Wally Backman feels good about Sandy Alderson meeting, who will also see Terry Collins, Chip Hale  —  Sandy Alderson already has said he doesn't expect the Mets to make a huge splash in the free-agent market that opened at 12:01 Sunday morning.  —  Instead, the recently hired GM continues …

Keith Law's top free agents, Nos. 1-10  —  Carl Crawford, Cliff Lee and Adrian Beltre are among the best on the market … Welcome, again, to MLB free agency.  It's a good class, although the 2009-10 group — with Jason Bay, Matt Holliday, John Lackey et al — might have been better.

If the Yankees can't lure free agent Cliff Lee to the Bronx, Brian Cashman's Plan B is a bit iffy  —  The apparent internal decision by the Yankee high command to turn the bulk of the catching duties over to their Venezuelan slugging prospect, Jesus Montero, next year tells us two things …

Connor agrees to be Orioles' pitching coach  —  It's official, well, official without being announced by the team.  Mark Connor will be the Orioles' new pitching coach, replacing Rick Kranitz, whose contract expired and has moved on to the Houston Astros as their minor league pitching coordinator.

Anderson's homer wins Rising Stars Game  —  After a frenetic first three innings gave way to a nail-biter, Leslie Anderson ended the 2010 Arizona Fall League Rising Stars Game with a walk-off solo homer in the ninth Saturday night in Surprise, Ariz.  —  The tie-breaking homer …

Heyman: Mets Spending Big On Executives  —  As Andrew Vazzano of The 'Ropolitans pointed out via Twitter, perhaps a heavy investment in front office talent will lead to a better investment strategy in player personnel...  eDaPS  —  This is so moronic. “big money on execs rather than players”?

Busy offseason is ahead for Cardinals  —  Full contact free agency officially opens today.  Any team may now contact any representative for any free agent.  The Cardinals accordingly have prepared their shopping list.  —  A talented but thin club that just left an unfulfilling 86-win season behind believes …

Chiba Lotte captures Japan Series title  —  Another professional baseball championship series went in the books on Sunday, this time in the Far East, as the Chiba Lotte Marines topped the Chunichi Dragons, 8-7, to win the Japan Series.  —  Chiba Lotte, which finished the regular season …

Dodgers protect Hoffmann from Rule 5 Draft  —  LOS ANGELES — The Dodgers added Jamie Hoffmann to the Major League roster Friday, protecting him from next month's Rule 5 Draft.  —  The Dodgers lost Hoffmann as the first player taken in last year's Draft to the Washington Nationals, who immediately dealt him to the New York Yankees.