Wang would like to return to Nationals  —  WASHINGTON — Right-hander Chien-Ming Wang is a free agent after this season, and said through an interpreter that he would like to return to the Nationals next season.  —  Wang said he feels loyalty toward the team because it took care of him when he had shoulder problems the last two years.

MVP debate will have no clear winner  —  I understand why some sabermetricians freak out over the MVP voting every year, howling for the mainstream media to get a clue.  —  But you know what?  —  Those analysts need to get over it.  —  Ignoramuses in the MSM, including yours truly …

Source: Cubs to draw 3 million  —  The Chicago Cubs will draw 3 million fans for the eighth straight season, according to a team source, yet the team will lower prices on bleacher seats in 2012.  —  The Cubs have sold just over 2.8 million tickets, which is about 500 fewer per game than in 2010.

History suggests Tampa Bay Rays fans should temper their hopes  —  It begins quietly, just an inkling that all is not lost.  —  A few victories in a row, perhaps.  Maybe a key injury on another team, followed by a walkoff homer at a time when few people are paying attention.

Jeremy Guthrie earns win Orioles beat Blue Jays 2-0  —  TORONTO - Jeremy Guthrie pitched three-hit ball for seven innings, Vladimir Guerrero and Nick Markakis each drove in a run and the Baltimore Orioles beat the Toronto Blue Jays 2-0 Friday night, their third straight win.

Lackey exits after three frames with bruised calf  —  ST. PETERSBURG — John Lackey exited Friday night's game vs. the Rays after the third inning with a left calf bruise and is listed as day to day.  —  With two outs and the bases loaded in the third, the 32-year-old was hit in the left calf on a hard line drive by John Jaso.

Umpires show ethnic bias in ball/strike calls—unless they're feeling watched  —  There's a lot of behavioral literature that indicates we tend to like people who we think belong to the same group as us, and behave favorably towards them—even though we're not aware of doing so.

Miguel Tejada wants to play in 2012  —  Former MVP shortstop Miguel Tejada, who was recently released by the San Francisco Giants, said he hopes to keep playing baseball in 2012.  —  “I will not retire,” Tejada told ESPNdeportes.com Friday.  “I didn't have a good time in San Francisco, but there are always highs and lows in life.”

Market for closers well-stocked  —  Jonathan Papelbon, Heath Bell and Ryan Madson are among the top-shelf items  —  Maybe once upon a time, in 1905 or something, there was a generation of general managers who never knew the unique joys of bullpen shopping.

Carpenter clarifies  —  Chris Carpenter felt he needed to make a point this afternoon.  —  Shortly after the clubhouse opened, Chris Carpenter called a couple of reporters over to his locker to clarify his explanation of the events from Wednesday night.  It had been reported (including on MLB.com) …

Twins fire Class AAA Rochester manager Tom Nieto  —  DETROIT — The Twins have fired Class AAA Rochester manager Tom Nieto and hitting coach Floyd Rayford, Twins minor league director Jim Rantz confirmed today.  —  The news was first reported by Jim Mandelaro, of the Rochester Democrat & Chronicle.

Twins go all in on Mauer, Morneau  —  Buster Olney writes that the Twins' offseason will consist of waiting for Joe Mauer and Justin Morneau to get fully healthy, then provides offseason blueprints for five other teams in need of improvements this winter.

Frustrated Jim Crane ‘offended’ by speculation about delays in Astros sale process  —  After several months in the on-deck circle, the man who wants to buy the Astros is getting frustrated.  —  In an exclusive interview with the Chronicle on Thursday, Houston businessman Jim Crane …