Compromise makes most sense for Lincecum, Giants … The whopping $5-million gap in arbitration filing figures between double-Cy Young winner Tim Lincecum and the Giants is, yes, nothing less than giant.  Enormous gaps are obviously difficult to bridge, and this one — $13 million requested …

Brewers bring back Davis  —  Brewers general manager Doug Melvin said way back in October that he wanted to add two established starting pitchers this winter.  On Wednesday, he landed the second of two.  —  With Randy Wolf already in tow, the Brewers agreed to terms with left-hander Doug Davis …

Angels Reach Agreement With Joel Pineiro  —  Joel Pineiro reached a two-year agreement with the Angels worth about $16MM yesterday evening.  The 31-year-old righty has a physical scheduled today.  Pineiro probably won't match the departed John Lackey, but he was the best available free agent starter.

Rockies sign Payton, Lo Duca  —  Veterans to seek returns to Majors at Spring Training  —  DENVER — Outfielder Jay Payton posted a career-high batting average during his 1 1/2-year stint with the Rockies.  He'll try to revisit those days in 2010.  —  The Rockies signed Payton …

Q&A w/ Former MLB Pitcher Jim Bouton  —  Last month, former Major League pitcher Jim Bouton was gracious enough to take 30 minutes of his time to speak with me in a phone interview for an article about the transformation and evolution of the media that was published today on the LA-based Neon Tommy web site.

Pirates, Dotel agree to year, option  —  The Pirates and free-agent reliever Octavio Dotel agreed to terms on a one-year contract plus a club option for 2011, a source directly involved in the talks told the Post-Gazette tonight.  —  The agreement is pending a physical scheduled for tomorrow …

Griffin: Spaceman gives thumbs up to Hawk in Hall  —  It was time once again, as it is every January, to check in with the Spaceman for some balanced baseball wisdom.  There has been some surprising rancour and statistical controversy the past two Hall-of-Fame elections over the legitimacy of both Jim Rice …

Jays acquire Valdez from Giants  —  Righty to compete for bullpen role during Spring Training  —  TORONTO — The Blue Jays added another arm to the mix for a bullpen role on Wednesday, swinging a trade with the Giants to acquire right-hander Merkin Valdez in exchange for cash considerations.

A NEVER-ENDING DEBATE  —  There is nothing in sports that creates the controversy and the debate provoked by voting for the Hall of Fame.  More than a week after the results of the latest voting were announced, I was still getting e-mail about the results.  Everyone is an expert, fans and bloggers alike.

Angels reach 2-year deal with Pineiro  —  Right-hander Joel Pineiro, one of the top free-agent pitchers remaining on the market, has reached an agreement with the Los Angeles Angels, sources told SI.com  —  The contract is said to be for about $16 million for two years.

Relievers in the rough  —  What makes a good reliever?  It's a complicated question, and if you're putting together a bullpen, it may not even be the right question to ask.  —  Most relievers didn't start that way.  At some point, perhaps in college, the minors, or even midway through …

Hometown Report: It's all better for daddy Dustin Pedroia  —  In the big picture, life is grand these days for Dustin Pedroia.  —  His broad grin has replaced his frown of frustration from when the Boston Red Sox All-Star ripped his hometown of Woodland in an article last spring.

(2 of 2)  —  “It's fun to see him out there.  He looked good.  He looked healthy, and that's the big thing.”  —  Sheets started the 2008 All-Star Game for the National League, which marked the first time for a Brewer to do so.  He also got the nod on Opening Day that season, earning the win against the Chicago Cubs.

Buzz: Mets offer to Molina, & Why He's in SF  —  In talking with a few people around baseball, it sounds to me like Bengie Molina always wanted to return to the Giants, or are at least he wanted play with a team on the West Coast.  Also, as the off season moved on, Molina became more and more skeptical of playing in New York.

Johnny Damon running out of options  —  Slowly but surely, one closed-out roster at a time, Johnny Damon's horizons keep shrinking.  On Tuesday, he found himself squeezed out from the Giants, who signed Bengie Molina and have officially exhausted their off-season treasury.