Source: Mariano Rivera talks with New York Yankees going smoothly  —  NEW YORK —The Yankees' negotiations with closer Mariano Rivera are progressing much smoother than the rancor-filled struggle with Derek Jeter.  —  “Night and day,” said one baseball official with knowledge of both talks.

Rockies, Tulowitzki Nearing Extension  —  The Rockies and Troy Tulowitzki are nearing a six-year extension that will keep the shortstop in Denver through 2020 and pay him $119MM.  Tulowitzki will be approaching his 36th birthday by the time the extension expires.

Andy Pettitte a Ranger?  Texas president Nolan Ryan makes stealthy pitch to Yankees pitcher  —  Yankees starting pitcher Andy Pettitte is still mulling whether to return to the Yankees or to retire and return to his home in Texas...  The Yankees know they'll be fighting with the Rangers for the services of Cliff Lee.

Sources: Juan Uribe, Dodgers near deal  —  The Los Angeles Dodgers are close to signing free-agent infielder Juan Uribe to a three-year deal, sources told ESPN The Magazine's Buster Olney on Monday.  —  The move would not only strengthen the Dodgers but hurt their archrival, the Giants.

Former Yankee great Gil McDougald, 1951 AL rookie of the year, dead at 82  —  Gil McDougald, the versatile '50s Yankee who, along with Pete Rose, had the unique distinction of being selected to the All-Star team at three different positions, died Sunday at his home in Wall Township, N.J., after a long bout with prostate cancer.

Mets Nearing Deal for Chris Young, Or Not  —  Baumbach covers New York sports for Newsday.com.  —  From what I can gather, the Mets and free-agent RHP Chris Young have been in contact and, though I wouldn't be surprised to see them eventually work out a deal, nothing is imminent.  —  Updated at 9:50 pm:

An alarming arm problem  —  Stephen Strasburg was named to the annual Topps Major League Rookie All-Star Team on Monday.  —  Honors were expected of the righty — especially after he struck out 14 in his major league debut — but the way Strasburg finished his rookie season was not what most of us had in mind.

Giants' World Series share: $317K  —  A full World Series share for the champion San Francisco Giants was worth $317,631.29 this year, according to figures released Monday by Major League Baseball.  —  The Giants voted 50 full shares to members of the team and other personnel.

Rockies re-sign Daley, ink two to Minors deals  —  DENVER — The Rockies have reached a one-year contract agreement with right-handed relief pitcher Matt Daley and have signed onetime Dodgers rotation member Eric Stults to a Minor League contract with an invitation to Major League Spring Training.

Ranking the new managers … Ten teams hired a manager this winter and some did better than others.  Here are my rankings of the new managerial hires, from top to bottom.  —  1. Clint Hurdle, Pirates.  Pittsburgh sure took a long time finding its new manager, partly because not everyone …