Bailey avoids arbitration with one-year contract  —  BOSTON — The Red Sox have avoided salary arbitration with Andrew Bailey by signing the closer to a one-year, $3.9 million contract, according to a baseball source.  —  The deal, which includes $100,000 in incentives, was first reported by CBS Sports' Jon Heyman.

Inbox: How will Feliz fare as a starter?  —  Beat reporter T.R. Sullivan answers Rangers fans' questions  —  Do you think Neftali Feliz can put up similar numbers this season as a starter that he did his first couple of seasons as a closer?  Two hundred innings would put him in Derek Holland/Matt Garza territory.

In the Book  —  Baseball Prospectus 2012 has some really cool stuff, including  — in-depth coverage of over 1600 players  — a Ken Tremendous/Michael Schur foreword  — Rookie of the Year co-editors King Kaufman (who also wrote the foreword to Best of Baseball Prospectus Vol 1) …

Orioles may find fit with players represented by agent Scott Boras  —  So the Prince Fielder truck rolled along I-95 without ever stopping on the interstate.  —  Well, that doesn't mean the Orioles can't get on the Scott Boras Free Agent Bandwagon before spring training starts.

Terry McGuirk discusses Braves' payroll, ownership, TV deals  —  The Braves have set a player payroll budget of $94 million for this year, leaving them with several million dollars still to spend, the team's chairman and CEO said.  —  Terry McGuirk, in a wide-ranging interview …

MLB Declares Yoenis Cespedes A Free Agent  —  The bidding for Yoenis Cespedes can begin.  —  Major League Baseball informed teams today that Cespedes, a 26-year-old Cuban outfielder, is now a free agent.  Cespedes recently received his Dominican residency, a prerequisite for MLB to declare …

Nationals To Sign Brad Lidge  —  The Nationals have agreed to sign free agent right-hander Brad Lidge to a one-year deal, the team announced.  Jim Salisbury of CSNPhilly.com tweets that Lidge will earn $1MM plus incentives.  MLB.com's Bill Ladson reported the agreement via Twitter after Salisbury first tweeted that a deal was close.

Breaking down MLB.com's Top 100 Prospects  —  MLB.com's first Top 100 Prospects list is now, as they said in “Mission: Impossible,” out in the open.  Now the fun is just beginning.  —  The whole purpose of this kind of list is to get people talking, arguing, pushing and shoving.  OK, not that last part.

No room for Isringhausen in Mets' bullpen  —  Mets on Twitter  —  It doesn't appear there is going to be room in the Mets' retooled bullpen for Jason Isringhausen.  —  Sources said the team “hasn't ruled anything out,” but they don't expect him back.  —  “There probably isn't a fit for him here,” another source said.

Rockies and RHP Rafael Betancourt Agree on Contract Extension  —  Two-Year Contract Includes Option for 2014  —  The Colorado Rockies announced today that the club has agreed to terms on a contract extension with right-handed relief pitcher Rafael Betancourt through 2013, with an option for 2014.

Rays close to deal with INF Jeff Keppinger  —  The Rays are closing in on a deal with INF Jeff Keppinger.  —  If negotiations are completed and he passes his physical it is likely to be announced by the end of the week.  —  Keppinger, 31, split last season between the Astros and Giants …

Wedge leaning toward moving Ichiro in lineup  —  Ackley an option to replace veteran in leadoff spot  —  Ichiro Suzuki, who has been entrenched atop the Mariners' lineup since arriving in Seattle in 2001, could find his name penciled in the lineup card in a place other than leadoff next season …

Angels have offer out to Ayala; nothing imminent  —  The Angels are one of “a handful of teams” that have tendered a formal offer to Luis Ayla, but a source familiar with the negotiations said the free-agent reliever is still weighing his options and a decision is not imminent.

Sox to wear 1972 red throwback uniforms for Sunday home games  —  When Detroit and newly acquired slugger Prince Fielder come to U.S. Cellular Field in mid-April, the White Sox will counter with memories of former slugger Dick Allen.  —  The Sox announced Wednesday they will wear …

New Cubs pitching coach old-school  —  Nothing too fancy, Bosio just wants pitchers to get guys out  —  Pitcher Kerry Wood waves to the crowd at the Cubs Convention.  (Chris Sweda / Tribune Photo)  —  If you believe that printouts from Carmine II or Big (Cubbie) Blue …