Dodgers sign Johnson to one-year contract  —  Veteran can play all three outfield positions  —  LOS ANGELES — The Dodgers officially added another piece to their rebuilt bench on Monday by signing free-agent outfielder Reed Johnson to a one-year contract.

Rich Aurilia not ready to retire, hopes for a final season with Mets or Yankees  —  For at least a year, and probably two, it's been tacked on the bulletin board in the Giants clubhouse: A doctored-up, photocopied picture of the “Rat Pack,” with new identities for Sammy Davis Jr., Dean Martin and Frank Sinatra.

Mauer and Twins still talking despite yesterday's report of a done deal  —  The latest news on Joe Mauer is that there really isn't any news.  —  Mark Rosen of WCCO television in Minnesota reported yesterday afternoon that Mauer and the Twins had agreed to a 10-year contract extension …

Giants sign RHP Guillermo Mota to minor league deal with camp invite  —  The Giants signed RHP Guillermo Mota to a minor league deal and invited him to big league camp.  —  Mota becomes the third right-hander pitcher with big league time to ink a minor league deal with the club in the past 48 hours.

Rehabbing Reyes ‘100 percent,’ ready to roar  —  Jose Reyes ran like the wind yesterday.  Then ran some more.  —  For two hours, I watched the Mets shortstop work, testing his surgically repaired right leg time and again during the strenuous workout.  There were 90-foot dashes …

Minor League Transactions  —  Larish lost his foothold on a 40-man roster spot when Detroit signed closer Jose Valverde.  Larish, the Tigers' fifth-round pick '05, batted .242/.323/.404 in 74 games with the big club during the past two seasons.  —  Florida Marlins  —  Signed: RHP Derrick Turnbow

Marlins Made Offer To Russell Branyan  —  The Marlins offered a one-year deal to free agent first baseman Russell Branyan, reports ESPN's Jayson Stark.  The offer contains a “low base and lots of incentives,” and Branyan would have to pass rookies Gaby Sanchez and Logan Morrison on the depth chart for a starting job.

Pinch hitting: Chris and Trevor Kaftan  —  (Obviously that was a joke before about another guest post on instant replay.  Here's the real one ...)  —  Now up in the Pinch Hitters series are brothers Chris and Trevor Kaftan, who wrote about Derek Jeter's place in Yankees history.

Tim Lincecum's agent says talks with Giants have been insignificant, expects arbitration case to reach hearing stage  —  The agent for right-hander Tim Lincecum said the Giants have not engaged in significant contract negotiations and he is convinced the two-time Cy Young award winner's arbitration case will reach the hearing stage.

Caribbean Series sure to be passionate  —  Emotions for annual championship expected to run high  —  For six days, four teams from four countries will transform Venezuela's Margarita Island into the isle of baseball.  —  The 2010 Caribbean Series, the annual round-robin tournament featuring …

Florida Marlins: McClung in; Gregg reunion possibility remote  —  The Marlins continued their low-risk, high-reward approach to bullpen building in adding right-hander Seth McClung on a minor league deal.  —  McClung spent the first three of his six major league seasons with the Rays and the last three in Milwaukee.

Perez tops list of key No. 2 starters  —  The expectation within the Mets' organization is that the team has finished its winter spending, and this would seem to be confirmed by the Mets' reluctance to entertain an offer from catcher Yorvit Torrealba to play for the Mets on a one-year deal.