Hot Stove is poised to pick up pace  —  Several marquee names remain without 2009 homes  —  With the Hot Stove League past its midpoint, and with less than six weeks remaining before pitchers and catchers report for Spring Training, the words of A's general manager Billy Beane are ringing true less …

Sunnier Times in New Mainstream Media  —  Sports Commentary  —  We all have our career flashpoints.  Mine came in China, perhaps triggered by a near-death experience while climbing the Great Wall.  Or the horror of Bill Plaschke, my TV sparring partner, trying the local delicacy …

Rangers continue quest for pitching  —  Upgrading rotation, bullpen remains Texas' main issue  —  ARLINGTON — A new year is here and there are still a few things that remain unknown about the 2009 Rangers.  —  As the Rangers offices reopen for business after a holiday break …

Reloaded Yanks have high expectations  —  Sabathia, Burnett and Teixeira bolster Bombers in AL East  —  NEW YORK — Brian Cashman enjoyed a brief respite from his office at Yankee Stadium over the holidays.  As the Yankees would no doubt agree, the extended break was well-deserved.

Dodgers have questions to answer  —  Manny, bolstering starting pitching are issues for Colletti  —  LOS ANGELES — Less than three months ago, the Dodgers were three wins away from reaching the World Series.  —  But that was then.  Now, six weeks from the opening of the Dodgers …

CATCH-22 … At Jason Varitek's peak, he was a top-five catcher, an offensive force who was just as valuable behind the plate as he was in the locker room.  —  But offensively, that peak is at least three years gone.  The Red Sox would be making a mistake to pay him like the player he once was …

Mets' talks with Lowe to heat up  —  The Mets' talks with free agent pitcher Derek Lowe are expected to intensify this week.  (Getty Images Photo)  —  After a holiday respite, things could get busy again in the baseball world this week.  For the Mets, negotiations are expected to heat up for righthander Derek Lowe.

Phillies ace Hamels will be cashing in as arbitration begins today  —  The situation John Boggs and Cole Hamels currently face is one that makes baseball's offseason such a unique beast.  —  Fresh off a campaign in which Hamels established himself as one of the game's most dominant pitchers …

St. Louis Cardinals Top 20+ Prospects for 2009  —  Tools galore. . .  St. Louis Cardinals 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.

Nats would like lineup to lean more left  —  Bowden wants better balance for right-handed batting order  —  WASHINGTON — Entering the New Year, the Nationals are still looking for left-handed hitters to offset the overload of right-handed bats in the starting lineup.

Baseball's Law Firm  —  Here's a story from Saturday's Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel about the relationship between the Foley & Lardner law firm and Major League Baseball: … Foley does everything for baseball, and I'm assuming it's a pretty good client for Ms. Braza to have.  This interested me, though:

Lowe on hill, Andruw in (Braves) outfield?  —  Well, hello again, denizens, it's good to be back from Colorado's perfectly powdery slopes — with femurs, wrists and my back intact and spirits rejuvenated by a snowboarding vacation.  —  After the business of baseball slowed to a crawl through the holidays …