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 …

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.

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.

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) …

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 …

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.

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.

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 …

Jose Bautista's drug testing seems something less than random  —  It's from the Dominican newspaper Hoy.  And because I forgot all that Spanish I knew 20 years ago, I'm using Google translate to read it.  —  But the upshot: Bautista spoke at a banquet the other night and noted that in the past two years …

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 …

Reds, Masset Sign Extension  —  The Reds signed arbitration eligible reliever Nick Masset to a two-year extension, the team announced (on Twitter).  As MLBTR's Arbitration Tracker shows, Masset had filed for a $2.9MM salary through arbitration, while the Reds had countered with $2.1MM.

Cardinals sign Motte to one-year contract  —  ST. LOUIS — Compromise can be a beautiful thing.  Jason Motte and the Cardinals reached agreement Wednesday on a one-year contract for 2012, avoiding arbitration.  —  The deal is worth $1.95 million, according to CBSSports.com …

St. Louis Cardinals' Carlos Beltran tells Met fans: Time to get over 2006 and move on  —  New Cardinal says he has moved on from NLCS failure  —  Carlos Beltran strikes out to end Mets hopes in Game 7 of NLCS against Cardinals, and now that he has joined St. Louis he says it's time for fans to get over it.

Teams said to have interest in Rangers' Uehara  —  ARLINGTON — The Rangers are still drawing considerable interest from other teams in reliever Koji Uehara, according to a Major League source.  —  A trade to the Blue Jays fell through when Uehara exercised his no-trade clause, and the Orioles have shown interest.