Big Unit agrees to one-year contract with Giants  —  SAN FRANCISCO — The Big Unit is heading home to the Bay Area.  —  Randy Johnson and the San Francisco Giants agreed to an $8 million, one-year contract Friday, meaning the 45-year-old pitcher will go for his 300th win with a new team.

Yankees may go with Phil Hughes if Andy Pettitte balks  —  Before the Yankees signed Mark Teixeira, they told Andy Pettitte's camp that the pitcher's chances of rejoining the Bombers would be in jeopardy if they signed another big free agent.  Now that the Yanks have landed their new first baseman …

New York Yankees Top 20 Prospects for 2009  —  He was NOT the next Bobby Bonds. . .  New York Yankees Top 20 Prospects for 2009.  —  All grades are EXTREMELY PRELIMINARY and subject to change.  Don't get too worried about exact rankings at this point, especially once you get out of the top 10.

No offer (yet?) for Ben Sheets  —  Rangers general manager Jon Daniels was on The Ticket with Norm Hitzges on Friday and said that the club has not made an offer to Ben Sheets.  He didn't indicate when or if the Rangers would do so, but said he's in communication with Sheets' agent.

Reds ink Taveras to two-year deal  —  CINCINNATI — The Reds on Saturday signed free-agent center fielder Willy Taveras to a two-year contract.  —  Financial terms of the contract weren't immediately known.  —  Taveras, 27, spent the past two seasons with the Rockies.

A's target Abreu, Angels' Anderson  —  (12-26) 21:01 PST — Jason Giambi is the A's next free-agent target, but there are others on Oakland's list, too.  —  The Chronicle has learned that the team has had preliminary conversations about free-agent outfielders Bobby Abreu and Garret Anderson …

2008 Free Agent Bargains and Busts (Hitters)  —  By Tim Dierkes [December 27 at 12:39am CST]  —  Using Wins Above Replacement data from FanGraphs and contract info from Cot's Baseball Contracts, I have determined the biggest free agent bargains and busts of the 2008 season (position players only).

Chicago Cubs eye 2 Japanese pitchers  —  Despite mixed results from the Kosuke Fukudome experiment, the Cubs are considering inviting two Japanese pitchers to spring training to compete for relief jobs.  —  The pitcher they're most interested in is Ken Kadokura, a 35-year-old right-hander …

Red Sox consider Plan B  —  So Mark Teixeira got his wish, a new home by Christmas.  The Red Sox?  Well, they're not out $170 million.  —  That might be all that can be said about the developments of recent days, in which the Sox lost out to the Yankees for the first baseman they had been pining …

MLB Luxury Tax: A Modest Proposal  —  Fear not English majors and Swift fans, this Modest Proposal leaves most infants intact.  —  People are outraged at the Yankees' spending spree this offseason.  They're probably more outraged that the luxury tax tab to the Yankmes falls in the mid-$20Ms.