Jim Reeves of ESPN Dallas would like to let you know how important his Hall of Fame vote is: Judge and jury? Moral compasses? Gatekeepers? Yeah, maybe so, because that’s the responsibility we accept when we qualify to become a Hall of Fame voter. Because of the steroids issue, it’s a responsibility that has become…

Adam Kilgore of The Washington Post caught up with Washington Nationals phenom pitcher Stephen Strasburg, and has some information on how the right-hander has been handling his rehabilitation from Tommy John surgery, how he has been spending his time this offseason, and his prospects for returning to action. There are some good nuggets, so check…

The Marlins avoided arbitration by agreeing to one-year deals with Leo Nunez and Edward Mujica tonight, according to Joe Capozzi of the Palm Beach Post. According to Juan C. Rodriguez of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel, Nunez will make $3.65 million plus performance bonuses based on games finished. Nunez earned $2 million last season while posting…

The Indians and Asdrubal Cabrera avoided arbitration today by agreeing to a one-year contract. The Associated Press reports that the deal is worth $2.025 million. Cabrera was arbitration-eligible for the first time this winter. The 25-year-old shortstop batted .276/.326/.346 with three home runs, 29 RBI, a .673 OPS and six stolen bases in 425 plate…

According to Dylan Hernandez of the Los Angeles Times, the Dodgers have reached an agreement on a contract with Marcus Thames. No word on the specific terms involved, but the deal could be finalized by as soon as tomorrow. Thames, who turns 34 in March, batted .288/.350/.491 with 12 home runs, 33 RBI and .841…

Brandon Webb signed an incentive-laden one-year contract with the Rangers earlier this month that will guarantee him $3 million, but now we have learned the some of the details. Via T.R. Sullivan of MLB.com: He gets $150,000 when he reaches 100 innings. He will $150,000 more for 110 and 120 innings pitched. His bonus goes…

The Rays and B.J. Upton avoided arbitration today by agreeing to a one-year contract worth $4.825 million, according to Marc Topkin of the St. Petersburg Times. The Tampa Tribune reports that he could make an additional $25,000 based on plate appearances. The 26-year-old Upton earned $3 million in 2010 after losing an arbitration hearing in…

I didn’t realize they did this, but this went down over the weekend: The Baseball Scouts Foundation held its annual “In the Spirit of the Game” fundraiser gala. Stars from baseball and Hollywood teamed up to raise money for the foundation, which exists to help baseball scouts in need of financial help. That’s pretty awesome.…

Jon Heyman reports that the Yankees and the Orioles are sniffin’ around Freddy Garcia. Or, I should say, sniffin’ around again. Heyman reported last month that multiple teams including the Yankees had requested his medical records.  At the time I opined that Garcia is not a guy who is going to make a difference for a…

According to Adam Rubin of ESPNNewYork.com the Mets are “closing in on a deal” with right-hander Chris Young, who missed most of last season with a shoulder injury. New York has been linked to Young throughout the offseason as new general manager Sandy Alderson and company targeted him as a worthwhile reclamation project who could…

Toronto has signed reliever Jon Rauch to a one-year, $3.5 million contract with a $3.75 million option for 2012. Rauch had a decent year last year, pressed into service as the Twins’ closer when Joe Nathan had Tommy John surgery. He had a 3.12 ERA and 46 strikeouts and 14 walks in 57.2 innings and…

After acquiring Matt Lindstrom from the Astros last month the Rockies have avoided arbitration with the right-hander by signing him to a two-year deal with a team option for 2013. The contract buys out Lindstrom’s final two seasons of arbitration eligibility while giving the Rockies an option on his first year of free agency. Troy…

After a season-and-a-half as a bench player in Colorado the assumption was that Jason Giambi would go elsewhere this offseason in search of more playing time, but today he re-signed with the Rockies on a minor-league contract. Last winter Giambi got a guaranteed deal worth $1.75 million, but this time around he won’t have a…

Bruce Levine of ESPN Chicago reports that the Cubs have traded Tom Gorzelanny to the Nationals for three minor leaguers. The lefty Gorzelanny was 7-9 with a 4.09 ERA in 29 appearances, 23 of which were starts last season.  But now that the Cubs have Matt Garza in the fold to go along with Ryan Dempster, Carlos Zambrano,…

Last week the Nationals were said to be targeting Jerry Hairston Jr. as their utility man replacement for Willie Harris, who signed a minor-league deal with the Mets. However, according to Bill Ladson of MLB.com they turned their attention to Alex Cora because “some in the organization believe [Hairston's] asking price would be too steep” and…

Yahoo!’s Tim Brown tweets that the Yankees are nearing a one-year deal with Andruw Jones.  This after a weekend of reports that had the Yankees interested at one turn and balking at the next. Could go either way, really, but there’s a feeling of two steps forward, one step back to all of this, and…

After eating his way out of a starting job last season Pablo Sandoval has shed 20-30 pounds this winter, posting a picture of his slimmed-down self over the weekend that shows him looking like a new man. That led to a bunch of his Twitter followers asking Sandoval how he lost the weight, so he…