Rangers set to push Yankees with 5-year bid for Lee  —  Tweet  —  Armed with the belief the Yankees are willing to pay Cliff Lee $23 million a year, the Rangers are on the verge of making an official offer to retain the left-handed free-agent hurler.  —  According to a person with knowledge …

Red Sox gunning for top outfield target  —  + Recent Articles + Recent Blog Entries + Email  —  By all accounts, the Red Sox [team stats] are working hard behind the scenes to sign one of the two elite free agent outfielders, Carl Crawford or Jayson Werth.

Derek Jeter's agent meets with Yankees GM Brian Cashman, Hal Steinbrenner Tuesday in Tampa: source  —  Derek Jeter's agent, Yankees GM Brian Cashman (below) and owner Hal Steinbrenner convene Tuesday, according to a source.  Another source says there is ‘nothing imminent’ regarding a deal.

Memo to Selig: Leave the playoffs alone  —  Almost all of the power brokers at Major League Baseball, an entity that could use a visit to the ophthalmologist for its short-sightedness, burst with pleasure at the idea of expanding the game's postseason.  Publicly, they tout the excitement …

Ask Pete Carroll a question...  Join us...  Facebook  —  Twitter  —  Brock Huard  —  Brock Huard played football for his father, Mike, at Puyallup High School before moving on to the University of Washington.  There Brock erased older brother Damon's name on several season and career passing records.

Theriot tweaks Cubs after trade to Cardinals  —  When he was sent to the Dodgers last July in the Ted Lilly trade, Ryan Theriot admitted he had hoped to remain a Cub for life.  —  “I didn't want to go,” Theriot said that day in Denver.  “Obviously, being with an organization from draft day to the major leagues is something special.

Giants To Sign Miguel Tejada  —  The Giants agreed to sign Miguel Tejada to a one-year deal worth $6.5MM that includes a $500K bonus, according to Enrique Rojas of ESPNDeportes (on Twitter).  —  The Giants had been pursuing shortstops aggressively ever since Juan Uribe signed with the Dodgers.

Arbitration offers turned down by 25 out of 27 free agents  —  For all the speculation about which Type A and Type B free agents would and wouldn't accept arbitration offers just two of the 27 eligible players said yes: Frank Francisco of the Rangers and Jason Frasor of the Blue Jays.

Chronicle report: A's met with Adam Dunn yesterday  —  The Chronicle learned this morning that the A's met with Adam Dunn in Houston yesterday, and according to an industry source, Oakland is considered a serious candidate to land a deal with the 31-year-old slugger.

Scouting reports for the Top 10 Prospects (How to subscribe)  —  Shortly after Jon Daniels became the youngest general manager in baseball history following the 2005 season, the Rangers fully committed to building a winner through their farm system.  They restocked the organization through trades …

D-backs set for first Spring Training in Phoenix  —  Club opens Salt River Fields schedule vs. co-tenant Rockies  —  PHOENIX — After 13 seasons of training in Tucson, the Arizona Diamondbacks will kick off their first Spring Training in the Phoenix area on Feb. 25, when they take on the …