16.5 million deal  —  HOUSTON — The Houston Astros signed free-agent second baseman Kaz Matsui to a three-year, $16.5 million contract on Sunday.  —  Matsui, 32, hit .288 with four home runs and 37 RBIs for Colorado in 2007, helping the Rockies reach the World Series for the first time.

Winter meetings can run hot or freeze up  —  Melvin working to get best bargains during off-season  —  As newly crowned "Dancing with the Stars" champion Helio Castroneves can attest, it takes two to tango.  —  Milwaukee Brewers general manager Doug Melvin will be looking for a dance partner …

Cards will explore options for pitching  —  NASHVILLE, TENN. — The Gaylord Opryland complex is so immense that check-in includes a map and printed directions to a guest's room.  To walk from one end of the sprawling hotel takes longer than to drive here from the Nashville Airport about 10 miles away.

METS SHOULD SEEK OUT ARMS DEALERS  —  How much this will happen is debatable since the better pitchers are available via trades rather than free agency.  Still, the Mets have interest in Japanese righty Hiroki Kuroda and fellow right-hander Livan Hernandez.  They also have shown interest in Shawn Chacon, who could start or relieve.

Quiet winter meetings expected for Texas Rangers  —  Recent developments have made a big move unlikely, team says  —  egrant@dallasnews.com  —  Courtesy of the Nashville visitors' bureau, here are some friendly tourism tips in case you are trying to kill time in the Music City this week:

Omar Minaya may throw Bartolo Colon into Met mix, rotation  —  Five years ago, when Omar Minaya was running the Expos, he traded for Bartolo Colon.  Minaya gave up some talented young players, including Grady Sizemore, but Colon delivered for an Expos team that was in contention, going 10-4 in 17 starts.

Maybe Reyes ought to be touchable  —  Of all the assets Lastings Milledge brought to the Mets, none will be missed nearly as much as his speed.  —  I refer not to his time in the 90-foot dash but to the amazing speed with which his status plummeted from Untouchable to Undesirable.

Bill Madden breaks bread with Yankees' 'New Boss' Hank Steinbrenner  —  TAMPA - It is a few minutes past 1 o'clock at Iavarone's Restaurant, located a block off Dale Mabry Boulevard and about five miles north of the Yankees' Legends Field complex.  The owner, Carmine Iavarone, is at the front door …