Henry makes a pitch  —  Matsuzaka talks frustrating owner  —  The gloves came off yesterday in the Red Sox ' efforts to sign Japanese pitcher Daisuke Matsuzaka, who is facing a Thursday midnight deadline in striking a deal with the Sox, or his rights revert back to his Japanese team, the Seibu Lions.

Rangers, Gagne agree to deal  —  Former All-Star reliever to join Texas pending physical  —  ARLINGTON — The Rangers have agreed to a one-year, $8 million contract with reliever Eric Gagne.  The agreement is pending a physical but the Rangers have already checked out his medical reports and are satisfied that he is healthy again.

Analysis: Need for top-end starter not met  —  Team running out of time to bolster pitching rotation  —  On their way out of Orlando after the winter meetings, members of the Mariners organization said they were down, but not out.  —  "We've made some progress," they said.

YANKS, BOSOX GUN FOR BUC  —  Is there anything the Red Sox and Yankees won't fight over?  Now it's Pirates lefty reliever Mike Gonzalez.  —  While the Red Sox are engaged in the high stakes Daisuke Matsuzaka negotiations that have to be completed by midnight Thursday …

Angels agree to deal with reliever Oliver  —  The Angels, refusing to abandon the concept of a left-hander in the bullpen, signed veteran reliever Darren Oliver to a one-year, $1.5-million contract with a $2-million vesting option for 2008.  —  After going most of 2004 and 2005 without …

METS LUKEWARM ON ZITO & MULDER  —  The Rangers reportedly anted up for Barry Zito yesterday, though the numbers were not disclosed.  But if they ultimately offered six years and around $100 million - an ever-popular prediction - then he will play in Arlington.  —  At least, that's the conclusion the Mets are bracing for.

Iwamura's agent is still playing hardball … ST. PETERSBURG - With only five negotiating days until Friday's midnight deadline, Japanese infielder Akinori Iwamura and the Devil Rays remain far apart.  —  There are significant differences in terms of money and contract structure, as well as philosophy.

Suppan feels unloved  —  A month and a half after winning it all, the Cardinals have found themselves merely finalists for four free-agent starting pitchers whom they targeted, and now they may no longer be in the running for one of their own.  —  The Cardinals were told over the weekend …

Report: Twins to Sign Cirillo  —  The Twins are reportedly expected to sign Jeff Cirillo to a one-year contract later this week, which qualifies as their first major move of the offseason as long as you don't mind stretching the limits of "major move" to include bringing in a 37-year-old bench player.

Free agent Suppan, Pirates still talking  —  Team also negotiating with Japanese pitcher  —  By Dejan Kovacevic, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette  —  The Pirates have not extended a formal contract to free-agent pitcher Jeff Suppan, but they have proposed a two-year deal and are among the handful …

Comeback road  —  Former Montclair Prep star Ortiz goes to Puerto Rico to revive MLB career  —  Russ Ortiz would rather be back home in Arizona with his wife and the twoyoung daughters he hasn't seen nearly enough this year.  Instead, he is spending the winter in Puerto Rico searching …