METS GIVE VALENTIN 2ND LOOK  —  The Mets will be bringing back Jose Valentin, the player's agent told The Post last night, giving him a minor league deal with an invitation to major league spring training.  —  Valentin, 38, was a huge contributor for the Mets in 2006, hitting .271 with 18 homers as their second baseman.

Analyst's Role With YES Shifts away From the Studio  —  David Justice, who was cited in the Mitchell report as having purchased human growth hormone, will no longer be a studio analyst for the YES Network but will contribute columns and participate in chats on the channel's Web site.

Cubs sign Lieber  —  The Cubs signed right-handed pitcher Jon Lieber to a one-year, $3.5 million deal on Wednesday with around $4 million in incentives based on games started and innings pitched.  —  “It gives us more depth with our starting pitching,” manager Lou Piniella said.

Notes: Rangers, Jennings agree to deal  —  Right-hander was 2002 Rookie of the Year with Rockies  —  ARLINGTON — The Rangers have finally completed an agreement with pitcher Jason Jennings on a one-year contract.  A press conference is planned for Thursday at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington.

The Twins' tough call  —  Best offers for Santana are likely already on the table  —  There is a diminishing belief that the Twins will get exactly what they want for lefthander Johan Santana, baseball's best pitcher.  Of course they could also surprise folks and decide to keep Santana, who turns 29 on March 13.

Valuing Nate Robertson  —  I was sort of surprised to see the Detroit Tigers locking up Nate Robertson for three years and $21.25 million.  While I normally like buying out free agent years, I don't think this was a good move.  The Tigers bought out only one year for not much of a discount.

The Worst Form of Government, Except for All the Others (Probably)  —  Apparently they were voting for something or other in Michigan yesterday.  But the bigger election story came, as election stories so often do, from Washington.  Only this one had nothing to do with the White House.

Cubs Top 11 Prospects  —  Four-Star Prospects  —  Three-Star Prospects  —  Two-Star Prospects  —  Just Missing: Kevin Hart, RHP; Chris Huseby, RHP; Larry Suarez, RHP  —  1. Geovany Soto, C  —  Drafted: 11th round, 2007, American Military Academy (PR)

Dodgers RHP Schmidt making good progress  —  LOS ANGELES (AP) — Dodgers general manager Ned Colletti delivered an encouraging report Wednesday on pitcher Jason Schmidt, limited to six starts last year before undergoing season-ending shoulder surgery.  —  “If he continues to progress …

SIGN-ING UP  —  NAME SET AT YANKS' NEW PARK  —  The House That Jeter Built has a new sign that unmistakably promises great baseball will be played there.  —  The words “Yankee Stadium,” solidly etched in gold-leafed stone, were hoisted by crane onto the team's new South Bronx home this week.

Byrd, Rangers avoid arbitration with 1-year deal  —  ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) - Marlon Byrd and the Texas Rangers avoided arbitration when they agreed Wednesday on a $1.8 million, one-year contract.  —  After being the last player cut by the Rangers in spring training a year ago …

Around the horn: Middle infielders  —  Reyes, Castillo are catalysts on offense, standouts on defense … By the end of last season, the middle of the Mets' infield was limping, literally and figuratively.  Luis Castillo, short of two months with the team, was hobbled by a balky knee …

Youkilis, two others file for arbitration  —  Sox first baseman Kevin Youkilis and relief pitchers Javier Lopez and Kyle Snyder are among the 110 big-league players who have filed for salary arbitration, according to information released by the players' union.

Encouraging prospects  —  Rookie program shows Sox' stock is on the rise  —  Clay Buchholz (left) and Dustin Richardson hope they're in the running to make the Red Sox.  (John Tlumacki/Globe Staff)  —  When you looked out at the football field in the indoor bubble at Boston College's …

Okajima looking forward to homecoming  —  TOKYO - Boston reliever Hideki Okajima [stats] is looking forward to starting the 2008 season on home soil — even though he'll be thousands of miles from Fenway Park [map].  —  Okajima was in Tokyo on Wednesday promoting Boston's season-opening series …