Red Sox acquire right-handed pitcher Wes Littleton from Texas Rangers  —  For two players to be named later or cash considerations  —  BOSTON — The Red Sox today acquired righthanded pitcher Wes Littleton from the Texas Rangers in exchange for two players to be named later or cash considerations.

Pirates plan patience with offseason moves  —  Wilson, Grabow, Paulino discussed in trades; little in free agency  —  The way general manager Neal Huntington sees it, the Pirates' coming winter could be downright tumultuous.  —  Or not.  —  “It could be an offseason where there is a significant change …

A few Thankgiving leftovers - tidbits from a slow off-season  —  It just seems quiet on the baseball front.  Look around hard enough, there's always tidbits.  —  Here are a few of interest.  — Raul Ibanez remains high on the list of at least three playoff-caliber teams, with the Cubs …

Dodgers complicating Yanks' arbitration decision  —  Updated 10:43 a.m.: Before this week, we all assumed that Andy Pettitte would come back to New York or retire.  Last week's news that Andy and Joe Torre were talking L.A. upset that balance.  —  Today, in the Paper That Must Not Be Named …

Garcia's shoulder issue might be back  —  Free-agent right-hander reportedly leaves game with soreness  —  Veteran right-hander Freddy Garcia may have hit a speed bump on the comeback trail.  Garcia, a free agent who finished the 2008 season with Detroit, left a game in the Venezuelan Winter League …

Part 2: Five Years Later ... Becoming a Red Sox  —  Just days after the whole process began at Shonda's fundraiser (right), talks with the Red Sox truly heated up.  —  The first day of negotiations saw an exchange of offers, with Larry Lucchino not real excited about my stance at $13 million …

Ranking the Yankees, 1-20  —  The Hot Stove season has been uneventful so far and today could be more of the same.  But now that my parents, sister and niece have left NYC, I have some blogging time on my hands.  —  (Just an aside, while standing on Broadway and 39th Street for five hours …

Boston Signs Junichi Tazawa?  —  By Alex Walsh [November 28 at 11:36am CST]  —  Japanese amateur pitcher Junichi Tazawa appears close to signing with the Boston Red Sox, reports Chad Finn at the Boston Globe.  The offer for the 22-year old is reportedly a three-year, major league deal nearing $6MM …

Astros back off on Wolf deal  —  Team won't be able to support payroll of $120 million  —  Astros general manager Ed Wade has informed the agent for free agent pitcher Randy Wolf the club has had to “slow the pace of negotiations” until it can clear up the uncertainty of its payroll situation.

Looking back at the madness (18)  —  Hey, if the websites that love to rip me can pull out re-run ideas to fill Thanksgiving space, then I can sit back and say:  —  What a great idea.  Get me in on this re-run party, too.  I'm always for that, plus I needed a Thanksgiving item, too.

First-Time Positive Results Withheld  —  Major League Baseball said earlier this week that the number of players who tested positive for amphetamines for the first time in 2008 would be made public in a report on its drug-testing program to be released in January.

Do the numbers still add up for Hall?  —  There are stats that ensure a players' Hall of Fame future.  —  Or do they?  —  Have the numbers been blurred in recent years to the point where what once were standards no longer provide guarantees for enshrinement?