NEW YORK (AP) It's the time of year in baseball for courting and bluffing - sometimes simultaneously.

Free agent signing season began Friday with teams competing for a dearth of stars and a large number of players nearing the end of their careers. Read More...

CHICAGO (AP) The Chicago White Sox are closing in on a contract agreement with free agent shortstop Omar Vizquel.

The deal could be announced as soon as Monday, according to a person familiar with the negotiations who spoke on condition of anonymity because the team has not commented. Read More...

CHICAGO (AP) Pitcher John Grabow became the first of the 171 free agents to reach agreement on a new deal, getting a $7.5 million, two-year contract Friday from the Chicago Cubs.

The 31-year-old left-hander combined to go 3-0 with a 3.36 ERA last season in a career-high 75 relief appearances with the Pittsburgh Pirates and Cubs. Read More...

(AP) -- For so many years, the formula for winning a Cy Young Award was pretty simple: Win a lot of games.

Denny McLain was a unanimous pick in 1968 and deservedly so. He posted 31 victories - the combined total of this year's Cy Young starters, Tim Lincecum and Zack Greinke. Read More...

WASHINGTON (AP) Former Seattle Mariners manager John McLaren was hired Friday as bench coach for the Washington Nationals, who rounded out manager Jim Riggleman's staff by also adding Jim Lett as bullpen coach and Dan Radison as first-base coach.

McLaren replaces Pat Corrales, Lett takes over for Randy Knorr, and Radison replaces Marquis Grissom. Read More...

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) Tim Lincecum has been so dominant in his first two full major league seasons that even his top bosses don't know how he can get much better.

Two NL Cy Young Awards, a pair of All-Star selections - all at age 25. Read More...

CHICAGO (AP) Some teams lost money in 2009, baseball commissioner Bud Selig said Thursday after the final owners meeting of the year.

"There was no question about that," Selig said. "I don't think the concerns have been ameliorated at all. I think the concerns are still there because all these people have their own economists." Read More...

NEW YORK (AP) Jim Tracy was out of baseball when Clint Hurdle called last October to talk to him about joining Hurdle's staff in Colorado. Tracy was focused on his duties as bench coach for the Rockies when he came to spring training.

Now, he's the NL Manager of the Year - and has a new contract, too. Read More...

CHICAGO (AP) Baseball plans to cut down on off days during the postseason next year.

Commissioner Bud Selig said Wednesday he's working on tightening up the 2010 playoff schedule so there will be fewer gaps between games. Read More...