Phillies will spend big bucks in free agency, ‘maybe even be a little bit stupid about it’  —  ATLANTA — If anyone had any doubt about Philadelphia Phillies owner John Middleton's intentions this winter, he made it abundantly clear before leaving the Major League Baseball owners' meetings.

Bryce Harper: Why the Atlanta Braves should sign free agent  —  Bryce Harper, a National League MVP at 23, is a free agent at 26, peddling his services in an industry that's grown to nearly $11 billion in annual revenues.  His combination of skills, age and marketing cachet make him an excellent fit for any major league franchise.

Yelich near-unanimous pick as National League MVP; Carpenter finishes 9th  —  • Mookie Betts is ready to become an ambassador for baseball, now that he's won a batting title, World Series and Most Valuable Player award with Boston.  “I enjoy being kind of a face around the game.

Yankees moving toward Sonny Gray trade  —  Significant interest in the beleaguered righty  —  The Yankees have multiple offers on the table for RHP Sonny Gray and are in the process of weighing them, according to major league sources.  —  GM Brian Cashman has been open about Gray's need …

For many players, this will be a long, cold winter  —  By the end of spring training this year, there was an angry undercurrent among players and in the union because of the sheer volume of established veterans who were mostly ignored in free agency.  Mark Reynolds, a solid defender …

Rangers hire first-timer to majors Julio Rangel as new pitching coach  —  Texas Rangers rookie manager Chris Woodward will have a pitching coach making his major-league debut in 2019.  —  The Rangers on Friday unveiled Julio Rangel as their pitching coach.  Rangel, 43, has never worked at the major-league level.

Digging into Harper's defensive slide; Keuchel is more reliable than dominant; Syndergaard to Padres?  —  Not surprisingly, agent Scott Boras has an explanation for the sharp decline in Bryce Harper's defensive metrics during the 2018 season.  —  The explanation derives from another …

Ben Zobrist, start designing your customized cleats.  MLB grants players more shoe freedom.  —  ATLANTA — Baseball's shoe police can go home.  —  Major League Baseball and its owners approved an amendment to the basic agreement that finally loosens restrictions on the design and colors of players' footwear in games.

Who could be the Detroit Tigers' next yearly award winners?  —  For the first time in 13 seasons, the Detroit Tigers did not have a player or manager receive a vote for a yearly award from the Baseball Writers' Association of America.  —  The absence of standout individual performances is not surprising …

MLB commissioner Rob Manfred jabs new Mets GM Brodie Van Wagenen, earns five-year extension  —  ATLANTA - Just how much has life changed for Commissioner Rob Manfred, who four years ago was the subject of contentious debate among owners whether he deserved the job, and Thursday was unanimously approved for a five-year extension?