Source: Yankees again back away from Santana  —  For the second time this offseason, the Yankees have pulled their Phil Hughes-centered trade offer for Johan Santana off the table.  —  The Yankees, then, will not restart trade talks with the Twins unless Hank Steinbrenner has another change of heart …

Mailbag: Will Braves keep up in East?  —  Atlanta beat reporter Mark Bowman answers fans' questions  —  What National League East team do you think will pose the biggest threat for the Braves this year?  —  This once again appears to be a three-horse race, with the Mets only currently …

Pena waiting too  —  Carlos Pena called from the Dominican Republic on Monday to say he, too, is waiting to hear about the status of contract negotiations with the Rays.  Pena is eligible for arbitartion so he'll be with the Rays in 2008 but the question is how much he'll make and for how long he'll sign.

Hot Stove: A's unlikely to trade Blanton  —  Right-hander expected to start 2008 season as Oakland's ace  —  Deals that would send veterans Scott Rolen, Mark Kotsay and Troy Glaus to new teams were all but finalized, though official word was still pending early Monday afternoon.

Option for '09 is key to trade  —  When the blockbuster exchange of former All-Star third basemen hatched, the Cardinals told Toronto that a vital part of dealing Scott Rolen was the assurance Troy Glaus would exercise his option for the 2009 season.  —  The other linchpin of the deal is expected today.

MLB.com to air live video from Tuesday's congressional hearing  —  New York — MLB.com, the official website of Major League Baseball, will provide a live video broadcast from the congressional hearing related to the Mitchell Report in its entirety tomorrow beginning at 9:30 a.m. (EST).

Rosenthal: Jays Could Finish Above Yanks  —  I heard Ken Rosenthal talking about the Toronto Blue Jays today during “Baseball This Morning” on XM Satellite Radio.  —  Ken said that the Jays “had a chance” but “not a great chance” to “finish above the Yankees in the standings this year.”

Rules and quirks  —  Eleven actually, not 10.  Why 11?  No specific reason, I just couldn't decide which one to delete.  —  Every sport has its quirks especially when it comes to the rules.  And baseball is no different.  Every so often when watching a game or a highlight reel …

Johnny Podres passes away  —  Outside of the Lord, my wife and my father there was no person who impacted my life more than Johnny Podres.  A true mans man if there ever was one.  As I enter the final year of my major league career and baseball life I can only hope that when it's all over the body …

Fins face limits at key positions in free agency  —  When the Dolphins — armed with more than $25 million in salary-cap space — begin studying free agent options, they will see potential to upgrade at receiver, guard and elsewhere.  —  But one caution: Not only will many teams have ample cap space …

Podres dead at 75  —  Johnny Podres, the cool and clutch lefty who pitched the Dodgers to their one and only world championship in Brooklyn by shutting out the Yankees, 2-0, in the seventh game of the 1955 World Series, died Sunday night in a hospital in Glens Falls, N.Y. He was 75.

Chicago White Sox  —  Baseball America's Top 10 Prospects lists are based on projections of a player's long-term worth after discussions with scouting and player-development personnel.  All players who haven't exceeded the major league rookie standards of 130 at-bats or 50 innings pitched (without regard to service time) are eligible.