Outfielder-first baseman signs with Yankees … SANTIAGO, Dominican Republic — The New York Yankees signed Cuban prospect Juan Miranda to a four-year contract worth $2 million, the player told ESPNdeportes.com.  —  The deal, which includes a signing bonus of $500,000 …

Tumbling Dice...Pitcher not yet falling Sox way  —  With Thursday's midnight deadline for signing Daisuke Matsuzaka looming, the Red Sox are in a position of wondering, as one well-placed source said yesterday, whether agent Scott Boras is "running out the clock'' on negotiations.

Pettitte no bargain for Yankees  —  Enough fawning over the Yankees' signing of free-agent left-hander Andy Pettitte.  From the size of the contract to the condition of Pettitte's elbow to the decline in his 2006 performance, the deal is not as attractive as it appears.  —  First, the contract.

Rangers, Lofton close to deal  —  The Rangers, moving to fill their center-field void, are close to signing free-agent center fielder Kenny Lofton, FOXSports.com has learned.  —  The deal, expected to be for one year, would give the Rangers a replacement for Gary Matthews Jr. …

Cards may need time to see all of Carl's files  —  The Cardinals have asked to view Carl Pavano's expansive medical records, according to a report in yesterday's St. Louis Post-Dispatch, a sign that the Yankees might be able to get out from under that albatross of a contract.

Yanks mull Mientkiewicz  —  Doug Mientkiewicz once sparked controversy and drew the Red Sox's ire by trying to keep the ball that ended the Curse of the Bambino in the 2004 World Series.  —  Now Mientkiewicz might incite the Red Sox once again, or at least their fans.

Royals front-office shakeup continues as VP announces departure  —  David Witty is departing the club after 21 years to take a job with the University of Nebraska.  —  The shakeup in the Royals' front office continues to mirror the club's effort to overhaul its on-field roster.

Mesa reaches deal to pitch for Tigers in 19th season … Veteran reliever Jose Mesa has reached preliminary agreement on a one-year contract with the Detroit Tigers that will pay him about $2.5 million, two baseball sources said Sunday.  —  The deal will be completed when Mesa passes a physical exam this week, the sources said.

A chilly reception for the Cards in Orlando  —  Plan A involved a push for Alfonso Soriano and lefthander Randy Wolf.  —  Plan B left them as one of two finalists for Jason Schmidt.  —  Three days after their Disney World winter meetings concluded uneventfully at Lake Buena Vista, Fla., the Cardinals are left to pursue Plan C.

Fehr: Vote for players based on what they did on field … SANTIAGO, Dominican Republic — Donald Fehr doesn't want to tell journalists how to do their jobs, but he hopes that the shadow of alleged steroid use doesn't affect the chances of some to reach the baseball Hall of Fame.

Cubs banking on Marquis revival  —  Inconsistent righty gets 3-year contract  —  The Cubs filled out their rotation when they came to terms with free agent Jason Marquis on a three-year, $21 million deal, gambling that pitching coach Larry Rothschild can revive the enigmatic starter.

Hot Stove: Gonzalez cool through trade storm  —  By Dejan Kovacevic, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette  —  It is easy to imagine how Mike Gonzalez might have taken it all quite personally.  —  The Pirates spent the better part of the week trying to trade him to Atlanta for slugger Adam LaRoche …

Fearing Inflation at the Same Time as Fueling It  —  Two winters ago, after the Dodgers signed the oft-injured outfielder J. D. Drew to a five-year contract worth $55 million, the Los Angeles news media roasted the club's general manager, Paul DePodesta, alongside his order of magic beans.

In Today's Market, Even Ohka May Be Beyond Nats  —  In a normal offseason for a normal major league baseball team, the Washington Nationals' offer of a contract to free agent pitcher Tomo Ohka would make perfect sense.  —  The Nationals are in desperate need of starting pitchers …