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.

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.

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 …

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.

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 …

Padres avoid arbitration with Scott Hairston  —  The San Diego Padres signed outfielder Scott Hairston to a one-year contract on Tuesday.  —  Per club policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed.  —  The 29-year-old Hairston hit .299 with 10 homers and 29 RBI in 56 games for San Diego …

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.

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.

AMARO: 'I'M NOT A DUMMY'  —  Last weekend, I heard from an old friend, a guy who roots for the Phillies but lives out of town.  Like many of you, he is counting the hours until the first pitcher-catcher workout in Clearwater (Feb. 18, for those who don't already have it committed to memory) …