Is it really that crazy to think the Mets can win the NL East?  —  Hey, the New York Mets didn't hire Brodie Van Wagenen to be just another conventional general manager.  They could have gone with the latest 30-something prodigy from Harvard or Yale if they wanted to do that.

Mercer the latest quiet addition for busy Detroit Tigers  —  DETROIT (AP) Jordy Mercer found out quickly that the Tigers had him on their radar.  —  “They were one of the first clubs that we had talks with,” Detroit's new shortstop said Tuesday.  “It was early on in the process, so I know they were interested.

Baseball notebook: Beltran joins Yankees' front office as adviser  —  Longtime big leaguer Carlos Beltran has joined the New York Yankees as a special adviser.  —  His hiring, announced Tuesday, came shortly before prized free agent Manny Machado was expected to meet with the Yankees on Wednesday.

Three teams that know how to play the winter waiting game  —  The Tampa Bay Rays don't know where they will play in a decade.  The Milwaukee Brewers spent about $150 million less in payroll than the champion Red Sox.  The Minnesota Twins just announced they will retire the number …

The shift, 100 mph heat, near impossible odds: How hitters are fighting back  —  LAS VEGAS — From within, the conversation is less about evening the playing field and more about overcoming the odds.  It isn't about taking things back to the way they used to be; it's about uncovering something new.

MLB proposal would allow Cuban players to sign with teams without defecting  —  Major League Baseball presented a proposal that would allow clubs to sign players out of Cuba beginning next year, rather than forcing them to first defect from the country and establish residency elsewhere …

Carlos Beltran joining Yankees as special advisor on eve of Manny Machado meeting  —  NEW YORK - A year after interviewing for the Yankees then-vacant managing position, Carlos Beltran is re-joining the Yankees as a special advisor to general manager Brian Cashman.

Time will tell what's next for Troy Tulowitzki after working out for nearly a dozen teams  —  LONG BEACH, Calif. — By late Tuesday morning, a half-dozen or so teams had told or hinted to  —  Troy Tulowitzki that he could be their next shortstop or third baseman or second baseman …

Matt Harvey signs one-year, $11 million deal with L.A. Angels  —  Matt Harvey is heading to another city where he can party to his heart's content.  The pitcher formerly known as the Dark Knight is now an Angel.  —  Harvey signed a one-year deal for 11 million dollars with L.A. on Tuesday …