Cubs name Dale Sveum manager  —  MILWAUKEE — Dale Sveum says he considers himself more of a “stoic” manager than an emotional one.  —  Except maybe, he says, “when I'm arguing with an umpire.”  —  “One trait that you have to have as a manager,” says the man who was hired Thursday to replace Mike Quade …

New deal shows MLB learned lesson  —  MILWAUKEE  —  If the cancellation of the 1994 World Series is part of Bud Selig's legacy, then the lesson he learned is an even more important part.  —  Baseball's new five-year collective-bargaining agreement is a tribute not just to the commissioner …

Yankees GM Brian Cashman sleeps in Times Square to raise awareness for homeless kids  —  Doing his best to help out Covenant House  —  Yankees Senior Vice President and General Manager Brian Cashman takes part in the Covenant House CEO Solidarity Sleepout.

The Great Debaters  —  Ricky Nolasco  —  Ricky Nolasco is a player I—like many fantasy owners familiar with DIPS—have targeted in fantasy drafts over the past few years.  I owned him in both Tout Wars and Yahoo! Friends & Family last season, which, as others who owned him know, did not turn out very well.

Astros sold, will depart NL for AL West in 2013  —  MILWAUKEE — Baseball owners have unanimously approved the sale of the Houston Astros from Drayton McLane to Jim Crane.  The Astros will move from the NL Central to the AL West beginning in the 2013 season, giving each league 15 teams.

Kershaw is the winner of NL Cy Young Award  —  Dodgers lefty wins 21, pitching Triple Crown in third full season  —  The first time Joe Torre saw Clayton Kershaw pitch, he compared him to Sandy Koufax.  On Thursday, the talented young left-hander took his biggest step yet toward proving …

Hanrahan open to idea of contract extension  —  Right-hander eligible for salary arbitration prior to 2012 season  —  PITTSBURGH — If the value of a closer weren't already well-defined, it became even more so last week, when Jonathan Papelbon inked a four-year deal with the Phillies worth just over $50 million.

Francoeur happy to have Sanchez aboard in KC  —  KANSAS CITY — Even though Royals right fielder Jeff Francoeur will miss having Melky Cabrera next to him in center field next season, he feels the addition of pitcher Jonathan Sanchez is a plus.  —  “I like it,” Francoeur said.

Amaro: Phillies aren't looking to trade Hamels  —  MILWAUKEE - The caveat was necessary for a man who has dealt away aces and top prospects, players thought untouchable - a label that, truthfully, does not exist in baseball and certainly not in Ruben Amaro Jr.'s mind.

Mets make progress in raising $200M  —  NEW YORK — The New York Mets are making progress in their bid to raise roughly $200 million through selling minority ownership shares in the franchise, sources familiar with the sale told ESPNNewYork.com.  —  The infusion would help principal owner Fred Wilpon …

Phillips, Reds ‘not close’ to contract extension  —  Club hasn't met with rep for free-agent closer Cordero  —  CINCINNATI — Always a prolific user of Twitter, Reds second baseman Brandon Phillips mentioned Wednesday he hoped to learn about his future with the club, and then on Thursday …