Nationals' Willingham on Mets' radar  —  According to source, New York interested in acquiring slugger  —  Add the Mets as one of the teams who have interest in Nationals left fielder Josh Willingham, according to a baseball source.  The Giants, Mariners and Braves are the other teams …

Cust could be odd-man out in A's DH search  —  Oakland's deal for jack-of-all-trades hitter Jake Fox in advance of the winter meetings probably wasn't good news for another Jack — slugging designated hitter Jack Cust.  —  If the A's do nothing else in Indianapolis this week …

Cuban Arguelles agrees to deal with Royals  —  The small-market Kansas City Royals are betting big on a free agent they've seen pitch only a handful of times.  —  Noel Arguelles, a 19-year-old left-hander who last year defected from Cuba, agreed to a five-year, $7 million major league deal …

Agent: Rafael Soriano considering returning to Atlanta Braves  —  Just a week ago, the Atlanta Braves didn't have any surefire late-inning relief options.  Now they might have three.  —  It's been widely speculated that right-hander Rafael Soriano, who was offered salary arbitration …

Yes, there are meetings at the meetings  —  Baseball's winter meetings get started tomorrow in Indianapolis.  Most fans, based on the media coverage, probably assume it's a bunch of general managers and agents getting together in hotel suites to talk about trades and free agents.

Piniella may stay beyond 2010  —  After all the drama and speculation last summer about whether Cubs manager Lou Piniella would return for the final year of his contract, it now sounds as though he might be willing to consider staying beyond 2010.  —  For the first time publicly …

Cubs treading water on Bradley … The Cubs are still “not close” to dealing talented yet troubled outfielder Milton Bradley to the Rays or Rangers, the two teams thought to be most interested, sources say.  —  The Cubs, according to a league official, are so far offering to include …

Guillen's words of wisdom  —  Ozzie Guillen traveled from the Florida warmth to the cold of Chicago this past weekend for an important reason other than baseball or to take in a Chicago Blackhawks contest, as he did on Friday night.  Guillen joined Easter Seals Metropolitan Chicago …

What will the Orioles do?  —  Five key questions facing the team heading into the winter meetings  —  Armed with an extensive list of needs and ample payroll flexibility, the Orioles' top decision-makers will descend on Indianapolis this week for baseball's annual winter meetings.

Marlins To Deal Lindstrom At Meetings?  —  Matt Lindstrom is “virtually certain” to be traded at the winter meetings, if not before, according to Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports.  Of the six teams that have expressed interest in the soon-to-be 30-year-old, three have stepped to the forefront in recent days.

Yankees Seek Starter On Open Market  —  The Yankees are interested in free agent hurlers John Lackey, Rich Harden, Joel Pineiro, and maybe Randy Wolf, according to Ken Rosenthal and Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports.  —  Although major league sources indicate that the the team is looking …