Padres Acquire Carlos Quentin  —  The Padres have acquired Carlos Quentin from the White Sox for pitching prospects Simon Castro and Pedro Hernandez, the teams announced.  It's the second time Padres GM Josh Byrnes and White Sox GM Kenny Williams have gotten together for a trade involving Quentin …

Sources: Darren Oliver close to deal with Toronto  —  It appears Darren Oliver's third stint with the Rangers is now over.  —  According to two major league sources, Oliver is nearing the execution of a contract with the Toronto Blue Jays and will not return to the Rangers bullpen for 2012.

Jones returning to Yankees in 2012  —  NEW YORK — Andruw Jones is set to put the pinstripes back on next season, agreeing to terms on Friday on a one-year contract.  —  The 34-year-old Jones will earn a base salary of $2 million and could tack on $1.4 million in performance incentives, CBSSports.com has reported.

Baseball writers need guidance from Hall of Fame  —  One year.  One measly year.  —  That's all the time left before the three-player crash that proves once and for all how broken the Hall of Fame voting process has become.  —  Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens and Sammy Sosa are due on the Hall ballot for the first time next December.

Sources: Tigers join pursuit of Cubs' Garza  —  The Detroit Tigers have emerged as a suitor for Chicago Cubs starter Matt Garza.  —  Interest in Garza has picked up recently, major league sources say, and the Tigers are involved.  Multiple teams are pursuing Garza aggressively …

Ranking the top 10 outfields in MLB  —  In Part 4 of his series looking ahead to the 2012 season, Buster Olney ranks the 10 best outfields in Major League Baseball.  The Arizona Diamondbacks claim the No. 1 spot.

A-Rod's blood treatment care toes a fine line  —  Five years ago, I asked a question: What is a performance-enhancing drug?  I had read a study from Denmark that espoused human growth hormone's ability to heal broken bones faster, and it turned my 20/20 vision on the issue to 20/20,000.

Boras and Fielder did not meet with Angelos on free agent tour  —  In an attempt to market his top free-agent client to major league baseball's biggest decision-makers, renowned player representative Scott Boras took slugging first baseman Prince Fielder on a brief tour this month to meet with several club owners.

Mariners sign free-agent LHP George Sherrill to 2012 contract  —  SEATTLE, Wash. — Seattle Mariners Executive Vice President & General Manager of Baseball Operations Jack Zduriencik today announced that the Mariners have signed free-agent left-handed pitcher George Sherrill to a 2012 contract.

St. Louisian Don Mueller, former big-league star, dies  —  Image  —  St. Louisan Don Mueller, who led the majors in hits in 1954 and roamed the outfield with Willie Mays of the New York Giants, died on Wednesday.  He was 84.  —  Mueller, a native St. Louisan who played at CBC …