I'll have what Melky is drinking  —  Brian Bruney asked for $1.55 million in arbitration.  The Yankees offered $1.1 million.  Seems like there is a deal to be made there before a hearing.  —  Melky Cabrera, meanwhile, asked for $1.7 million.  The Yankees offered $1.2 million.

Mariners make a trade for reliever David Aardsma  —  Mariners general manager Jack Zduriencik continues to be busy making moves.  After signing Erik Bedard and Aaron Heilman to one-year deals to avoid arbitration, Zdruiencik also announced that the Mariners have acquired right-handed reliever David Aardsma …

ESPN shuffles talent to battle partner MLB  —  One of the longest-running acts in TV sports is getting a new cast member.  ESPN will formally announce Wednesday that Steve Phillips will join Jon Miller and Joe Morgan, who've called ESPN's Sunday night baseball for 19 years.

Phils Avoid Arbitration With Werth  —  The Phillies and outfielder Jayson Werth avoided arbitration Wednesday by agreeing to a multiyear deal.  —  In 134 games last season (103 starts), Werth hit .273 with 24 home runs and 67 RBIs.  He also scored 73 runs and stole 20 bases.

Howard Wants $18 Million; Victorino, Blanton Sign  —  Compared to last year's offer, the Phillies doubled up what they want to pay Ryan Howard for the 2009 season.  Trouble is, Howard's price went up, too.  —  Teams and players exchanged arbitration numbers on Tuesday and the 2006 NL MVP …

Mets sign 10 to Minor League contracts  —  Pitchers Martin, Fossum among group heading to Spring Training  —  NEW YORK — Veteran left-handed pitchers Tom Martin and Casey Fossum are among the 10 players the Mets have signed to Minor League contracts and invited to Spring Training.

Fielder staying in Milwaukee in '09, Brewers GM says  —  Forget what you've read in the blogosphere: Prince Fielder will be wearing a Milwaukee Brewers uniform for all of the 2009 season.  —  So says general manager Doug Melvin, who flatly dismissed the trade rumors that have been flying …

D-Backs fire D. Baxter after DUI arrest  —  The Diamondbacks have cut ties with the man who played their team mascot, D. Baxter the Bobcat, after he was arrested on suspicion of extreme DUI.  —  David Hamilton, 35, was fired by the Diamondbacks three weeks ago.

Heath Bell and Arbitration  —  Today we announced an agreement on a one-year deal with Heath Bell, thereby avoiding the arbitration process.  This was our final arbitration eligible player for this winter, as we've reached agreements with Scott Hairston, Jody Gerut, and Luis Rodriguez in the past few weeks …

Free agent Pudge still hoping to catch on  —  Way back when, there was Homestead.  —  It was the spring of 1995, and the baseball strike had just ended.  And with tons of free agents in need of a job, the players association set up a camp in Homestead, Fla., where they could work out and get noticed.

Cy Young winner Cliff Lee open to extension from Cleveland Indians  —  Cy Young winner Cliff Lee, in Cleveland for a physical and the Indians press tour, talked about his busy offseason today at Progressive Field.  —  * Lee is signed through 2009 with a club option for 2010.

Two MN Companies Keep Baseball Tradition Alive  —  They say that an apple a day will keep the doctor away.One huge apple in Le Center will be doing a lot more than that.News 12's Jennifer Hudspeth has more about how two Minnesota companies are keeping a major league baseball tradition alive.For years …

O's MacPhail making moves, but his plans holding steady  —  If you're an Orioles fan - and I know you're out there somewhere - you're probably thinking the same thing I'm thinking right now.  —  Who kidnapped the conservative, methodical, one-step-at-a-time Orioles president of baseball operations …

$1.3 million divide between Atkins, Rockies  —  Third baseman seeks $7.95 million  —  Third baseman Garrett Atkins and the Rockies found themselves $1.3 million apart on a 2009 salary after the sides exchanged arbitration figures Tuesday.  —  Forty-six players went through that process …

Williams has sights set on Classic  —  Inclusion on Puerto Rico's provisional roster gives outfielder hope  —  NEW YORK — More than two years have passed since Bernie Williams' last official action in a Yankees uniform, digging into a batter's box in Detroit for the 2006 American League Division Series.

Braves, Francoeur differ on deal for '09  —  Johnson, Kotchman also seeking more than club is offering  —  ATLANTA — Coming off the most disappointing season of his young career, Jeff Francoeur knows that he won't be making as much money as he'd previously envisioned during his first arbitration-eligible season.