Yankees Send Johnson Back to Arizona  —  With every move they make, the Yankees are looking back to go forward.  They traded Randy Johnson to the Arizona Diamondbacks yesterday, effectively returning the pitcher they could not live without just two years ago.

METS MAY MAKE PITCH FOR WEAVER  —  If Jeff Weaver wants to take a second chance at New York, it would have to be on a short-term deal.  And the Mets haven't even decided who they like best in a paltry free-agent market.  —  The Mets are still trying to fill out their starting rotation …

Starting Pitchers Might Be Out of Club's Range  —  At last month's winter meetings, as mind-blowing deals were being brokered in all corners of the baseball world, officials from the Washington Nationals — determined to stick to a plan of not spending on free agents until they believe the club …

Pineiro could assume closer role  —  Sox ink righty, may move veteran starter to ninth-inning role  —  BOSTON — The Red Sox still haven't definitively stated who their closer will be in 2007, but an apparent front-runner has emerged.  This, after Thursday's announcement that Boston …

OF Garcia gets offer; team going after Lopez  —  The Rockies, attempting to improve their bench, offered a minor-league contract to outfielder Karim Garcia on Thursday while intensifying their pursuit of catcher Javy Lopez.  —  Garcia would compete for a bench role as the team attempts …

This Annotated Week in Baseball History: January 1-7, 1992  —  I suppose the typical way to introduce a new column is for the columnist to reveal a bit about himself, give the CV that persuaded the staff here to give the new guy a chance.  My basic qualification is my having spent …

Padres hope to discuss a job with Wells soon  —  Kevin Towers hopes to sit down with David Wells some time next week.  —  "I talked to him three or four days ago," the Padres' general manager said yesterday.  "We have to determine where we go from here."  —  The "we" meaning both the Padres and Wells.

Juiced balls?  Say it ain't so  —  Was Major League Baseball busting at the seams and rotten to the core in 1998?  —  Were 600 Costa Rican factory workers conspiring to make baseballs fly farther?  —  Was the ball juiced, or were the players juiced?  Or both?

Yanks envision a hoss in Ross  —  One scout at the Princeton-Old Dominion game clocked the ball that struck Ross Ohlendorf above the right elbow as traveling 106 mph coming off the bat.  Ohlendorf, pitching a few years ago in a marquee game against ODU star Justin Verlander that attracted …

Peavy arrested at Mobile Airport  —  MOBILE, Ala. (AP) — San Diego Padres pitcher Jake Peavy was arrested and charged with disorderly conduct Thursday at Mobile Regional Airport.  —  The 25-year-old Mobile native was taken to the Mobile County Metro Jail shortly before 7 a.m. and was released …

Who's on deck?  —  Unless Jeff Weaver is your idea of a big-time free agent, we're sliding into the New Year plum out of them.  Unless, that is, you want to wait around for Roger Clemens to make up his mind about playing.  Again.  —  But it's never too early for next winter.

O's don't rock house, but make progress  —  I believe it was the ancient philosopher, Mick Jagger, who eloquently preached the value of pragmatism in all things, a lesson that seems quite relevant as the Orioles complete their latest offseason rebuilding effort.

Conversions to designated hitter and their applicability to Jose Vidro's suckiness  —  I've been trying to find comps for Vidro's conversion.  Ideally there'd be a guy named Joe Victor, a good-hitting 32-year old shortstop who got banged up for a few years and converted to DH in 2004.  Yeah.