New York Mets add pitcher Kelvim Escobar to bullpen via one-year contract  —  Maybe Omar Minaya grew up in one of those households where the kids got to open one of their presents on Christmas Eve.  The Mets' GM did just that for his club late Thursday when he and Kelvim Escobar agreed to terms on a one-year contract.

Cursed anniversary: Babe's sale turns 90  —  MLB remembers storied transaction sending Ruth to Yanks  —  Saturday marked the 90th anniversary of the Red Sox selling Babe Ruth to the Yankees.  There was a time when that topic got people's blood boiling.  Now, it is just a transaction in the bio of the greatest player ever.

Budding slugger may be reined in by squeeze play  —  When the Red Sox acquired Jeremy Hermida early this offseason, they believed they were getting a young outfielder with great upside.  To develop that upside, however, Hermida needs at-bats, especially against lefthanded pitching …

Inbox: Pondering some offseason moves  —  Beat reporter Marty Noble answers Mets fans' questions  —  Shouldn't the Mets try to build a team around speed, defense and pitching?  Why Jason Bay?  Why not Mark DeRosa, Xavier Nady and Jon Garland or Joel Pineiro instead?

Los Angeles Dodgers Top 20 Prospects for 2010  —  More photos » by Wilfredo Lee - AP  —  Los Angeles Dodgers southpaw Clayton Kershaw, 2006 first round pick.  (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)  —  Browse more photos »  —  Los Angeles Dodgers Top 20 Prospects for 2010

Not Just Tiger's Temptations  —  No one would have accused me of having multiple ladies on each arm when I was in high school or college.  I was a diligent student, kind of nerdy, the son of a teacher, and as interested in baseball and computers as I was in girls.

As the market plays out  —  With a week left before the ball drops on another year, a few free agents on the market might want to consider lowering their demands.  —  Third baseman Adrian Beltre reportedly is seeking $10-15 million a year, but teams aren't forming a line around the block to hand it over.

20 years later, Martin's legend lives  —  Anniversary of death puts manager's feats in perspective  —  NEW YORK — The images of Billy Martin, to this day — Christmas Day — have not changed.  Any discussion of Martin begins and ends with his behavior on the field and in the dugout, his tussles with umpires and legends alike.

Pitching brightened year for Rangers  —  Several surprises helped club finish second in AL West  —  ARLINGTON — The one constant in the Rangers organization is change, and 2009 saw potentially the biggest change of all.  —  As the memorable year came to a close, Rangers owner Tom Hicks announced …

Where did the Mariners go wrong with Morrow?  —  COMMENTARY: Pitcher's Seattle career was a cavalcade of mismanagement, flip-flopping  —  To sit and wonder where it all went wrong for Brandon Morrow and the Seattle Mariners is an exercise in frustration and a walk into the world of bad baseball decision-making.