Maine signs with Red Sox  —  John Maine will have a new team and a new role in 2012.  —  The Boston Red Sox confirmed Friday that they have signed Maine, a North Stafford High School graduate, to a minor-league contract with an invitation to spring training.

Hiroki Kuroda talks about leaving Dodgers, why he chose Yankees  —  Hiroki Kuroda confirmed what Dodgers General Manager Ned Colletti said earlier this month: Colletti remained in contact with his agent until he decided to sign with the New York Yankees three weeks ago.

MLB may still add wild cards in '12  —  Baseball still could add two wild cards for the 2012 season, according to major-league sources.  But to expand the postseason so quickly, the sport must confront a scheduling puzzle that might be impossible to solve.  —  Union and management officials plan …

Picard seeks $83M payback from Mets owners  —  The trustee in the Bernard Madoff case wants a federal judge to order the owners of the New York Mets to fork over $83 million in fictitious profits received in the giant Ponzi scheme without having to wait for a scheduled March trial, new court filings show.

Sources: Penny considering pitching in Japan  —  Veteran right-handed pitcher Brad Penny is weighing an opportunity to pitch in Japan, two baseball sources said Friday.  Penny, 33 and a veteran of 12 seasons in the major leagues, has had discussions with the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks in Japan's Pacific League, sources said.

Scouting reports for the Top 10 Prospects (How to subscribe) … At first glance, the Mariners' 2011 season wasn't much better than the year before, which was arguably the worst in franchise history.  They finished 67-95, the third-worst record in baseball, had a 17-game losing streak and wound …