Orioles set to trade Guthrie to Rockies  —  Team would receive right-handers Hammel, Lindstrom in return for top starter  —  The Orioles are near an agreement on a trade that would send the club's most accomplished starter, right-hander Jeremy Guthrie, to the Colorado Rockies for two players …

Toughest call of his career is on Varitek's plate  —  Jason Varitek is trying to make a very tough decision.  —  “He's deliberating what he wants to do,” said his agent, Scott Boras.  —  And that deliberation has to include the very difficult reality of possible retirement.

Cardinals sign veteran infielder Alex Cora  —  ST. LOUIS  • The Cardinals and utility fielder Alex Cora have agreed on a minor-league deal that will allow the veteran to serve as both competition and mentor for the club's group of less-experienced infielders.

Nationals sign Rick Ankiel to minors deal  —  The Nationals have signed free-agent OF Rick Ankiel to a minor league contract, according to Amanda Comak of the Washington Times.  —  Last weekend, Andy Martino of the Daily News said the Mets were looking at Ankiel, Kosuke Fukudome, Raul Ibanez …

Source: Hong-Chih Kuo joins Mariners  —  The Seattle Mariners have signed former Dodgers left-hander Hong-Chih Kuo to a one-year deal.  —  Kuo signed a major league contract and will be added to the Mariners' 40-man roster.  —  A source told ESPN.com that Kuo has passed his physical …

Jocketty: Nothing new on Oswalt  —  The Reds reportedly are one of the teams right-hander Roy Oswalt is considering, but the sides have had no contact in nearly a week and the Reds would have to juggle the budget to make a deal possible.  —  “We had discussions with them a while ago,” Reds general manager Walt Jocketty said.

A Note On Access And The Mets  —  I thought I ought to pass along this bit of news, so all of you have a sense of what the blog will and won't be this coming year, and why that is.  —  Since taking over the LoHud Mets Blog in March 2011, I have been credentialed numerous times …

10 things I didn't know about one-hitters  —  My last column here at THT was on the men least likely to break up a full-length (nine innings pitched or more) no-hitter by getting their team's sole hit of the day.  In all, I looked up nearly 1,000 games from 1919 onward to produce that list.

Rays managing ballpark situation well  —  It's impossible not to admire how the Tampa Bay Rays are handling their stadium situation.  —  They've said almost nothing publicly, taking the high road and letting the politicians do the talking.  Instead, they're working behind the scenes …

If Frank McCourt's L.A. Dodgers go for $2 billion, Fred Wilpon's NY Mets could be worth more  —  Franchise values in baseball are about to take a quantum leap  —  Frank McCourt seen here in happier times as the L.A. Dodgers introduce Joe Torre as skipper in 2007.

Sox's Peavy: 'I'm as 100 percent as I can be'  —  Right-hander's goal is at least 30 starts, 200 innings  —  White Sox pitcher Jake Peavy grimaces during a terrible first inning against Minnesota.  (Stacey Wescott / Tribune Photo)  —  Ask Jake Peavy whether he is 100 percent healthy for this season and this is the answer you get:

Braves unveil new logo, alternate jerseys  —  ATLANTA — The Braves will begin wearing an alternate jersey that looks much like the ones Hank Aaron and Eddie Mathews wore when they helped introduce Major League Baseball to Atlanta.  —  There will be a nostalgic feeling in the air this year …