Mets, A's among teams eyeing Sheets … The A's, Rangers and Mets are among teams considering free agent pitcher Ben Sheets, who raised his value with what was described by several scouts as an excellent showcase last week in Monroe, La.  —  The A's tried this winter for Marco Scutaro …

Nutting: Pirates' payroll to rise as roster matures  —  Says $75M range of Brewers, Reds is ‘where Pittsburgh needs to be’  —  SEVEN SPRINGS, Pa. — A year ago, at the opening of the Pirates' Winter Caravan promotional tour here, the franchise's controlling owner, Bob Nutting …

Back in PSL  —  Welcome back to Port St. Lucie.  The Mets are holding a three-day minicamp beginning today, although it will be sparsely attended.  Oliver Perez and Daniel Murphy have arrived, but John Maine canceled because of the weather, according to Jay Horwitz.

Inbox: What's the deal with McGowan?  —  Beat reporter Jordan Bastian answers fans' questions  —  I have been thinking lately about the Blue Jays' starting rotation for next year.  When I start to think of Dustin McGowan, though, I don't know what to believe.  What have the Jays said?

Ollie says he's ready to go  —  Oliver Perez, who underwent Sept. 1 surgery to remove scar tissue from his right knee, pronounced himself fit.  Literally.  —  Perez spoke about how he's relocated to Arizona as his offseason home.  At the Mets' request, he trained all winter at Fischer Sports …

Pinch hitting: Lucas Vanderwarker  —  Next up in the Pinch Hitters series is Lucas Vanderwarker, who crunched some numbers to write about Derek Jeter's chances of breaking Pete Rose's all-time hits record.  —  Lucas grew up in upstate New York, and his grandfather played …

Unconfirmed Report: Yanks inquired about Nelson Cruz  —  Via Frankie Piliere of AOL FanHouse, the Yankees are exploring trade options for left field, and one player they may have asked about is Rangers' outfielder Nelson Cruz.  Piliere makes it clear that this is an unconfirmed report, so make sure you take it with a big grain of salt.

The Top 100 Prospects of 2010: 1-25  —  Spring training and the 2010 regular season are right around the corner, which means it's time to take stock of the top potential future stars in the minor leagues.  —  Below are the first 25 players in my rankings of the top 100 prospects in baseball right now …

Upton open to long-term deal with Rays  —  Outfielder preparing to go to arbitration with club next month  —  TAMPA, Fla. — B.J. Upton would entertain a long-term deal if the Rays and he can come to an agreement.  —  “You know what, I'm definitely all for that,” said Upton prior to tee-off …

Byrdak, Astros agree on one-year deal  —  Wandy remains last arbitration-eligible player on club  —  HOUSTON — The Astros have just one arbitration-eligible player remaining after reaching a one-year deal Sunday with left-hander Tim Byrdak for $1.6 million, which was the midpoint between the club's offer and the player's number.

Texas Rangers  —  Baseball America's Top 10 Prospects lists are based on projections of a player's long-term worth after discussions with scouting and player-development personnel.  All players who haven't exceeded the major league rookie standards of 130 at-bats or 50 innings pitched (without regard to service time) are eligible.

On Overreaction: What We Scream About When We Scream About Gary Matthews Jr.  —  Gerard noted the Mets' acquisition of extravagantly well-compensated journeyman Gary Matthews Jr. when it happened last week, and the two bemused grafs he gave it almost certainly qualified as giving this ultra-minor trade its due.