Yankees Keep Eye on Teixeira and Wait  —  Although the Yankees have not actively pursued the free-agent first baseman Mark Teixeira, team officials continue to monitor the negotiations between Teixeira's agent, Scott Boras, and other teams.  —  The Yankees are interested in signing Teixeira …

Talented teams of the '90s quite different than today  —  Should a sale go through, whoever buys the Padres from John Moores would be lucky to get a Padres club as talented as the one Moores bought in late 1994.  —  True, when Moores took control, the Padres were coming off a 47-70 season.

Ex-Negro league star Carlos Santiago, 82, dies  —  SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) — Carlos Manuel Santiago, a star infielder in the Negro leagues during the 1940s, died Sunday.  He was 82.  —  He died of cardiac failure at his home in Mayaguez, son Carlos Manuel Santiago Feliciano said.

Source: Pirates, Doumit reach deal … The Pittsburgh Pirates have reached an agreement on a three-year deal with catcher Ryan Doumit that will take him through his salary arbitration years, a baseball source told ESPN.com.  —  The contract includes a club option that will take Doumit into free agency, the source said.

Olney: Market forces at work  —  Brian Fuentes began the offseason as, theoretically, the most second-most coveted reliever, after a season in which he earned 30 saves and accumulated a 2.73 ERA, and held left-handed batters to a .184 average, with 20 strikeouts in 49 at-bats.

Melvin confirms interest in Looper  —  By Tom Haudricourt of the Journal Sentinel  —  I spoke to Brewers general manager Doug Melvin on the telephone today and he confirmed he has shown interest in free agent pitcher Braden Looper.  —  Melvin denied a Boston Globe report, however, that the Brewers “are close” to signing Looper.

Japanese team won't extend Valentine's contract after 2009  —  TOKYO (AP) — The Chiba Lotte Marines have decided not to offer Bobby Valentine a contract extension after his current four-year deal expires at the end of 2009 season, the former New York Mets manager said Sunday.

It's the offseason of hope  —  Ability to play again would be perfect gift  —  Rocco Baldelli might not be out of the woods, but after further evaluation at Massachusetts General Hospital and the Cleveland Clinic he at least has hope that the mitochondrial disorder that nearly ruined …

So Who's Got the Best Rotation in the AL East Now?  —  With the Yankees' signings of C.C. Sabathia and A.J. Burnett, many pundits are saying they now have the best starting rotation in the AL East.  Let's use CAIRO to see if that's actually true or not.  With all due respect to Baltimore and Toronto …

CASE OF THE TAINTED TERM SHEET  —  This column was going to be about the number of shortstops available as free agents this winter, among the better known Edgar Renteria, Orlando Cabrera, David Eckstein, Omar Vizquel, Nomar Garciaparra, Rafael Furcal, Adam Everett, Cesar Izturis.

Kuroda to miss World Baseball Classic  —  Dodgers pitcher still recovering from right shoulder tendinitis  —  The Kyodo News has reported that Dodgers pitcher Hiroki Kuroda will not be participating in the upcoming World Baseball Classic tournament.  —  Kuroda had intended to play for Team Japan …

Editor's Picks  —  A source says Manny Ramirez has told friends he expects at least a three-year offer from the Yankees.  —  Madden: Scott Boras is going to drag out Teixeira's negotiations as long as he can, to wear out a gullible suitor for every penny.  —  A horrific wreck …