Kershaw, Dodgers agree on two-year deal  —  Avert arbitration hearing with NL Cy Young Award winner  —  LOS ANGELES — Before handing over the Dodgers in a court-supervised sale by April 30, owner Frank McCourt on Tuesday handed over a two-year, $19 million contract to National League Cy Young Award winner Clayton Kershaw.

Beane to Be Athletics' G.M. Through 2019, Wolff Says  —  General Manager Billy Beane and President Michael Crowley will remain with the Oakland Athletics through the 2019 season, club owner Lew Wolff said today in an interview with Bloomberg Television's “Bloomberg West.”

Sources: Rangers, Andrus agree on deal  —  The Texas Rangers reached agreement Tuesday on a three-year contract with shortstop Elvis Andrus, according to major league sources.  —  The deal, which will cover all three of Andrus' arbitration years, is expected to be in the $14 million to $15 million range.

Yankees want to keep Chavez, add DH  —  The Yankees claim they have just a small amount of money left to spend this offseason, but yet they retain big plans on how they want to use it.  —  The perception has been that the Yankees have less than $2 million to sign a lefty-swinging designated hitter …

Gordon, Royals appear close on one-year deal  —  The Royals appear close to an agreement with left fielder Alex Gordon on a one-year contract that would eliminate the need for a Feb. 16 arbitration hearing in Tampa, Fla.  —  Gordon, who turns 28 on Friday, filed an arbitration request for $5.45 million …

Yankees catcher Russell Martin touts the addition of Hiroki Kuroda to Bombers rotation  —  Says righthander is talented, clutch . . . and really funny  —  Veteran righty Hiroki Kuroda can handle pressure of New York, says Yankee catcher and former Dodger teammate Russell Martin.

Cardinals beginning to gather  —  JUPITER, Fla. — More than a week remains until pitchers and catchers officially report to spring training, but the defending world champions have already begun to assemble at Roger Dean Stadium.  —  Adam Wainwright, Kyle McClellan, Lance Lynn …

A Declaration of Lin Dependence  —  Harvard graduates have spent the last 300 years conquering the Manhattan job market.  They've been doctors and lawyers and bankers and senators.  One of them, however, did something this week that they've never managed to do before.  He saved the Knicks' season.

Weighting is the Hardest Part  —  To access the 2012 PECOTA spreadsheet, click here. … —T.S. Eliot, The Waste Land  —  PECOTA has arrived.  —  BP's projection system, at its core, follows the same basic principles as it has before.  We begin with our baseline projections …