Manny Ramirez says he'll join A's  —  Manny Ramirez told ESPN's Pedro Gomez on Monday that he has agreed to a deal with the Oakland Athletics.  —  Ramirez  —  Sources tell Gomez the deal is worth about $500,000.  Ramirez is obligated to serve a 50-game suspension without pay before beginning play …

Yanks agree to deal with Ibanez, sources say  —  The New York Yankees have agreed to a one-year deal with Raul Ibanez worth $1.1 million plus incentives, baseball sources told ESPN The Magazine's Buster Olney on Monday morning.  —  Ibanez can make up to $4 million total with the incentives, the sources said.

Buster Posey told not to block plate  —  After a violent collision at home plate ended Buster Posey's season in May last season, San Francisco Giants manager Bruce Bochy has instructed his All-Star catcher to no longer block home plate when a player is trying to score.

Crawford not ruling out return by Opening Day  —  Left fielder puts rough first season with Red Sox behind him  —  FORT MYERS, Fla. — For Carl Crawford, the final indignity of a season gone horribly wrong was that line drive off the bat of Robert Andino at Camden Yards that glanced off …

2012 Aggregate Bonus Pools  —  As part of the new Collective Bargaining Agreement, teams are now assigned an aggregate signing bonus pool for their picks in the first 10 rounds of the draft.  Each has a predetermined value, from $7.2 million for the No. 1 choice to $125,000 for pick No. 300 and any subsequent .

Yanks' Rivera on retirement: I know, won't say  —  TAMPA, Fla. — Adding to a mystery that will last the whole season, 42-year-old Mariano Rivera arrived at spring training on Monday and said he knows if he will retire at the end of the season.  However, he said he won't tell anyone.

Rockies, Tracy Have “Handshake Agreement” On Extension  —  6:51pm: Tracy confirmed the extension in an appearance on MLB Roundtrip with Jeff Joyce and Cliff Floyd on MLB Network Radio.  Tracy said the deal will be re-evaluated after every season and he has “an opportunity to manage this club …

Either Wade Davis or Jeff Niemann appears likely to wind up in bullpen thanks to Tampa Bay Rays' pitching surplus  —  Wade Davis has virtually no experience pitching out of the bullpen as a pro and says he doesn't intend to start now: “I definitely want to be a starter and stay a starter forever.”

Selig needed to ask if Burnett trade was in best interest of baseball  —  Back on June 15, 1976, as the first wave of MLB serfs-in-spikes was about to hit the open market under the original rules of free agency, a commissioner's decision cited as “in the best interests of baseball” was made by then-commissioner Bowie Kuhn.

Braves' Hanson in car accident on way to camp  —  KISSIMMEE, Fla. (AP) — Atlanta Braves pitcher Tommy Hanson is being checked for a possible concussion after blowing a tire on his way to the first workout of spring training.  —  Manager Fredi Gonzalez says he got a call from Hanson shortly after 7 a.m. Monday.

Hamels wants long-term deal to stay with Phils  —  CLEARWATER, Fla. — Cole Hamels sounds like a guy who expects to finish his career in red pinstripes.  —  All that remains is for Hamels' agent, John Boggs, and the Philadelphia Phillies to agree on a long-term contract.

Francisco Rodriguez mulls legal action against former agents  —  PHOENIX - Milwaukee Brewers reliever Francisco Rodriguez, believing his former agents deceived him, may file a grievance or lawsuit against them this week, his attorney told USA TODAY.  —  Attorney Richard Johnson said Rodriguez …