Jeff Passan's MLB offseason preview: Answering 20 uniquely 2020 hot stove questions  —  Technically, free agency in Major League Baseball began Sunday evening.  There was no deluge of activity like the NBA or NFL offer, no dopamine hit of excitement and activity and possibility to start the MLB offseason.

Brodie Van Wagenen ‘leaving’ the Mets as new team president Sandy Alderson announces front office moves … Brodie Van Wagenen's time with the Mets is done.  —  The Mets announced on Friday afternoon that the GM and executive vice president is “leaving the organization.”

Dombrowski will stay in Nashville; Snell decision revisited; more notes  —  Dave Dombrowski is not a candidate to be the top baseball decision-maker for the Angels or another club.  He signed a four-year contract to work with the group trying to bring a major-league team to Nashville …

Still upset over ‘The Eyes,’ Longhorn band will not perform during Texas' final home games  —  The University of Texas band will not perform during the Longhorns' final two home games this season over internal dispute about “The Eyes of Texas” school song.  —  The university had previously …

Dodgers' Cody Bellinger on World Series win, Lakers co-celebration and appearance in the new Assassin's Creed  —  Four years into Cody Bellinger's nascent MLB career, the Dodgers first baseman's résumé already rivals those of veterans of the game: 2017 Rookie of the Year …

The Red Sox met with Alex Cora in-person last week  —  Former Red Sox manager Alex Cora met in person with Red Sox chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom and general manager Brian O'Halloran last Friday, according to two major league sources.  Yet following that meeting, the likelihood …

Steve Cohen's purchase of the Mets could close Friday: source  —  The Mets' financial clout could drastically change as soon as this weekend.  —  Those involved with Steve Cohen's purchase of the Mets hope the deal will officially close Friday, according to a person familiar with the situation.

Golden Goodbye?  Wong wins second fielding honor, says he'll ‘keep that door open’ for talks with Cardinals  —  Of all the things Kolten Wong chased down, dove for, and got his hands around for the Cardinals this season on his way to a second consecutive Gold Glove Award …

MLB team owners approve John Angelos to succeed his father as official in charge of Orioles, per sources  —  Major League Baseball team owners have voted to approve John Angelos as “control person” for the Baltimore Orioles, meaning he has succeeded his father as the executive responsible for the team, two sources said Tuesday.

NBA season start date down to Dec. 22 or Jan. 18, to be decided this week: Sources  —  The National Basketball Players Association is planning to hold a vote on Thursday night or Friday morning regarding the Dec. 22 start format to the 2020-21 season amid the coronavirus pandemic, sources told The Athletic.

Bobby Massie could miss a month with a knee injury, giving the Chicago Bears another issue on the offensive line  —  The Chicago Bears are hopeful center Cody Whitehair will return from a calf injury soon, but now the club is bracing to be without right tackle Bobby Massie for a significant period of time.