Cubs' Jed Hoyer: Hard to fire David Ross but Craig Counsell hire right move  —  PHOENIX — While Chicago Cubs president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer said firing David Ross was a “very hard decision,” he called the move to bring Craig Counsell on board “the best thing for the fan base.”

JuJu Watkins scores 32 in debut to lead No. 21 USC women past No. 7 Ohio State  —  LAS VEGAS — The JuJu Watkins Era got off to a roaring start.  —  The former Sierra Canyon High star scored 32 points in her college debut, lifting the No. 21 USC women's basketball team to an 83-74 victory …

Press-Telegram Boys Athlete of the Week: Jason Parra, Millikan  —  Parra set a 3-mile course record at Heartwell Park in the Moore League Finals meet.  —  PRESS-TELEGRAM BOYS ATHLETE OF THE WEEK  —  Name: Jason Parra  —  School: Millikan  —  Sport: Cross country  —  Year: Senior

Shohei Ohtani dominates the conversation at the MLB GM Meetings  —  SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Everywhere you looked, every place you turned, everything you heard, and all you could imagine Tuesday, was all about Shohei Ohtani.  —  Ohtani was nowhere in sight.  His agent, Nez Balelo, wasn't available.

Cody Bellinger at top of Yankees' free-agent list to fix 2023 mess  —  SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Yankees higher-ups finally broke their month of silence, which apparently served as a properly protracted moment of silence for a dreadful season that deserves a proper burial.

Votto, Suarez on Blue Jays' radar as search for multiple bats begins  —  The Blue Jays are in search of productive bats.  It's been clear for months the team needs more at the plate, and at the GM Meetings on Tuesday, Ross Atkins offered the clearest look yet at how they plan to make sure that happens in 2024.

Derek Falvey: Twins expect to carry lower payroll in 2024 season  —  The loss of the Diamond Sports Group TV contract means there will be less money to spend than this season, when the team had a record $156 million payroll.  —  SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — When Derek Falvey assessed the Twins roster …

11-7 Bruce Bochy joins Murph and Mac to compare his World Series win with the Rangers to his 2010 World Series victory with the Giants, and says why Bob Melvin was a great hire  —  Bruce Bochy joins Murph and Mac to compare his World Series win with the Rangers to his 2010 World Series victory …

2023 MiLB Free Agents  —  The following are minor league players who have been granted free agency.  Players are granted MiLB free agency after seven years of service, unless they are added to a team's 40-man roster.  There are 573 MiLB free agents that have come across the MLB transactions so far.