HE MIGHT BE STAY-ROD  —  LONG SHOT ARBITRATION SCHEME COULD KEEP ALEX IN BRONX  —  The last tiny, but real, lifeline between the Yankees and Alex Rodriguez still exists - arbitration.  —  When asked last weekend if the Yanks would offer arbitration to Rodriguez, GM Brian Cashman said, "of course."

Yankees want Miguel Cabrera, won't trade big three pitchers  —  LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. - If the Yankees want Miguel Cabrera to succeed Alex Rodriguez as their third baseman, it's going to cost them.  —  Brian Cashman met with the Marlins at about 6 p.m. last night at the GM meetings.

Mets covet pitching most, not A-Rod  —  The Mets have their sites set on improving their pitching, and Red Sox reliever Eric Gagne is among those they could sign this offseason.  (Getty Images Photo)  —  ORLANDO, Fla. - As of dinnertime last night, the Mets had yet to meet with Scott Boras …

Phillies looking at Japanese pitching star  —  ORLANDO, Fla. - Curt Schilling may not have been the Phillies' No. 1 choice to address their desperate need to add a starting pitcher, but the news that he opted to remain with the Boston Red Sox hit the team harder than they probably wanted to let on.

White Sox, SS Uribe agree to $4.5M deal  —  CHICAGO (AP) — Juan Uribe and the White Sox agreed Wednesday to a $4.5 million, one-year contract that keeps the slick-fielding shortstop in Chicago.  —  Although he ranked second among AL shortstops in home runs (20) and fielding percentage (.976) this year, Uribe had a difficult season.

Huntington fills out front-office staff  —  New Pirates GM hires key personnel to manage farm system  —  PITTSBURGH — Continuing to fill critical personnel vacancies, general manager Neal Huntington filled out his baseball operations team by naming the organization's farm director …

Notebook: Baseball GMs approve replay for home runs  —  ORLANDO, Fla. - Baseball's general managers sent their strongest message yet to Bud Selig that they want instant replay.  But developments in the game progress at "glacier-like movement," Major League Baseball executive vice president Jimmie Lee Solomon …

A-Rod who?  David Wright wins Gold Glove  —  LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. - David Wright deserves all kinds of praise for his 2007 season, but winning a Gold Glove Award at third base?  That apparently even surprised the Mets.  —  Wright and Carlos Beltran both were awarded Gold Gloves Tuesday …

Johnny D arrives  —  ORLANDO — Johnny Damon just pulled up to the hotel here at the GM Meetings in his brand new Ferrari.  He said he met with new Yankees' manager Joe Girardi and general manager Brian Cashman and received assurances that he would be the Yankee left fielder next season.

Indians exercise Byrd option, not good judgment  —  By now, it is obvious that the folks who own and operate Major League Baseball franchises could not give a fat rat's behind about past use of performance-enhancing drugs.  No matter what George Mitchell and his band of merry barristers uncover …

Rocks' focus: contracts  —  ORLANDO, FLA. — As trade talk began to percolate at the general managers meetings, the Rockies' focus shifted Tuesday to contracts.  —  Colorado has made two-year offers to second baseman Kazuo Matsui and catcher Yorvit Torrealba and settled on the multiyear proposal …

Surveying the offseason landscape … ORLANDO, Fla. — The 15-day free-agent filing period still is in effect, so Major League Baseball's general managers are devoting their annual meetings to trade talks, surveying the landscape, and fraternal bonding in the shadow of Disney World.

The sorrow and the pity: a Bronx tale  —  Admit it, now that the World Series trophy has paraded through every Middlesex village and farm.  You are starting to feel a little sorry for them.  The New York Yankees, I mean.  —  Truth be told, they are pathetic.

Braves admit it: They want Glavine  —  GM Wren says team will likely fill centerfield void through trade, not free agency  —  The Braves finally acknowledged the worst-kept secret in baseball: Yes, they want to bring home Tom Glavine for a second stint in their starting rotation.

Washington Nationals: Top 10 Prospects … t's a measure of just how low expectations were for the Nationals in 2007 that they won 73 games and finished 16 games out of first place, yet Manny Acta garnered manager-of-the-year consideration for getting his team to overachieve in his first year at the helm.