Sources: Orioles jump into Holliday sweepstakes  —  The Cardinals are not the only team pursuing free-agent left fielder Matt Holliday.  —  The Orioles have jumped into the bidding, though both the seriousness of their efforts and Holliday's desire to play in Baltimore are in question, major-league sources say.

Yankees talk to Johnson about vacant DH role  —  The Yankees and Nick Johnson are talking about the sweet-swinging lefty and on-base machine replacing Hideki Matsui as the World Champions' DH on a one-year deal.  —  If a deal is completed, it would be an indication the Yankees will part with Johnny Damon …

Morning links: Clement's job to lose  —  Although the development that the Pirates are eyeing Kelly Johnson hardly is seismic, it does raise this possibility that some might find noteworthy: No matter who the Pirates get — if anyone — for that right field/first base role, it might be no more than a safety valve.

Theo Epstein assures John Beckett that he won't be impacted by the Boston Red Sox signing John Lackey  —  Red Sox general manager Theo Epstein, mindful that Josh Beckett might have questions about how John Lackey's signing would impact his future, said he contacted Beckett in the final stages of the Lackey negotiations.

Don't be Bonilla-heads  —  Humor me for a second, Mets fans.  I understand that there has been little to smile about and less to feel good about the past few years when it comes to your baseball team.  —  I recognize how miserable that Phillies-Yankees World Series was to endure …

Phillies GM Amaro is master of the shell game  —  MONTY AND HIS Money Managers had themselves some week.  They ran the greatest shell game since the days when big carnivals would roll into small towns, relieve the local yokels of the harvest money and move on.

Godzilla Rocks Southern California  —  WHAT'S YOUR REACTION?  —  There's a line about Godzilla in the 1998 Hollywood remake that goes: “He's not some monster trying to evade you... If you find what he wants, then he'll come to you.”  This week baseball's Godzilla found the contract he wanted …

Dodgers land versatile Carroll  —  Right-handed hitter expects to back up second, third base  —  LOS ANGELES — The Dodgers bolstered their second-base situation by agreeing to a two-year contract with versatile infielder Jamey Carroll, pending a physical examination, agent Jonathan Maurer confirmed Wednesday.

Lowe resigned to likelihood of trade  —  Righty regards late-season woes as Braves' motivation  —  ATLANTA — When Derek Lowe entered this offseason, he found himself frustrated by an inability to correct his mechanical flaws and was determined to be more of an asset to the Braves during the final three years of his contract.

Dodgers exploring a deal for Aaron Harang  —  The Dodgers have started exploring a possible trade with the Cincinnati Reds for pitcher Aaron Harang, according to multiple baseball sources who spoke on the condition of anonymity because of the sensitive nature of the talks.

Make it Raines  —  This is going to be about Tim Raines ... but we're going to start with Bill James.  People, of course, have many different opinions about Bill James.  And because Bill is both a friend and a hero of mine, I admit to being hopelessly biased on the subject.