Madden: Yanks could be Sori about new reliever  —  As a mostly unremarkable baseball winter (at least in New York) winds down to the one-dimensional DH market, last week was a transient one for premier closers with Trevor Hoffman, the all-time saves leader, moving out, and Rafael Soriano …

Alliance between Fox and Frank McCourt spells trouble for Dodgers  —  Dodgers owner Frank McCourt, right, greets former owner Peter O'Malley at the Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena before the unveiling of a plaque honoring Walter O'Malley, the former owner who moved the team from Brooklyn to L.A. …

Cubs to honor Ron Santo with statue at Wrigley Field, uniform patch throughout 2011 season  —  Statue to be unveiled on “Ron Santo Day” - August 10  —  The Chicago Cubs today announced the organization will honor Ron Santo with a statue of his likeness, only the fourth of its kind at Wrigley Field …

Sources: A's out to sign Fuentes  —  FOX Sports  —  The Yankees aren't the only American League contender trying to load up their bullpen.  —  The A's, who reached agreement Friday with free-agent right-hander Grant Balfour, are pushing to add free-agent lefty Brian Fuentes, major-league sources say.

Rafeal Palmeiro deserves to be in Hall of Fame  —  During his blessed 27-year reign as head of the Roman Catholic Church, the late Pope John Paul II personally canonized 482 into the ranks of sainthood.  —  During the same term, 1978-2005, the Baseball Hall of Fame added 79.

Royals To Sign Bruce Chen  —  The Royals and Bruce Chen have agreed to a one-year contract worth $2MM with another $1.5MM in performance bonuses according to SI.com's Jon Heyman (on Twitter).  The deal is pending a physical per a team press release.  Chen is represented by Scott Boras.

Athletics Avoid Arbitration With Brad Ziegler  —  The Athletics and Brad Ziegler have avoided arbitration by agreeing to a one-year deal worth $1.25MM, reports ESPN's Buster Olney (on Twitter).  The reliever was eligible for arbitration for the first time.  —  Ziegler, 31, pitched to a 3.26 ERA …

Cardinals set to sign infielder Ramon Vazquez  —  ST. LOUIS — Looking to augment their depth on the left side of the infield, the St. Louis Cardinals have an agreement in place with utility fielder Ramon Vazquez.  —  The minor-league deal comes with an invitation to spring training …

Roenicke in enviable spot, but he better win  —  (Jeffrey Phelps, Associated Press / November 4, 2010)  —  Brewers' 1st-time manager has team built for success now, but odds still against him  —  On Baseball  —  Ron Roenicke better be tough.  He has taken on a rough job …