Nats acquire Dukes from Tampa Bay  —  FOXSports.com, Updated 10 minutes ago  —  LIKE THIS STORY?  —  The Washington Nationals have acquired outfielder Elijah Dukes from the Tampa Bay Rays in exchange for a minor-league player, FOXSports.com has learned.  —  The identity of the minor-league player …

Santana speaks (sort of) and Twins are mad about Hanky-Panky.  —  The Star Tribune has just been contacted by Johan Santana's agent, Peter Greenberg.  —  Greenberg said Santana is mad after reading reports that he's ordered the Twins to trade him to either Boston or New York.

Giants' young aces might be off limits  —  GM Sabean growing weary of Cain, Lincecum queries  —  NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Whether the Giants inched toward completing a deal at baseball's Winter Meetings was uncertain, although they definitely moved closer to ruling out trading Matt Cain or Tim Lincecum.

Notes: Sox not rushing Crede decision  —  Team wants to avoid knee-jerk trade that might hurt long term  —  NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Deciding Joe Crede's future in Chicago truly doesn't have to be accomplished until Opening Day, allowing the White Sox to avoid any sort of knee-jerk reaction involving the veteran third baseman.

Buzz: Mets work with O's on Bedard  —  During an appearance on WFAN, beat-reporter Sweeny Murti said, "There is news floating around that the Mets are close on Erik Bedard." … ...Update...8:45 pm...  ...earlier, i was sent on a wild-goose chase suggesting that the Mets could be working …

Lobby blogging: The Francona Rule  —  Red Sox manager Terry Francona officially has a rule named after him.  —  "There's going to be, for lack of a better term, a 'Francona Rule,'" said Bob Watson, Major League Baseball's Vice President of Rules and On-Field Operations.  "You can only wear your uniform top or jacket.

Pettitte takes $16 million, adding to total  —  Just received an e-mail back from Randy Hendricks.  —  Andy Pettitte will play for his original $16 million next season.  There are no options.  He decided on Saturday, they talked it over on Sunday and now it's done.

Ibanez, Broussard, Sexson  —  Lots of rumors flying fast and furiously here in Nashville.  The best way to hear them is to leave the media room, walk about 15 minutes (or the equivalent of several city blocks) down to a main bar and lobby atrium, pictured below.

Santana?  —  A rotation featuring Beckett, Santana as the top two is pretty much as good as it can get.  The thought of pitching behind these guys has to fire ya up.  That being said I look at it like this.  —  If we make the move we'll have done so with Theo knowing whatever he had to trade …

Royals cooling on free agent Guillen  —  Club may pursue other right-handed options for lineup  —  NASHVILLE, Tenn. — There's been no doubt that the Royals were intrigued by slugger Jose Guillen.  —  They viewed him as possibly the best right-handed hitter available in the free-agent market.

Andruw to Dodgers?  Roaming, reporting from Nashvegas  —  There are about 400 laptops opened for business in this cavernous media work room, but only about 100 of them have people tapping at keyboards on this chilly Monday afternoon in Nashville.  Other laptops sit lonely, at the ready.

Kuhn elected to Hall of Fame; union adversary Miller left out again  —  NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Former commissioner Bowie Kuhn was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame by the revamped Veterans Committee on Monday while his longtime adversary, players' union boss Marvin Miller, was left out for the second time this year.