Dodgers sign Giles to Minor League deal  —  Veteran will compete for a roster spot at Spring Training  —  LOS ANGELES — The Dodgers signed 39-year-old outfielder Brian Giles to a Minor League contract with an invitation to Major League camp, the club confirmed.

Joe Girardi faces many challenges to repeat  —  In less than two weeks, Joe Girardi will assemble his pitchers and catchers in Tampa and give a dress-rehearsal speech that'll be delivered to the full Yankee squad on Feb. 23.  That's the day the clubhouse will be closed …

Wood's turn at third has finally arrived  —  Longtime backup ready to compete for full-time job with Halos  —  Patience is an essential virtue, in life and at home plate.  Brandon Wood could do a lecture tour on the subject.  —  Having paid his dues in full for seven years …

Pirates admit ‘rumblings’ about Tabata's age  —  His birth certificate and passport say outfielder Jose Tabata was born Aug. 12, 1988, in Anzoategui, Venezuela.  Yet, during a recent radio interview, general manager Neal Huntington admitted there are “a lot of rumblings” that Tabata might actually be in his mid-20s.

Coke Helps Firefighters  —  Sugar Pine, CA - World Series pitcher Phil Coke is helping out firefighters in the Mother Lode.  —  Coke, a Tuolumne County native, will be greeting fans at the Mi Wuk/Sugar Pine fire station today (Saturday) and signing around 50 World Series baseballs, with proceeds going to the fire department.

‘Willie Mays’: The life and legend of a pioneering baseball player  —  For two decades, during baseball's golden era in America in the 1950s and '60s, Willie Mays was the game's incandescent star, a marvelous natural athlete who played the game like no one had before.

Mets' failure to sign bargain players goes beyond Minaya  —  It is easy to demonize Omar Minaya for the Mets' ills, and I am not here to praise him.  I do think the job of Mets GM is too big for Minaya; that his deficits in areas of communication, organization and ability to creatively multi-task …

Lengthy deal for Beckett requires medical attention  —  A five-year, $82.5 million deal for Josh Beckett - the same thing former Marlins teammate A.J. Burnett and current teammate John Lackey got - seems logical for the free-agent-to-be.  Right now, it's not going to happen in Boston.

Sabean likes Schierholtz in right field  —  Giants GM endorses young outfielder during FanFest  —  SAN FRANCISCO — Nate Schierholtz's status as the Giants' Opening Day right fielder shifted from “projected” to “likely” on Saturday.  —  Though nothing's certain until Spring Training ends …

Comeback for Pat Burrell may be key to Tampa Bay Rays' season  —  What single player is most key to the Rays' 2010 success?  —  There are lots of answers.  —  Assuming health, stars Carl Crawford, Evan Longoria and Carlos Peña are obviously all integral.