Haren's Ideal for Mets, but A's Are Smart Enough To Know This  —  It's been a quiet off-season for the Mets so far, which is an entirely good thing in a ridiculously overheated market.  Aside from bringing back a few useful veterans and signing Moises Alou to the Cliff Floyd memorial roster spot …

Source: Pettitte to Yankees with one-year, $16M deal  —  Many thought Andy Pettitte should have never left New York.  It looks like that issue has been rectified.  —  The left-hander and the Yankees have reached an agreement on a one-year deal that will pay him $16 million in 2007 …

Royals reach preliminary agreement with Dotel  —  KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Reliever Octavio Dotel and the Kansas City Royals reached a preliminary agreement Friday on a $5 million, one-year contract.  —  Dotel's deal allows him to earn about $2.5 million in performance bonuses based on games finished.

Sometimes, madness is appropriate  —  Yes, at first glance, it seems a little — what's the word here? — let us say "surprising" that the Royals gave pitcher Gil Meche a five-year, $55 million deal.  However, upon closer inspection, it seems clear that ...  OK, whoa, whoa, let's slow down a little bit.

Case Closed: Bonds re-signs with Giants  —  LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. — The Cardinals insisted Thursday they weren't Barry Bonds' "mystery team."  —  But for a short while during this week's winter meetings, they were a mildly intrigued team before the slugger wound up re-signing with the San Francisco Giants late Thursday.

The Rumors Just Keep On Coming  —  As we close up the Winter Meetings Mill, there's still some unfinished business that teams leave Orlando with.  Lots of free agents remain to be signed, and the trade discussions that started here will be finished later.  No team completed its winter makeover …

Seattle Mariners  —  Baseball America's Top 10 Prospects lists are based on projections of a player's long-term worth after discussions with scouting and player-development personnel.  All players who haven't exceeded the major league rookie standards of 130 at-bats or 50 innings pitched (without regard to service time) are eligible.

Report: Dodgers could file tampering charge  —  The Boston Red Sox might still view the New York Yankees as the Evil Empire.  But other Major League Baseball people apparently think of the Red Sox as a team that can operate outside of the rules, according to a report in The New York Times.

No Major Moves, Two Minor Ones  —  Nationals Still Shopping Church; Team Picks Up Catcher, Pitcher in Rule 5 Draft  —  Washington Nationals General Manager Jim Bowden all but sprinted from the Walt Disney World Dolphin resort late Thursday morning, acting fidgety and eager to vacate a spot where …

Payroll is lower, but key deals still linger  —  White Sox general manager Ken Williams has kept the club ahead of the financial curve, but important decisions are ahead.  —  Trading right-hander Freddy Garcia to Philadelphia has lowered the Sox's 2007 player payroll obligations to about $84 million for 14 players.

Cashman to A-Rod: 'We love you'  —  GM meets with slugger's agent to express support  —  LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. — Yankees general manager Brian Cashman sent a strong message to Alex Rodriguez in a long dinner meeting Wednesday night with agent Scott Boras: "We love you, and you're not going anywhere.''

Villone declines Yanks' arbitration offer  —  Reliever wants to play in New York, but keeping options open  —  NEW YORK — Ron Villone declined the Yankees' arbitration offer Thursday, leaving the left-hander available on the free-agent market.  —  Villone, who returned Thursday from a 12 …