Blue Jays brass talks playoffs  —  TORONTO— From Tuesday's Globe and Mail  —  You think Paul Beeston was dreaming when he talked Monday about getting grass to grow at a baseball-specific Rogers Centre?  —  That's nothing.  It turns out he envisions the Toronto Blue Jays in the playoffs two or three times in the next five years.

Tribe acquires Canzler from Tampa Bay  —  Youngster offers right-handed bat, alternative at first base  —  CLEVELAND — The Indians have added an intriguing bat to the Spring Training mix.  —  On Tuesday, Cleveland acquired first baseman Russ Canzler from Tampa Bay in exchange for cash considerations.

Pirates catching prospect Sanchez injured in offseason scuffle  —  Tony Sanchez, the Pirates' top catcher prospect, again got into hot water with the team when he sustained a broken jaw in a bar brawl earlier this offseason.  —  Sources told the Tribune-Review the fight happened …

Source: Yankees hire Jim Hendry  —  Former Chicago Cubs general manager Jim Hendry has been hired by the New York Yankees as a special assistant to GM Brian Cashman, according to a major league source.  —  Hendry, who was the Cubs GM from 2002 to 2011, was let go by chairman Tom Ricketts after two straight fifth-place finishes.

Source: Mets to sell 10 shares of team  —  The Mets expect to sell 10 minority shares of the team by the end of February, a person familiar with the process said Monday.  The units, priced at $20 million each, would raise $200 million for the cash-strapped franchise and be used to pay existing loans and operating expenses for 2012.

Stark: NL Central suddenly has an identity crisis  —  Prince, Pujols and La Russa are gone, and Brewers could lose Braun for first 50 games  —  It isn't exactly true that every time Prince Fielder moves, the entire earth wobbles.  But it's 100 percent true that when Fielder signed his monstrous nine-year …

Edwin Jackson likely to land one-year deal; hurts Orioles chances in sweepstakes  —  Right-handed pitcher Edwin Jackson, the best free agent remaining on the market, is much more likely to accept a one-year deal and test free agency again after the 2012 season than to ink a multi-year contract, according to an industry source.

Phils bolster bullpen with veteran righty Qualls  —  PHILADELPHIA — The Phillies wanted more bullpen depth, so on Tuesday they signed right-hander Chad Qualls to a one-year, $1.15 million contract.  —  Qualls is expected to join a bullpen that could include Jonathan Papelbon, Jose Contreras …

The Knuckleball Mystique: Using PITCHf/x to Distinguish Perception from Reality  —  Believe it or not, most of our writers didn't enter the world sporting an @baseballprospectus.com address; with a few exceptions, they started out somewhere else.  In an effort to up your reading pleasure …

Hamels deserves big money from Phillies  —  Virtually all contracts are defensible, even ones that don't turn out so well.  —  Philadelphia Phillies general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. had his reasons for awarding a monster extension to first baseman Ryan Howard and massive free-agent deals …

Yankees considering bringing in Bill Hall as super utility man, righthanded bat off bench  —  Bombers eye ex-Astro, Giant as infielder  —  Bill Hall (l.) could slide into a Yankee uniform this offseason.  —  The Yankees have engaged in discussions with free agent Bill Hall about a possible utility role …

Giants ready for huge crowds at FanFest  —  SAN FRANCISCO — Like an accomplished hitter, the Giants will strive to use the whole field to facilitate crowd control at Saturday's FanFest.  —  Last year's event frustrated thousands of fans who spent their day at AT&T Park waiting in lines to see the then-reigning World Series champions.

Amaro eyes May return for Howard  —  Phils GM, Manuel weigh in on several pressing topics  —  PHILADELPHIA — Compared to recent winters in Philadelphia, this winter hasn't felt much like one at all, but Spring Training is still coming.  —  Phillies pitchers and catchers hold their first official workout in just 20 days.