Arizona Holding Hope While Holding the Line  —  The last time the Arizona Diamondbacks took a chance on Randy Johnson, they were a second-year expansion team that soared to the playoffs in 1999.  They won a championship in 2001 and ultimately fell into financial ruin.

Sox sign Cintron to one-year deal  —  Infielder avoids arbitration with $1.9 million contract  —  Joe Crede became the White Sox lone remaining arbitration eligible player of originally seven possible candidates when infielder Alex Cintron agreed to a one-year, $1.9 million contract on Wednesday.

A Marriage Is a Partnership, Except in Baseball  —  On the Ilitch Holdings Web site, Marian Ilitch is listed as the company's vice chairwoman.  Among the 15 "companies and venues" listed and described are the Detroit Tigers.  A visitor to the site could easily conclude that Marian Ilitch is an officer …

The Suppan Signing  —  Usually, the baseball world shuts down for a few days around Christmas, but not this year.  On the 23rd, we had the White Sox/Rangers deal.  On Christmas Day, rumors about a possible Randy Johnson trade were the rage, especially here in New York.

Court: Feds may use drug testing data from 2003  —  SAN FRANCISCO — Government investigators are entitled to the names and urine samples of about 100 Major League Baseball players who tested positive for illegal drug use in 2003, a federal appeals court ruled Wednesday.

Chris Brown, infielder in the '80s, dies after house fire  —  HOUSTON (AP) — Chris Brown, a third baseman who played six seasons in the majors in the 1980s, died Tuesday, nearly a month after he was burned in a fire at his home outside Houston.  He was 45.  —  He died at Memorial Hermann Hospital.

Rivera undergoes surgery on broken leg  —  ANAHEIM, Calif. — Angels outfielder Juan Rivera had surgery Wednesday to repair the left leg he broke playing winter ball in Venezuela last week.  —  Orthopaedic surgeon Dr. Michael Abrahams operated on Rivera in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. …

Royals hit hard early in 2006  —  Health problems contributed to third straight 100-loss season  —  Ah, those fresh winter days of January when eager faces are peering in the frosty windows and looking toward those balmy days of Spring Training and new hope.

Gwynn recalls father as big day nears  —  With Hall beckoning, outfielder thinks of his mentor  —  SAN DIEGO — The void is still there and will be always.  At his son's wedding last month, on the day he smacked his 3,000th hit, on the day he homered at Yankee Stadium in Game 1 of the 1998 World Series …

Injuries weighed down Brewers in 2006  —  Milwaukee finished in fourth place in the NL Central race  —  When Brewers manager Ned Yost looks back at 2006, a couple of numbers jump immediately to mind:  —  Six and 17.  —  That was the Brewers' record in games started by replacements …

Brewers Heat Up January With The Winter Warm-Up  —  Selig, '82 Brewers stars highlight second annual event  —  MILWAUKEE - On Thursday, January 11 at Miller Park's .300 Club, the Milwaukee Brewers will host the team's Second Annual Winter Warm-Up, an event that will serve as the official preview for the team's upcoming season.