Nationals To Sign Adam LaRoche  —  12:02pm: The deal is worth $24MM and includes a mutual option, Amanda Comak of the Washington Times reports.  LaRoche obtains $10MM in 2013, $12MM in 2014 and a $2MM buyout for a 2015 mutual option.  —  11:13am: The Nationals have agreed to sign Adam LaRoche …

Why Mets won't pursue free-agent outfielder Michael Bourn  —  So it's Jan. 8, five weeks away from spring training, and Michael Bourn still hasn't signed with a team.  Atlanta gave $75 million to B.J. Upton.  The Angels shelled out $125 million for Josh Hamilton.  No team has doled out a dime for Bourn.

Derek Jeter should be ready for 2013 Opening Day after having surgery on injured left ankle  —  Captain should be set to go by time season rolls around, though he has not yet run.  Meanwhile, the Mets may have interest in former Yankee Carl Pavano.  —  New York Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter …

Brewers sign lefty reliever Mike Gonzalez  —  Free Agent Agrees to One-Year Deal  —  MILWAUKEE - The Milwaukee Brewers signed free agent left-handed reliever Mike Gonzalez to a one-year contract today.  To make room on the 40-man roster, the team designated right-handed pitcher Arcenio Leon for assignment.

Role with Astros is Clemens' for taking  —  Seven-time Cy Young Award winner Roger Clemens is on the verge of taking an active role with the Astros.  —  Clemens, 50, is scheduled to meet Monday with general manager Jeff Luhnow.  The Astros plan to open their 2013 schedule to Clemens …

Sifting through more rumors  —  If it brings any comfort at all, executive vice president Dan Duquette hasn't stopped trying to add a starting pitcher or a hitter for the middle of the lineup.  —  The effort is there.  It's the results that are lacking.  —  Again, the Orioles aren't choosing to stand pat.

Hall Of Justice  —  Even Mark McGwire knows he's a longshot for the Hall of Fame, despite his prodigious home run totals.  —  A quarter of a century after the disgrace of Ben Johnson at the Seoul Olympics, more than a decade after the single season home run record was corrupted six times in four years …

Through the Years: Jeff Bagwell  —  With the Hall of Fame announcement scheduled for this week, now is a good time to look back at the early careers of some of this year's most talked-about nominees.  (And with the early exit polls looking as they do, it might be nice to remember just how great some of these players were.)

MLB Pays Up For Rockies Domain Name  —  Oh Canada!  —  Major League Baseball has paid a record $1.2 million to secure the domain name Rockies.com from the Canadian tourism portal Tourism Canadian Rockies.  The sale was brokered by Venture Capital Group, which announced the sale was the largest for a sports domain transaction.

A-Rod's doc reveals playoffs were lost cause, chronic pain not from 'roids & hope for healthy July return  —  The doctor scheduled to perform the upcoming hip surgery on Alex Rodriguez declared the injury had zero to do with steroids, but everything to do with A-Rod's impotent October.

Red Sox ‘hopeful’ of finishing Napoli deal  —  A Major League source told the Globe tonight that the Red Sox are working toward a contract agreement with first baseman Mike Napoli and are “hopeful” of getting it done.  —  Napoli agreed to terms on a three-year, $39 million deal on Dec. 3.