ARE YANKEES IN ON SCHERZER?  READ TEX MESSAGE FROM SIX YEARS AGO  —  JP Morosi  —  For insight into where the top free-agent pitcher will sign, let's turn to an unlikely source: the case of the top free-agent hitter six winters ago.  —  Max Scherzer today has two things in common with Mark Teixeira then …

Padres Acquire Shawn Kelley  —  The Yankees announced on Monday that they have sent right-hander Shawn Kelley to the Padres in exchange for minor league righty Johnny Barbato.  —  The 30-year-old Kelley posted a 4.53 ERA in 51 2/3 innings for the Yankees last season, though metrics such as FIP …

Tigers SS Jose Iglesias makes progress toward return  —  Jose Iglesias has one hurdle left to clear.  —  And it's the same hurdle the Tigers' shortstop couldn't clear last season, a season that was lost to stress fractures in each of his lower legs.  —  Iglesias has progressed positively …

Pierce's future plans include visiting Celts  —  Photo by:  —  TWO ON ONE: Washington's Paul Pierce and Kris Humphries team up against Jared Sullinger during the C's loss Saturday night to the Wizards.  —  By:  —  Boston hasn't seen the last of Paul Pierce, and it's quite possible the Celtic organization hasn't, either.

2015 BJOL HOF Results  —  This year, eighty-nine ballots were cast for the Bill James Online Hall-of-Fame.  From a crowded ballot, our readers voted in four starting pitchers:  —  Player  —  Votes  —  Percentage  —  Pedro Martinez  —  97.8%  —  Randy Johnson  —  96.6%  —  John Smoltz

Byrd Trade Between Phillies, Reds Fell Through  —  The Phillies are in clear rebuild mode, having dealt Jimmy Rollins and Antonio Bastardo this offseason, and they appear to have had a third trade in the works before it fell through.  Jon Morosi of FOX Sports reports that the Phillies and Reds …

Guillen ready to get back in the game of baseball  —  Frank Thomas tabs Ozzie Guillen as his favorite manager to play for, praising him for being direct and creating a positive atmosphere  —  CHICAGO — Ozzie Guillen was an accomplished manager.  —  That portion of his near-decade …

How will Tim Raines and the other contenders do on the 2015 HOF ballot?  —  We can split up the ballots submitted into 4 types of voters:  —  1. Did the ballot include Bonds and/or Clemens?  2. Otherwise, did the ballot have the full 10 slots?  3. Otherwise, did the ballot have 7-9 slots?

Sergio Santos, Dodgers Agree To Minor League Deal  —  The Dodgers have agreed to sign reliever Sergio Santos to a minor-league deal, CBS Sports' Jon Heyman tweets.  Santos, the former White Sox and Blue Jays closer, has fallen on hard times over the past three seasons due largely to injury issues.

Random Orioles notes  —  The Orioles have been viewed as the favorites to host the 2016 All-Star Game, but I'm told that it's not going to happen.  —  The club hasn't been officially notified, but a source says it won't be played at Camden Yards.  —  The Orioles last hosted the All-Star Game in 1993 …

Starlin Castro's agent denies arrest report in club shooting  —  Starlin Castro's agent refuted reports that the Cubs' shortstop was arrested in a nightclub shooting in the Dominican Republic, saying he voluntarily went to the police to be questioned.  —  According to a report …