Source: Yanks make formal offer to Lee  —  Ken Rosenthal has been the senior baseball writer for FOXSports.com since Aug. 2005.  He appears weekly on MLB on FOX.  Follow him on Twitter.  —  Get ready.  —  Cliff Lee, the biggest prize on this year's free-agent market …

Sources: Cubs targeting Matt Garza  —  Officials from the Tampa Bay Rays and Chicago Cubs met for the second time during the Winter Meetings on Wednesday night to discuss the parameters of a trade that would send right-handed pitcher Matt Garza to Chicago for a number of the Cubs' top prospects, according to multiple sources.

Source: Dodgers, Dioner Navarro close  —  LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. — In a development that probably eliminates any chance two-time All-Star and former Gold Glove catcher Russell Martin will remain with the Los Angeles Dodgers, the club is close to a one-year agreement with the catcher Martin replaced …

LAA to eventually land Carl Crawford? … LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. — Two sources close to Carl Crawford said they expect the free-agent outfielder eventually to sign with the Los Angeles Angels.  —  Multiple high-ranking baseball sources said Tuesday they expect Crawford to end up in Anaheim.

Kansas City Royals agree to one-year deal with Jeff Francoeur  —  Free agent outfielder Jeff Francoeur agreed to a one-year deal with the Kansas City Royals, the team announced Wednesday.  —  The deal also includes a mutual option for the 2012 season and is pending a physical exam.

Cowlishaw: It's better to overpay for Cliff Lee than let him go to the Yankees  —  I don't make a habit of writing things that I am told “off the record.”  No one in this business does for very long.  —  But when it's this juicy, this good, I just have to make an exception.

The Voice of My Childhood Is Hall-of-Fame-Bound  —  A thousand plagues of locusts couldn't wipe the smile off my face today.  Not after the news that Dave Van Horne, the voice of the Montreal Expos for the first 32 years of their existence and the radio voice of the Florida Marlins for a decade since, is headed to the Hall of Fame:

White Sox Re-Sign Paul Konerko  —  The White Sox reached an agreement with first baseman Paul Konerko on a three-year deal, reports Bob Nightengale of USA Today.  The deal is worth $37.5MM, tweets SI's Jon Heyman.  The contract includes deferred money, as outlined by MLB.com's Scott Merkin.

Answer Man: Luke Scott talks Nugent, hunting and Obama origin  —  stopped by baseball's winter meetings Tuesday and, after some harmless chatter about his team's offseason dealings, stated with conviction that President Barack Obama was not born in the United States.  —  Oh, yes, he did.

Diaz signing may make Doumit expendable  —  LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. — Signing Matt Diaz may answer one offseason question in Pittsburgh.  But it's leading to speculation on another front.  —  By inking Diaz to a two-year deal that is expected to become official in the next few days …

Mets Sign Boof Bonser  —  The Mets signed Boof Bonser to a minor league contract, according to Newsday's Ken Davidoff (on Twitter).  The 29-year-old right-hander logged 25 innings with the A's and Red Sox this year, posting a 6.12 ERA with acceptable strikeout (6.1 K/9) and walk (2.9 BB/9) rates.

Indians legend Feller transferred to hospice care  —  CLEVELAND (AP) — Indians Hall of Fame pitcher Bob Feller has been moved from a hospital to hospice care.  —  The 92-year-old Feller, who was recently admitted to the Cleveland Clinic with pneumonia, has been transferred to a hospice …