Sox make 'really strong' offer to Lowell … ORLANDO — While they are not sending out any take-it-or-leave-it signals to his camp, the Red Sox [team stats] made a three-year guaranteed offer to third baseman Mike Lowell, that one club source described yesterday as "really strong."

11 free agents in Mitchell report  —  ORLANDO — Player agents who attended yesterday's union meeting in New York were told that 11 current free agent players are named in the George Mitchell report on the use of performance-enhancing drugs in baseball, which could come out sometime around …

Astros acquire Bourn, Costanzo, Geary from Philadelphia  —  Phillies receive Lidge, Bruntlett  —  HOUSTON, TX — The Houston Astros today acquired outfielder Michael Bourn, third baseman Michael Costanzo, and right-handed pitcher Geoff Geary from the Philadelphia Phillies in exchange …

Cabrera's status a hot topic at meetings  —  LIKE THIS STORY?  —  ORLANDO, Fla. - The Marlins are almost certain to trade third baseman Miguel Cabrera.  The question is where.  —  The Cabrera talks intensified at the general managers' meetings on Wednesday, with the Angels emerging as a particularly intriguing possibility.

Twins seem willing to part with pitching  —  The team has plenty of good, young arms, so teams such as the Padres and Devil Rays might deal talented hitters.  —  ORLANDO - The San Diego Padres are one of several teams that have expressed interest in the Twins' young starting pitchers this week at the general managers meetings.

Rockies make it clear: Atkins is their man  —  ORLANDO, Fla. — So much for the curiosity about who's on third for the Rockies.  —  General manager Dan O'Dowd, admitting there have been inquiries from other teams about third baseman Garrett Atkins, said Wednesday he has declined to get involved in trade discussions.

Torre to recall Yankees years in new memoir  —  NEW YORK (AP) — Joe Torre, named last week as manager of the Los Angeles Dodgers after ending a 12-year reign with the New York Yankees, is working on a memoir.  —  The book, currently untitled, will be co-authored by Sports Illustrated's Tom Verducci …

O Captain!  My Captain!  Rise up and Hear the Bells  —  Dave Pinto over at Baseball Musings just posted his Probabilistic Model of Range for Shortstops in the 2007 season.  This year Dave worked out the models both by team and by individual.  I've listed his findings below.

Park Returns to Dodgers  —  With his Major League Baseball (MLB) career hanging by a thread, Park Chan-ho is heading back to where the magic all started.  —  The 33-year-old South Korean said Thursday he signed a contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers, where he started his Major League career in 1994 …

Baseball Coaches to Wear Head Protection  —  ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — General managers decided Thursday that first- and third-base coaches will wear some sort of head protection during games next season, an action taken four months after Mike Coolbaugh was killed when he was struck in the neck by a line drive.

Nothing on the front burner  —  I talked an hour or so ago with Doug Melvin, who was at the airport in Orlando, waiting to return from the general managers' meetings there.  Melvin said he had no trades imminent after talking with other GMs for four days.  —  "I had conversations with a lot of clubs," he said.

Starting pitcher, catcher among the Mets' needs  —  The Mets are coming off the worst collapse in regular-season history — they blew a seven-game lead with 17 games to play — so it's safe to say, there isn't much joy in Flushing this offseason.  —  The Mets have the biggest payroll …