Chicago Cubs may make move for New York Yankees' Melky Cabrera or Brett Gardner  —  The Yankees would like to acquire another starting pitcher this winter.  Now that the best of the weak free agent class have signed, the names most often linked to them are Ben Sheets and Justin Duchscherer, former aces who are rehabbing from injuries.

Marlins make offer for Chapman  —  Club submits five-year deal for Cuban lefty defector  —  MIAMI — When Aroldis Chapman worked out for Major League teams last Tuesday in Houston, a representative from the Marlins was on hand.  —  The club certainly was impressed with what it saw in the left-handed Cuban defector.

Time is of no essence to Boras  —  The agent for outfielder Matt Holliday doesn't see the dwindling days on the calendar as motivation to accelerate negotiations, saying instead the market will set the pace and, to the extent they're inclined, so will the Cardinals.

Source: Oliver nears deal with Rangers  —  Free agent reliever Darren Oliver is in serious discussions toward a contract with the Texas Rangers, a baseball source told ESPN.com Sunday.  It's believed an agreement could be in place early this week.  —  This will mark the third tour of Texas for Oliver …

Lowell has no future with Red Sox  —  Prediction: Mike Lowell will never play another game for the Red Sox.  —  If the relationship between the player and team is not beyond repair, it's pretty close.  —  The Red Sox obviously do not want Lowell playing third base for them next season.

Note: It's Been 10 Days since offers to Bay & Molina  —  ...do you realize it has been more than 10 days since the Mets offered a contract to a free-agent OF Jason Bay, and free-agent C Bengie Molina...  John Morosi of FoxSports.com believes free-agent catchers Rod Barajas …

Strat-O-Matic: Not the real thing, but an incredible simulation  —  The venerable game remains determinedly old-school and revered for its accuracy, whether in traditional dice-and-cards tabletop form or newer computerized version.  —  You'd think a guy who played in more than 2,000 major league games …

Reds extend Rolen through 2012  —  Club restructures third baseman's deal to create budget space  —  CINCINNATI — In a move that creates some budget wiggle room for next season, the Reds have restructured third baseman Scott Rolen's contract for 2010 and extended him through the 2012 season.

The Weekly World News Interviews Babe Ruth  —  It's been a few months since I last checked out the Google Books archives of the illustrious Weekly World News and, with the Christmas lull about to hit this week, it seemed like a great time to check in with it again.  The last time we checked out the WWN, I said this: