Gwynn anxiously awaiting official call  —  For most of the past week, Tony Gwynn has been fielding calls from well-wishers.  —  "It's flattering," said Gwynn on the eve of the announcement of his Hall of Fame vote.  "Everyone thinks it is a forgone conclusion . . . that I'm in."

Mulder's time in St. Louis may be marked over  —  This is the week that could help define the defending world champion St. Louis Cardinals in 2007: Free-agent pitcher Mark Mulder will decide whether he will pitch this summer for the Cardinals, Texas or Cleveland by Wednesday or Thursday, his agent, Gregg Clifton, said Monday.

Randy Johnson Isn't Dead Yet  —  It's all but final, but Randy Johnson is headed back to Arizona after two disappointing years in the Big Apple.  It's not that Johnson pitched poorly; he won 17 games each year, and while his 5.00 ERA in 2006 was bad, it was in a league with an average ERA of 4.56.

Mailbag: Evaluating the signing of Fick  —  Nationals beat reporter Bill Ladson answers fans' questions … Do you think the signing of Robert Fick was a good move?  He said he feels he can get at least 300 at-bats this year.  — Jason D., Tustin, Calif.

The Path to Cooperstown Through the Middle Infield  —  This afternoon, the baseball writers will announce their votes for the Hall of Fame.  One middle infielder, Cal Ripken, will surely be inducted.  Three others—Alan Trammell, Dave Concepcion, and Tony Fernandez—are on the ballot.

Littlefield: Trade for bat still possible  —  By Dejan Kovacevic, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette  —  They are, without question, the burning questions of the Pirates' still-sleepy offseason:  —  Will they acquire that coveted left-handed power bat?  —  And might it be Atlanta Braves first baseman Adam LaRoche?

Karim Garcia chooses Phillies  —  Less depth and a chance to be closer to his young son motivated Karim Garcia to agree to a minor-league deal with Philadelphia on Monday, rather than the Rockies.  —  Garcia, 31, has spent the past two seasons in Japan, but caught scouts' eyes with his strong play in Mexico this winter.

Barrett learning from a Cubs great  —  Current Chicago backstop training with former catcher Davis  —  Michael Barrett was talking to former Cubs catcher Jody Davis about how he wanted to be able to start 130 games in the upcoming 2007 season.  —  Davis just laughed.

Bucs conduct informal workouts  —  Manager Jim Tracy didn't see the need for a structured minicamp this offseason, so the Pirates yesterday began holding informal workouts at PNC Park.  —  "You've got to give (the players) some rope," Tracy said Monday.  "I want them to be very, very fresh on Feb. 16."

How a DirecTV-only Deal Could Impact Extra Innings  —  I'm probably not very popular with MLB today.  It's ironic in the sense that I've recently received a couple of emails in which there were claims that Selig must be my "hero".  OK, for the most part I've been happy with MLB.

Drew Is a Red Sox in Waiting ... and Waiting  —  J. D. Drew could not be reached for comment yesterday.  He changed his telephone number or had a problem with his phone service, because the automated message said his number had been disconnected or was not in service.

White Sox GM stands by Uribe  —  Williams confident shortstop will be cleared of charges  —  After sorting through the seemingly ever-changing information concerning Juan Uribe and his ongoing legal troubles in the Dominican Republic, White Sox general manager Kenny Williams reiterated his strong support for the embattled shortstop.

Mailbag: Does Trachsel fit with team?  —  Beat reporter Marty Noble tackles Mets fans' questions  —  With the current state of the market for starting pitchers and the Mets in need of a starter, what are your thoughts of bringing back Steve Trachsel?  If the front office truly is considering …

Jason Johnson to pitch in Japan next season  —  The free-agent market is thriving even for struggling pitchers headed to Japan.  —  Right-hander Jason Johnson, who was 3-12 with a 6.35 ERA with three clubs last season, has agreed to a one-year, $3 million contract with the Seibu Lions, FOXSports.com has learned.

Griffey's broken hand healing as expected  —  CINCINNATI — Ken Griffey Jr.'s broken left hand is healing as expected, and the Cincinnati Reds will have a better idea in about 10 days whether it will interfere with spring training.  —  Griffey had the hand X-rayed over the weekend in Orlando, Fla., where he lives in the offseason.

Santana has a no-trade clause  —  Much has been made of the Twins' seemingly bleak chances, for financial reasons, of retaining Johan Santana when he becomes eligible for free agency following the 2008 season.  By winning his second Cy Young Award last season, it turns out the left-hander's market value …