Mauer faces Yanks challenge for AL MVP  —  Twins' Gold Glove catcher this year's favorite for honor  —  Power or presence?  Homers or heroics?  In the eyes of some, this season's American League Most Valuable Player Award debate will keep raging long after the Baseball Writers' Association …

JD Drew explains his surgery  —  J.D. Drew's initial reaction when asked about having surgery on his left shoulder last Thursday?  —  “What surgery?”  —  But then, after a brief explanation that word had come out regarding the procedure, Drew relented.  The Red Sox' outfielder hadn't wanted …

Rockies kick tires on catcher Schneider; Contreras could head to Japan  —  Bracing for the potential loss of starter Yorvit Torrealba, the Rockies have expressed preliminary interest in free agent catcher Brian Schneider.  —  Schneider suffered through a disappointing 2009 with the Mets …

New York Mets contemplating playing regular-season games in Puerto Rico during 2010 season  —  Major League Baseball is negotiating with a promoter about playing regular-season games in Puerto Rico for the 2010 season, likely involving the Mets as the visiting team, the Daily News has learned.

Cubs' next major hire: marketing guru  —  Media  —  Sports marketing and sponsorship guru Wally Hayward's schedule was more or less booked for the next 6 1/2 years until the International Olympic Committee decided Chicago wasn't its kind of town for the 2016 Games.

Mets eyeing Sheets  —  Ben Sheets hasn't pitched in the majors in more than a year, but that will not keep the Mets from keeping an eye on the former All-Star right-hander this winter.  —  The oft-injured Sheets, who last pitched with the Brewers in 2008, has been sidelined since February …

Book excerpt: Evaluating Baseball's Managers: Pat Moran  —  For the next few weeks, THT will publish excerpts from Evaluating Baseball's Managers, 1876-2008, which is scheduled for release in December, but can be ordered now.  (I should note I make considerably more money if you order directly …

Ever-confident Sheffield game for a comeback  —  The old-guy market may not be so hot this offseason, so Gary Sheffield is making sure he's not one of the old guys shut out of the 2010 season.  —  Sheffield, 41, said he has dedicated himself to a grueling workout regimen featuring mixed martial arts and boxing exercises.

Blue Jays bring in more scouts to help fill roster  —  Ken Rosenthal has been the senior baseball writer for FOXSports.com since Aug. 2005.  He appears weekly on the FSN Baseball Report and MLB on FOX.  —  add this

World Series viewership way up overseas  —  According a press release from Major League Baseball, the 2009 World Series was broadcast by 54 of MLB's international radio and television partners.  That spans 15 languages and 233 countries and territories.  The viewership was up considerably from 2008.

Tampa Bay Rays plan to be aggressive in addressing bullpen, catcher  —  ST. PETERSBURG — With the free agency period starting last Friday, the Rays find themselves in a somewhat similar situation to last winter.  —  They like their nucleus, so they don't have many holes to fill …

A's invite McPherson to spring training  —  Free agent third baseman Dallas McPherson has agreed to terms with the Oakland A's on a minor league contract with an invitation to major league spring training camp, his agent said.  —  McPherson  —  McPherson is expected to compete for a starting job …