3 UP: BOSOX HITTER SEARCH, MANNY AND LOWE  —  Checking in from vacation once more.  I figured it was a new year, so I would offer a new post.  It also gives me a chance to tell those that are interested that I will be co-hosting a show on Sirius (channel 210)/XM (channel 175) all next week …

Giants Offer Slugger Manny Ramirez 4-Year Deal  —  The San Francisco Giants are pursuing free-agent slugger Manny Ramirez and have offered him a four-year deal, a well-connected source told CBS 5.  —  Financial terms of the contract offer were not immediately known.

It's here: MLB Network is under way  —  Commissioner delivers address to estimated 50 million households  —  With a surprise greeting from Commissioner Bud Selig that called it “the ultimate television destination for baseball,” the MLB Network went on the air Thursday at 6 p.m. ET amid great anticipation …

Cubs making offseason mistakes  —  The Cubs played 161 games, pitched 1,450.2 innings and had 5,588 at-bats in the regular season, and through all that, they were the best team in the National League, winning five more games than the NL East division winner, 13 more games than the NL West winner.

Win or lose, filing period to commence  —  Arbitration's 10-day window begins Monday, with Howard again a focal point  —  Major League Baseball's 10-day salary arbitration filing period begins on Monday and will last until Jan. 15.  —  And unless the Phillies break a well-constructed pattern …

Time travel: Network brings past to life  —  Inaugural night affords chance to revisit old friends, days gone by  —  The performances on many of the compact discs, the LP's and — yes — the 45's I have accumulated since Oct. 8, 1956, were recorded before JFK was sworn in, I'm proud to say.

Chipper: Braves can't compete in free agency  —  Sporting News Today's Ken Bradley recently spoke with Braves third baseman Chipper Jones about all topics baseball.  In Thursday's edition, we included Chipper's favorite memories of recently retired teammate Greg Maddux.

Florida Marlins likely to sign Scott Proctor  —  The Marlins are expected to sign former Dodgers right-hander Scott Proctor to bolster a bullpen that has lost several veterans.  —  Proctor agreed to a one-year contract for $750,000, with another $250,000 in incentives, according to an industry source.

Sources: Signs point to Marbury joining Celtics … Nearly one year since Stephon Marbury last played in a regular-season game, signals are getting stronger that the New York Knicks' outcast will eventually make his comeback with the Boston Celtics.  —  That still depends largely …

Q & A with Kevin Youkilis  —  A few weeks back, Red Sox first baseman Kevin Youkilis offered to answer a few questions from the The Bottom Line.  Bottom Line readers had a chance to submit their questions before we sent the off to Youk.  Here are is answers:

Clay Buchholz a top trade prospect for Red Sox … With the Red Sox trying to upgrade their roster in the weeks after the swing-and-miss on Mark Teixeira, one thing has become clear:  —  Clay Buchholz shouldn't buy a house in New England just yet, no matter how good the deals are.

Pittsburgh Pirates Top 20 Prospects for 2009  —  Age relative to league isn't everything. . .  Pittsburgh Pirates Top 20 Prospects for 2009  —  All grades are EXTREMELY PRELIMINARY and subject to change.  Don't get too worried about exact rankings at this point, especially once you get out of the top 10.