Pedroia interested in move back to SS  —  The condition for Dustin Pedroia's family vacation with sidekick Andre Ethier and his family was that they had to have proper workout facilities.  Ethier found a villa in Virgin Gorda with a fully-equipped weight room and tennis courts …

Northampton grad Schneider to be a Phillie  —  It's what Brian Schneider has been waiting for.  —  After passing a physical on Tuesday, the Northampton graduate signed a free agent contract with the Phillies, his uncle, Northampton athletic director Mike Schneider said.

Arbitration deadline looms large for clubs  —  Teams have until 11:59 p.m. ET Tuesday to offer free agents  —  The first D-Day — Decision Day — on baseball's offseason calendar arrives Tuesday, the deadline for clubs to offer salary arbitration to their free agents.

Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Roy Halladay's reps say he won't accept proposed trade after spring training  —  Roy Halladay, the All-Star pitcher who has been the subject of much trade talk since before the July deadline, will not approve any proposed deal after he reports to spring training, according to his representatives.

Sox owner wants to overhaul MLB's revenue sharing system  —  Red Sox principal owner John Henry is calling for Major League Baseball's revenue sharing system to be overhauled and replaced with a “competitive balanced payroll tax” in an effort to create competitive balance in baseball.

Shoppach, Rays close to deal  —  The Tampa Bay Rays are closing in on a deal for Kelly Shoppach of the Cleveland Indians, according to major league sources.  —  Shoppach, 29, hit .214 last season for the Indians, with 12 home runs and 40 RBIs.  He appeared in 89 games.

Cubs Choose Not to Offer Arbitration to Harden  —  Tonight is the deadline for clubs to offer salary arbitration to their free agents.  And for the Cubs, that means they have decisions to make on a handful of players, including starting pitcher Rich Harden and closer Kevin Gregg.

This could be the year for Dawson, Blyleven  —  First-timers will likely have to wait for induction  —  I have this nagging thought about the new Hall of Fame ballot and the 26 candidates for 2010: This could be the first year since 1996 that no one gets the necessary 75 percent of votes needed to be elected.

Sherman: Honor should be A-Rod's  —  should be A-Rod  —  FOURTEEN years into the existence of the Turn 2 Foundation, Derek Jeter finally received the Roberto Clemente Award for community service on Oct. 29.  —  Two days later, he was handed the Hank Aaron Award as the American League's top hitter.

FOR THE THRILL OF IT: GREGG ZAUN - THE CFL FAN!  —  Gregg Zaun was a big Baltimore fan!  Who knew?  —  What, you think I'm talking about the Baltimore Orioles, the team he spent parts of three seasons with?  No, not them.  —  Nor am I talking about the Ravens, Colts, Blast, Bullets or Burn.

Scott Schoeneweis' wife died of drug overdose, Arizona court discloses  —  PHOENIX — Former Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher Scott Schoeneweis' wife died from an overdose of cocaine and an anesthetic, lidocaine, an appellate court disclosed in a ruling released Tuesday.

3UP: Damon, Cora and Jeter  —  1. The Yankees almost certainly will not offer arbitration today to Johnny Damon, Hideki Matsui and Andy Pettitte.  That pushes each of them a little closer to the door, specifically Damon.  —  If Damon were offered arbitration, he would have had a very difficult …

Tommy Henrich, whose heroics with NY Yankees earned him the nickname ‘Old Reliable,’ dies at 96 … NEW YORK — Tommy Henrich, whose 11-year career with the Yankees earned him the nickname “Old Reliable,” died in Dayton, Ohio, early Tuesday morning.  He was 96 and was believed to be the oldest living Yankee.