Sox see Yankees outfielder as leadoff man  —  INDIANAPOLIS — White Sox general manager Ken Williams has said it before, and he said it again.  —  “We don't have any money,” Williams said Wednesday during his meeting with the media.  “We're close to our budget right now …

Since fans aren't buying it, New York Mets must spend to prove they want to contend  —  INDIANAPOLIS - It's no secret that Mets fans are disgruntled, even angry, these days, waiting for a reason to buy tickets for next season.  And even as the Mets made a contract offer to Jason Bay upon leaving …

Phillies boldly raising the bar in NL … INDIANAPOLIS — After Milwaukee general manager Doug Melvin just spent $37.25 million to get veteran pitchers Randy Wolf and LaTroy Hawkins, he had an interesting take on what has happened to the level of competition in the National League.

Buzz: Latest Hot Stove news  —  The winer meetings are over, but the news never stops.  Follow along as Ken Rosenthal and Jon Paul Morosi keep you up to date on the latest buzz.  Note: all times ET.

One of many  —  A boy waits for the rumbling sound of an old blue car to climb through the maple trees, and right after he hears it, he can see through the barn windo...

Sox reach deal to trade Lowell to Rangers  —  The Red Sox have agreed in principle with the Rangers to a trade that will send popular third baseman Mike Lowell to Texas for catcher Max Ramirez, according to a baseball source.  A money issue has also been resolved, the source said.

Winter meetings winners and losers  —  INDIANAPOLIS - The uncertain economy is the ultimate party-pooper, a real spoilsport.  We've all had to acknowledge it on some level.  Baseball did so this week at its annual winter meetings, often a time of frenzied spending on free agents …

Rule 5 Wrap  —  The extra year of protection added in 2006 has made the Rule 5 draft even more of a dart toss than previous years, with one team official commenting, “What were once thin pickings is now downright anorexic.”  Still, with most people betting on maybe 10-12 selections getting made …

Torrealba, Rockies now $400,000 apart in talks  —  DENVER — Pudge Rodriguez has never played an inning for the Rockies.  Neither has Ramon Hernandez.  But in many ways, they hold the key to Yorvit Torrealba's return to the Rockies.  —  According to information obtained this morning …

The New York Mets Respond To My Letter  —  Last week I sent a letter to Fred Wilpon explaining why I was not going to renew my ticket plan in 2010.  I also copied several members of Mets management and a few members of the media.  (You can read my letter here).

New York Yankees negotiating to re-sign Johnny Damon, sources say  —  The New York Yankees have begun contract negotiations with free agent outfielder Johnny Damon, major league sources tell ESPN The Magazine's Buster Olney.  —  If the Yankees are unable to re-sign Damon …

Scouts: Tigers got best of three-team deal with Yankees, Diamondbacks  —  INDIANAPOLIS — Talk about the Detroit Tigers' trade with the Arizona Diamondbacks and New York Yankees continued Thursday on the final day of baseball's winter meetings.  —  Two major league scouts …

Nats act like they belong  —  At the winter meetings this week, the Nats signed a future Hall of Famer as a backup catcher for two years for an above-market price of $6 million.  They also traded for a reliever who throws 97 mph, had a 3.25 ERA over his last four years with the Yankees and just pitched in the World Series.