COLORADO ROCKIES / MLB  —  The Denver Post  —  Atlanta Braves pitcher David Hale works in the first inning against the Pittsburgh Pirates on Sept. 25 in Atlanta.  Hale went 4-5 with a 3.30 ERA last season with the Braves.  (John Bazemore, The Associated Press)

Bullpen Notes: Cotts, Mujica, Brewers, Papelbon, K-Rod  —  Recent Brewers signee Neal Cotts tells Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel that he came close to hanging up his spikes before the Rangers offered him a deal for the 2013 season.  After two fairly productive seasons in Texas …

U.S. Treasury letter should clear way for signing with MLB club  —  Richard Justice talks with MLB Tonight about the possibility that Cuban slugger Yoan Moncada could be cleared to communicate with MLB clubs  —  David Hastings, the agent for Cuban infielder Yoan Moncada …

Slugging third baseman joined by Alfaro, Mazara, Thompson and Gonzalez  —  2015 MLB.com Top Prospects: Joey Gallo has hit 40 or more home runs in each of his first two full professional seasons  —  ARLINGTON — Led by power-hitting third baseman Joey Gallo, the Rangers have five players listed …

Red Sox To Sign Alexi Ogando  —  4:04pm: Ogando passed his physical, tweets Cafardo.  He's likely to serve as a seventh-inning option for Boston.  —  3:11pm: Bob Nightengale of USA Today tweets that there are an additional $1.5MM worth of roster bonuses and performance incentives in the deal.

Eric Decker selling free agent Demaryius Thomas on Jets  —  Eric Decker is trying to reunite with Demaryius Thomas on the Jets.  —  PHOENIX — Jets wide receiver Eric Decker did some recruiting this week.  —  Decker spent a few days in Arizona with Broncos wide receiver Demaryius Thomas, his former teammate and close friend.

Minor League Transactions: Jan. 23-29  —  The White Sox sign an infamous player from out of the past, while the Yankees try their luck with a reclamation project in the vein of Bartolo Colon or Freddy Garcia.  —  Official minor league transactions, conveyed to Baseball America by Major League Baseball, for the period Jan. 23-29.

Curran: Goodell Deflategate stance shows he's a fraud  —  PHOENIX - Congrats, Roger.  You successfully debased your marquee event.  —  You allowed one of your marquee franchises to be devalued.  —  You allowed the legacies of a Hall of Fame quarterback and coach to be battered.

Ex-Steeler Blount completes community service; drug charge withdrawn  —  Prosecutors have dropped a marijuana possession charge against New England Patriots running back and former Steeler LeGarrette Blount, his attorney said.  —  Blount completed 50 hours of community service, his attorney Casey White said.

Reliever seeks spot in bullpen while infielder provides utility depth  —  8/20/13: Rafael Betancourt gets John Mayberry to pop up to second for the final out of the ninth, notching his 16th save of the season  —  DENVER — The Rockies have reached out to a couple of their former players for depth …

Brewers Designate Elian Herrera For Assignment  —  The Brewers announced that they have designated infielder/outfielder Elian Herrera for assignment in order to clear space on the 40-man roster for the newly signed Neal Cotts.  —  The 29-year-old Herrera, claimed off waivers from the Dodgers last winter …