Yankees might pull out of Santana talks for good … NASHVILLE — With the Yankee's self-imposed deadline approaching, the Twins and Yankees were getting nowhere Monday night in their attempt to complete a deal for Johan Santana.  So the Yankees were again making noises that they might pull out of the Santana talks for good.

Mariners' pursuit of Hiroki Kuroda hits snag  —  Japanese pitcher's advisers may push him elsewhere  —  NASHVILLE, Tenn. — The Mariners didn't get the No. 1 guy on the market, but they are still in the running for the No. 1 guy on their list.  —  The first day of baseball's winter meetings …

Nationals Acquire Troubled Dukes  —  The Washington Nationals began baseball's winter meetings Monday with a dramatic and potentially controversial move, trading for troubled Tampa Bay outfielder Elijah Dukes, a 23-year-old whose skills are undisputed but whose long and varied list of legal issues sent his standing in the game tumbling.

Sources: Royals, Guillen closing in on deal  —  LIKE THIS STORY?  —  NASHVILLE, Tenn. - The Royals, plunging into the free-agent market for the second straight year, are working toward an agreement with outfielder Jose Guillen, according to major-league sources.

Notes: Kearns could be on the move  —  Outfielder may be traded to deepen Nats' starting rotation  —  NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Nationals general manager Jim Bowden said on Monday that there will be four players — Wily Mo Pena, Lastings Milledge, Elijah Dukes and Austin Kearns …

Santana and Yankees are close but not yet joined  —  NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Monday evening bore down on The Steinbrenner Deadline, or the moment the Minnesota Twins supposedly will no longer be allowed to unload the best left-hander in baseball on the New York Yankees, and baseball's winter meetings began to skew even more toward pitching.

Cubs looking at all options  —  Fukudome on radar, but Reds' Hamilton also a possibility  —  NASHVILLE — The Cubs are unlikely to walk away from the winter meetings with Kosuke Fukudome under contract, and general manager Jim Hendry gets a little touchy whenever the Japanese outfielder's name comes up in conversation.

Braves seeking lefty reliever, outfielder  —  Affeldt, Mahay, Finley likely too expensive for Atlanta  —  NASHVILLE, Tenn. — None of the early whispers heard throughout the spacious Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center on Monday afternoon provided indication that the Braves are close …

The New Look Dodgers...An Interview with Ned Colletti  —  When I spoke with Ned Colletti back in January, he had only been General Manager of the Los Angeles Dodgers for about 14 months.  He had just watched his team finish a season with 88 victories and earn a Wild Card berth in the 2006 playoffs.

Rolen is star of trade talks  —  NASHVILLE, TENN. — There was a former Cardinals World Series-winning manager elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame here on Monday.  It just wasn't the one many expected.  —  Whitey Herzog, who directed the Cardinals to the 1982, 1985 and 1987 National League pennants …

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 …