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 …

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.

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.

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.

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 …

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.

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 …

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.

Brewers finalize deal with Cameron  —  Center fielder passes physical to trigger one-year contract  —  MILWAUKEE — Free agent center fielder Mike Cameron passed a physical on Monday and finalized a one-year contract that, barring injuries in Spring Training, set in place the Brewers' starting offense and defense for 2008.

Mailbag: Who is Opening Day starter?  —  Beat reporter Bill Ladson answers Nationals fans' questions … Who do you think will be the Nationals' Opening Day starter at the new Nationals Park?  —  That's a good question.  I would have to say that Shawn Hill will get the nod because he was the team's best starter last year.

Pete Palmer interview  —  I hope Pete Palmer needs no introduction.  He's been dabbling in sabermetrics virtually his entire adult life, and he made a name for himself with The Hidden Game of Baseball, and the statistic it debuted: linear weights.  Since then he's produced …