You know it’s the week of Christmas when Jason Marquis leads the day’s news and Dusty Ryan comes in second.  But believe it or not, there were some transactions that registered even lower on the Richter (Richar?) scale than those: The Marlins sign infielder Danny Richar:  One of six guys from the Dominican Republic named…

A catcher? I thought Dusty Ryan was a cowboy or a wrestler or something. You learn something new every day: The Detroit Tigers today traded catcher Dusty Ryan to the San Diego Padres for a player to be named later or cash considerations. Ryan played for the Tigers and Triple-A Toledo this past season. He…

Washington recently was said to be making a “strong push” for Jon Garland, but the Nationals apparently balked at his demand for a three-year contract and turned their attention to the equally veteran and similarly mediocre Jason Marquis, signing him to a reported two-year, $15 million contract. Marquis won 15 games and tossed 216 innings…

In addition to the Padres throwbacks mentioned earlier today, the Nats will be making a couple of changes for next year too.  Nothing radical — just changing the road undershirts and socks from red to blue blue to red — but it’s a better move for the Nats than handing first base to Adam Dunn,…

Three weeks ago the Rays acquired Kelly Shoppach from the Indians for a player to be named later and this afternoon Mitch Talbot was announced as the mystery man heading to Cleveland. Talbot and Ben Zobrist were the Astros prospects who went to the then-Devil Rays in the mid-2006 trade for Aubrey Huff. Zobrist has…

MASNSports.com reports that the Nationals have agreed to terms with free agent starter Jason Marquis. No word yet on the details, but we’ll have an update as soon as more information becomes available.

And I don’t mean mustard: Thursday afternoons at PETCO Park will be a blast from the past for Padres fans. For six midday tilts, the Padres will sport the brown and mustard uniforms of 1970s or ’80s vintage, according to a report by The Associated Press citing team president Tom Garfinkel as a source. When…

Ken Rosenthal ponders some possibilities for the Atlanta Braves, who are in the market for a corner outfielder. First up: Dan Uggla, who could maybe be converted from second base. Rosenthal says the Braves and Marlins have discussed it, that Atlanta’s interest is only “mild,” and notes the difficulty involved with making Uggla a left…

By trading prospect Brett Wallace just months after getting him from the Cardinals for Matt Holliday the A’s showed that they don’t think he’ll be able to stick at third base defensively and apparently his new team agrees. Wallace was taken in the first round of the 2008 draft as a third baseman and has…

Well, that’s how he’d probably describe it anyway. The details: Chip Caray received an early Christmas present on Monday morning, when Fox Sports Net hired him to serve as their play-by-play announcer for all the Braves games televised by Fox Sports South and SportSouth.  This was the role previously held by Jon “Boog” Sciambi, who…

So what happens if Jason Bay actually decides not to sign with the Mets? Well, according to Bart Hubbuch of the New York Post general manager Omar Minaya would then turn to a second-tier free agent outfielder like Jonny Gomes. Gomes was non-tendered by the Reds earlier this month because they’re too cheap to give…

UPDATE: T.R. Sullivan of MLB.com reports that Oliver and the Rangers have reached a deal for $3.5 million with a vesting option for 2011.  The option may be moot, however, as Oliver has said that he’ll probably retire after 2010. I suppose that all depends on how 2010 goes for him on the field. 8:00…

Gary Sheffield has been out peddling his I’m-in-the-best-shape-of-my-life and I-want-to-reach-3000-hits stuff for a while. The latest target? Tampa Bay, where a random note in the St. Petersburg Times has him saying that he wants to play two more years and finish his career with the Rays. I was going to make a joke about how…

Via Matthew Cerrone’s MetsBlog is word from Newsday’s Ken Davidoff that “According to a Mets official, if the team fails to secure [Jason] Bay, it will strongly consider raising its offer to Molina.  But if Bay signs, the Mets will hold a harder line with Molina.” Which is profoundly stupid. Bengie Molina is probably not…

Some fun Adam Dunn chatter in the past few days, with Nationals’ President Stan Kasten saying that if Dunner wants a contract extension in Washington, he’ll have to improve his defense at first base, where he’ll probably be assigned on a permanent basis going forward. Dunn, who is a pretty agreeable fellow, agreed, saying that…

A revealing quote from Scott Boras in today’s St. Louis Post-Dispatch.  When asked about the timetable for Matt Holliday signing somewhere: “The acquisition of a franchise talent is not about a wristwatch. That’s about all I can tell you. It’s not a particular time. It’s about the club recognizing the benefit of having that player…

The Cubs need a centerfielder. The Yankees arguably have an excess of centerfielders in Melky Cabrera, Brett Gardner and Curtis Granderson. I say “arguably” because as things currently stand one of those dudes has to play left. But the Yankees may or may not be done making moves this winter, they may still yet bring…

During an appearance on Sirius XM’s MLB Home Plate on Sunday morning, Red Sox assistant general manager Ben Cherington addressed the right thumb condition that nixed a possible trade of Mike Lowell to the Rangers: “Even at the end of the playoffs, in our exit physical, he barely made mention of it,” Cherington said in…