Carlos Beltran had Knee Surgery  —  In a post to Twitter, Will Carroll of Baseball Prospectus said: … ...oh, man, and pitchers and catchers is just five weeks away... what's up, will...  Updated at 9:35 pm:  —  Joel Sherman of the New York Post says he heard Carlos Beltran …

Carrasco agrees to $950,000 deal  —  BRADENTON, Fla. — The Pirates and right-handed reliever D.J. Carrasco have agreed to terms on a minor league contract with an invitation to spring training.  —  If Carrasco makes the team, he will make $950,000 in base pay plus as much as $250,000 in performance bonuses based on appearances.

Is Brian Shouse back with the Red Sox for 2010?  —  More photos » Elaine Thompson - AP  —  For the record, when I searched AP photos for Shouse this is the only one that wasn't a player taking a base off of him or hitting a home run off of him.  —  Browse more photos »

New York Yankees to donate $500,000 to rescue and relief efforts in Haiti  —  The New York Yankees announced today that they were donating $500,000 in support of rescue and relief efforts following the tragic earthquake in Haiti.  —  The catastrophic event has devastated an entire nation …

Dodgers consider multiyear pacts for stars  —  Team discussing contracts with Kemp, Ethier, Loney, Broxton  —  LOS ANGELES — In a shift from recent history, the Dodgers have discussed two-year contracts with arbitration-eligible players Matt Kemp, Andre Ethier, James Loney and Jonathan Broxton, a number of baseball sources confirmed.

Yankee Stadium to host wine tasting  —  Sonoma-Cutrer holding Adams' final event at NYY Steak  —  NEW YORK — Some might argue that the intersection of 161st St. and River Ave. in the Bronx is the baseball capital of the world.  —  Seems that intersection stays pretty busy during the winter months, as well.

Branyan ready to move on from Mariners  —  Slugger had hoped to sign long-term deal in Seattle  —  The first thing Russell Branyan did after hearing that the Mariners had acquired first baseman Casey Kotchman was call general manager Jack Zduriencik.  —  And thank him for last season.

Nats' Guzman could stay at shortstop  —  Washington remains in market for second baseman  —  If the Nationals are able to sign Orlando Hudson or Adam Kennedy to play second base, Cristian Guzman most likely will remain at shortstop.  —  The Nationals also could trade Guzman to make room …

New York Mets pitchers want to land catcher Bengie Molina  —  Pedro Feliciano has known the Molina brothers for years, marveling at their penchant for catching and video games back home in Rio Piedras, the town in Puerto Rico where they all grew up.  —  When the Met reliever was hanging …

Yost hired by Royals as advisor  —  Former Brewers manager has Atlanta connection  —  KANSAS CITY — Ned Yost, former manager of the Milwaukee Brewers, has been hired by the Royals as a special advisor to baseball operations.  —  Yost, 54, who managed the Brewers from 2003 to Sept. 15 …

NYC native Trevon Hughes has come to love life in Badger country … MADISON, Wis. — A few miles south of the University of Wisconsin campus, inside a place called Barberstown, the poster of hairstyle photos predates the fro-hawk craze, and Trevon Hughes is using a laptop to find an example of his desired cut online.

Zumaya, Tigers avoid arbitration  —  Right-handed reliever agrees to one-year deal with Detroit  —  DETROIT — The Tigers signed a late-inning reliever to a contract Wednesday, but not the well-rumored one.  Rather, Joel Zumaya and the club avoided arbitration by agreeing to terms on a one-year contract worth $915,000.