Mets acquire catcher Johnny Estrada  —  The Mets have landed a catcher - but this one might not be around long either.  As a bonus, the other team took Guillermo Mota.  —  Days after a three-year, $14.4million contract with free agent Yorvit Torrealba collapsed, the Mets shipped reviled reliever Mota …

Hooray! ...  The good old-fashioned trade is back … It's been a long, long time since we've had a baseball winter like this.  —  A winter dominated not by dollar signs, but by buzzing phone lines.  —  A winter in which a two-time Cy Young Award winner (Mr. Johan Santana, ladies and gentlemen) might get traded.

MLB.com to hold postseason auction  —  Fans can bid on authentic items from memorable 2007 playoffs  —  Friday will mark the annual day on the calendar when holiday shopping truly begins in full force everywhere, and shoppers looking for the ideal gift for a baseball fan that day might want to consider the MLB.com Auction.

Holliday second to Rollins  —  Philadelphia's shortstop edges the Rockies' left fielder for MVP  —  Rockies Nation howled with indignation Tuesday when it was announced Philadelphia Phillies shortstop Jimmy Rollins beat out their man, Matt Holliday, for the National League MVP award.

Cubs meet with Matsui  —  Hendry: McDonough departure won't affect offseason game plan  —  Wherever the Cubs' fortunes might go after the resignation Tuesday of president John McDonough, this much is clear:  —  General manager Jim Hendry has gone west — as in a trip to Los Angeles …

Yankees' plans for 2008 may hinge on Andy Pettitte's answer  —  The return of Alex Rodriguez, Jorge Posada and Mariano Rivera give Joe Girardi something to be thankful for this Thanksgiving.  Now, the Yankees are hoping that Andy Pettitte will give them a nice holiday gift next month.

Hunter's list may start with Sox  —  At least five offers are there, but Twins' star CF calls GM Williams 'impressive'  —  A day after feasting on a steak dinner at the 30-acre estate of Texas Rangers owner Tom Hicks and receiving a six-year offer, free-agent outfielder Torii Hunter …

Buzz: A's to Weigh Trade Options  —  Buster Olney of ESPN.com is reporting that Oakland executives will meet next week to discuss the trade value of both RHP's Dan Haren and Joe Blanton.  —  According to Olney, Omar Minaya has told the team he is going to make sure he lands a front line starting pitcher …

Less was more for Lowell  —  He deemed Boston most valuable place  —  Thirty seven and a half million was enough for Mike Lowell.  —  The Red Sox third baseman cast aside bigger and better offers (the Yankees, Phillies, and Dodgers all were reportedly in the hunt at one time) to stay in Boston and accept three years.

A chip on his repaired shoulder  —  Chavez more motivated than ever after third surgery  —  (11-20) 19:47 PST OAKLAND — Last week, A's third baseman Eric Chavez had his third surgery of the fall, achieving a painful kind of symmetry by adding a left shoulder repair to earlier procedures on his lower back and right shoulder.

Matsuzaka: 'Not up to my standards'  —  Red Sox righthander Daisuke Matsuzaka arrived at Tokyo's Narita airport earlier today and took some questions from a group of reporters at the scene.  —  The Globe's Daigo Fujiwara provides the following translation of the Q&A session:

Jays' Towers teeters no more  —  T.O. hurler now fits J.P.'s rotation plan  —  Here's a shocker — you haven't seen the last of Josh Towers in a Blue Jays uniform.  —  The right-hander, who was batted back and forth between the rotation and bullpen in 2007 and ended up going 5-10 with a 5.40 ERA …

Founder of Israeli baseball league facing fraud lawsuit  —  BOSTON (AP) -The founder of Israel's financially struggling professional baseball league is being sued by a Florida woman who claims he defrauded her of the $275,000 she invested in his bagel business and used the money for personal expenses and to support the league.

YANKS' DUNCAN LEAVES HOSPITAL  —  Shelley Duncan is out of an Arizona hospital, but the extent of a circulatory problem believed to be a blood clot in an arm isn't known because the Yankees aren't talking about it.  —  Duncan was admitted to the hospital last week, and according …

Veteran outfielder Finley hopes to play in 2008 … After 19 major league seasons, 2,548 hits and a four-month forced sabbatical last summer, Steve Finley reached a decision: He's not ready to give up on playing just yet.  —  Finley, one of only six players in history with more than 300 career home runs …

White Sox designate Scott Podsednik for assignment  —  Add four players to roster  —  CHICAGO — The Chicago White Sox have designated outfielder Scott Podsednik for assignment and have purchased the contracts of catcher Cole Armstrong and right-handed pitchers Jack Egbert, Lucas Harrell and Adam Russell.

Youngman column: Judge Angels GM Reagins when he's done  —  Youngman column: Judge Angels GM Reagins when he's done … •  —  Sorry to disagree with you, Tony, but your first trade as Bill Stoneman's successor, judged by itself, did not make your team better.