No deal for Youkilis  —  Kevin Youkilis and the Red Sox will not reach a long-term contract agreement this offseason, said Joe Bick, Youkilis's agent.  Youkilis and the team have discussed a possible long-term contract this winter, but the sides currently stand too far apart for a deal to be finished before the 2009 season.

Derek Lowe closing in on deal with Mets  —  According to a baseball source, The New York Mets appear to be closing in on a deal for free-agent pitcher Derek Lowe.  —  The deal is believed to be four years in length, or three years with a vesting option.  The contract is estimated to be worth between $14-16 million per season.

Brewers Owner Suggests Salary Cap After Yankees Sign Teixeira  —  A A A  —  Dec. 23 (Bloomberg) — Milwaukee Brewers owner Mark Attanasio said Major League Baseball may need to impose a salary cap to preserve competition after the New York Yankees spent $424 million to sign three players.

With Teixeira signing comes a dose of reality  —  No one should be shocked, at all.  Theo has, at least in my opinion, operated within parameters set by he and the club, and stuck to them.  Letting emotion enter into this stuff will see you spend for spending sake.

Dragons lose new manager  —  DAYTON — Jamie Dismuke, who was to manage the Dayton Dragons this summer, has instead taken a job as hitting coach for the Class AAA Gwinnett (Ga.) Braves in the Atlanta Braves organization.  —  “It's a better situation for me,” said Dismuke …

The baseball ethicist: Why nobody signed Barry Bonds  —  I had been gleefully anticipating the 2008 baseball season for one additional reason than the usual ones: no more Barry Bonds.  For an ethicist, the astounding volume of invalid rationalizations put forth to excuse, tolerate …

Nelson to the Rays  —  Reliever Joe Nelson is a Tampa Bay Ray.  —  On Wednesday, the right-hander, whom the Marlins non-tendered, agreed to terms on a one-year deal for $1.3 million.  —  Nelson was contacted by 20 teams after the Marlins parted company with the 34-year-old reliever …

YANKS SIGN CASH TO MINOR LEAGUE DEAL  —  The Yankees stole another player away from the Red Sox on Tuesday, though Boston will hardly bemoan the loss of Kevin Cash as much as it did watching Mark Teixeira take, well, the Yankee cash and run to the Bronx.  —  The Yankees did not announce any signing …

Markakis declines invite to Classic  —  With baby due in March, outfielder tells paper he's staying home  —  BALTIMORE — This time, the Orioles won't lose their best player to the World Baseball Classic.  Right fielder Nick Markakis told The Baltimore Sun on Tuesday that he has declined …

Bronx bombshell sends loud message  —  Attention, Yankee Nation.  Attention, America.  Attention, World.  Attention, Universe.  Attention, Galaxies Unknown.  Attention, Babe, The Iron Horse, The Mick, and all other residents of that great Yankee Retirement Home In The Sky:

Yankee Signings of Teixeira, Sabathia, and Burnett Move Salary Figures to Cartoonish Levels  —  As I wrote yesterday, in The Anatomy of a Yankees Spending Spree, what we have now is the perfect Steinbrennerian storm for going after free agents with reckless abandon this postseason.