Pos-itive Royals thoughts  —  WARNING: The following column contains blatantly positive comments about the Kansas City Royals, including compliments of the Glass family, continuing belligerent optimism about the Gil Meche signing and a closer look at how general manager Dayton Moore intends …

In search of bat, O's make Huff an offer  —  Still looking to add an impact bat to the middle of their lineup, the Orioles made a contract offer yesterday to Aubrey Huff, one of the most accomplished players left on the free- agent market.  —  Exact details of the contract offer are unknown …

Dice-K is already pitching for Sox — in Japanese ads  —  Team hopes to exploit star's power to gain marketing clout over there  —  Newly minted Red Sox hurler Daisuke Matsuzaka donned a Red Sox uniform to make his latest pitch in Japan.  —  The Japanese baseball star, also known as …

Howard fires agent; new deal could come soon  —  In what could be a significant move in the pursuit of a big payday, Phillies first baseman Ryan Howard has dismissed agent Larry Reynolds.  —  According to the Phillies, Howard, who won the 2006 National League MVP in his first full season, is looking for new representation.

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Big wish: Yankees, D'backs near Johnson trade  —  Randy Johnson's brief stay in New York could end as soon as today.  —  A baseball official who spoke with one of the teams involved yesterday said a trade that would send Johnson from the Yankees back to the Arizona Diamondbacks was nearing its completion.

Murcer recovering from surgery, watches bowl game  —  NEW YORK — Former New York Yankees player Bobby Murcer watched the Independence Bowl from his Houston hospital bed after surgery to remove a brain tumor.  —  Murcer, now a Yankees broadcaster, was alert and joking with staff and family members …

Marlins' Ramirez strains left shoulder  —  NL Rookie of the Year should be ready for Spring Training  —  MIAMI — National League Rookie of the Year Hanley Ramirez experienced a shoulder injury while playing Winter League ball in the Dominican Republic.  —  After being examined on Friday …

Assessing baseball's offseason  —  Well, I hope that was fun for everybody.  —  Free agency isn't really over until the last owner overextends himself, and so the San Francisco Giants ponied up for Barry Zito, and for almost twice what it cost to build the Golden Gate Bridge.

Marlins ink Boone to one-year contract  —  Infielder will back up at first and third and come off bench  —  MIAMI — Scratch the need for a veteran backup, right-handed hitting infielder off the Marlins' shopping list.  —  Quiet for much of the offseason, the Marlins on Friday filled …

Suppan finalizes deal with Brewers  —  Veteran right-hander signs largest deal in club history  —  MILWAUKEE — Jeff Suppan passed a physical Friday morning, formally clearing his path into the Brewers' starting rotation.  —  Suppan and the team came to terms Christmas Eve on a free agent contract …

Candidates using new means to gain votes … Tom Petty made his mark toting a Rickenbacker electric guitar rather than a Louisville Slugger, and he's immortalized in a Hall of Fame in downtown Cleveland, not upstate New York.  But he might as well have been speaking for Cooperstown aspirants everywhere …

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Tribe, Cards, Rangers finalists for free agent Mulder  —  The agent for free agent pitcher Mark Mulder said that the Cleveland Indians, Texas Rangers and St. Louis Cardinals are the three finalists for the injured left-hander, the Cleveland Plain Dealer reported Friday.

Updating David Newhan  —  If David Newhan had to nail down two teams that were his likely employer for 2007, it would be the Cubs and Mets.  —  Not a bad pair to choose from.  —  "I'd say those two are the best bets," he told me earlier today in a phone conversation.