Ex-Mariners coach Andy Van Slyke wrong to rip Robinson Cano  —  You could always see where Robinson Cano might become an easy target, especially with those new, $240 million-man expectations.  —  His refusal to bust it down the line on routine outs, which drove Yankee fans crazy …

Angels aren't ruling out pursuit of Heyward  —  JP Morosi  —  The Los Angeles Angels have the American League's 2015 Gold Glove Award winner in right field.  —  How about the National League recipient, too?  —  The Angels aren't ruling out a pursuit of free agent Jason Heyward, sources tell Ken Rosenthal and me.

Rod Carew opens up about his private life and his near-death experience  —  SAN DIEGO — Playing alone at Cresta Verde Golf Course in Corona, Calif. on the sunny Sunday of Sept. 20, Rod Carew hit his drive off the first tee precisely where he drove so many of his 3,053 hits with the Minnesota Twins …

Marlins drop Tommy Hutton; tons of Dolphins news, notes from Monday  —  In a surprising and upsetting development, the Marlins today dropped TV analyst Tommy Hutton, who did exemplary work for 19 seasons.  —  My breaking of the story on Twitter elicited a flood of comments in support of Hutton —

Mariners, Marlins Discussing Trade; Marcell Ozuna Involved  —  10:25pm: Walker “isn't available,” tweets Crasnick, and Paxton's health concerns might not great enough that the Marlins wouldn't part with Ozuna, raising the question of whether or not Elias or Karns would entice Miami.

POLL: Harris County Sheriff pays for controversial sign out of his own pocket  —  HARRIS COUNTY, Ga. - A new sign outside of the Harris County Sheriff's Office is causing quite a stir.  —  After posting it this morning, Sheriff Mike Jolley has since received hundreds of emails, Facebook comments, and other forms of feedback.

Dombrowski & Co. will go against form in exploring free agent market  —  As if the challenge facing the Red Sox is not already daunting enough, it's also brand new to the decision makers as well.  —  The Red Sox' need for an elite starting pitcher is acute, which is hardly news.

White Sox Acquire Tommy Kahnle From Rockies  —  The White Sox announced that they have acquired right-hander Tommy Kahnle from the Rockies in exchange for minor league right-hander Yency Almonte (Twitter link).  Kahnle was designated for assignment by the Rockies last Friday in a series …

Cuban Second Baseman Omar Estevez Highlight Video  —  Paying $6 million for 17-year-old Cuban second baseman Omar Estevez is a steep price.  That's the bonus the Dodgers agreed to pay Estevez, and because he's subject to the international bonus pools, the Dodgers are going to pay $12 million total …

Sources: Tim Lincecum is recovering well, expects to pitch in January showcase  —  Amid the flurry of discussion about all the available top-flight starting pitching, one of the biggest names has slinked under the radar, where he's likely to stay until sometime in January.

David Stearns on His Vision for Building the Brewers  —  The Milwaukee Brewers have had nine winning seasons during David Stearns' lifetime.  Over that span, they've won 90 or more games just four times.  Their last World Series appearance was in 1982, three years before the 30-year-old Harvard graduate was born.

Tigers Hire Lloyd McClendon As Triple-A Manager  —  Recently dismissed Mariners manager Lloyd McClendon has been named manager of the Tigers' Triple-A affiliate, the Toledo Mud Hens, the team announced today (Twitter link).  McClendon was fired from his post as Seattle's skipper back in early October …

Dodgers, looking to upgrade pen, have checked in on Aroldis Chapman  —  The Dodgers thus far have been connected mostly to set-up man extraordinaire Darren O'Day among the bullpen arms, but they've cast a wide net in their search for relief help, and are also considering closers, even the game's most dynamic pen arm Aroldis Chapman.