Barry Larkin elected to Hall of Fame … Former Cincinnati Reds shortstop and current ESPN analyst Barry Larkin was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame on Monday, getting 86.4 percent of the vote by the Baseball Writers' Association of America.  —  A player needs at least 75 percent to gain election.

Dodgers next owners need patience  —  Those lining up to buy the franchise had better know the team is a few years away  —  With prospective owners lining up around the block to bid for the Los Angeles Dodgers, we thought it'd be helpful to shine a light on just what kind of team they'd be buying.

Rockies' Nicasio facing hitters, remains on track to compete in spring  —  While the lack of a veteran starting pitcher has left many Rockies fans uneasy about the team's rotation, the progress of Juan Nicasio has been a bright spot.  —  The right-hander's remarkable recovery from a broken neck has continued in the Dominican Republic.

Rangers' Darvish bid is about $52M; work to do  —  The Texas Rangers are offering about “Dice K money” to star Japanese righthander Yu Darvish, sources told CBSSports.com, and there's no evidence a deal is at hand.  —  The expression “Dice K money” would mean the offer is someone in the range …

Tigers, Cubs talking Garza trade  —  Excellent baseball sources have confirmed for me tonight that the Cubs are down the road in discussions with the Detroit Tigers to send Matt Garza to the Motor City in exchange for a package of prospects.  The Cubs are currently in the middle …

MLB to make TV, timing decisions on new playoff games  —  MLB this week during owners meetings in Arizona will wrestle with the mechanics of inserting an additional round of playoffs into the 2012 schedule, including how to televise the extra games.  —  The league and MLB Players Association in November …

The Met Who Blames Everything on the Wilpons  —  It's really sad to see what the Mets have become: A great franchise, on the biggest stage in sports, is now a laughingstock.  Ownership is trying to turn the Mets, a big-market franchise, into a small-market franchise.  That's not just sad, it's disgusting.

Kendrick, Angels agree to $33.5M, 4-year deal  —  ANAHEIM, Calif. — All-Star second baseman Howie Kendrick agreed to a $33.5 million, four-year contract with the Los Angeles Angels on Monday, passing up a chance to hit the free-agent market after next season.

SOURCE: AARON COOK, RED SOX AGREE TO DEAL  —  According to multiple industry sources, the Red Sox have agreed to terms with free agent starting pitcher Aaron Cook on a minor league deal, pending a physical.  The 32-year-old right-hander is expected to compete for one of the final spots in the Sox' rotation in 2012.