Branyan, who turns 34 in December, posted a batting line of .251/.347/.520, a career-high 31 home runs and 76 RBI in 2009. He's a nice fit for the Mets, who are seeking a left-handed power hitter and could stick Branyan at first base. That would leave Daniel Murphy in the outfield, unless the Mets decide to upgrade at multiple positions this offseason. For what it's worth, he rejected a one-year offer from the Mariners two weeks ago.

"He's definitely on their radar," said Pavano's agent Tom O'Connell. Pavano went 14-12 with a 5.10 ERA in 33 starts this past season with the Indians and Twins. "It's a solid market (for Pavano) but teams always take the 'wait and see' approach," O'Connell continued. "Certain guys (on the market) are going to dictate how the other guys go."

This was a no-brainer. Mauer easily beat Yankee teammates Mark Teixeira and Derek Jeter, who finished second and third, respectively. The Twins star was a near-unanimous winner, receiving 27 of 28 first-place votes. The lone dissenter gave his first-place vote to fourth-place finisher Miguel Cabrera. Mauer led the league in batting average (.365), on-base percentage (.444), and slugging percentage (.587); a feat never before accomplished by a catcher. He also led the league by a substantial margin in Value over Replacement Player (VORP). Oh, and he played Gold Glove defense at a premium position.

The deal makes sense for both parties. The White Sox ink a veteran who offers the club a stellar defensive option off the bench at shortstop, second base or third base. The 42-year-old Vizquel hit only .266/.316/.345 in 177 at-bats last season, but his defense and mentorship of youngsters Alexei Ramirez and Gordon Beckham should make the contract worthwhile for the South Siders.

The Marlins are willing to listen to offers for possible non-tender candidates, but they reportedly seem comfortable with the roughly $5 million Cantu will make next season. Cantu, 27, batted .289/.345/.443 with 16 home runs and 100 RBI in 2009. If he stays in Florida, Cantu will either play first base or third base. Prospects Logan Morrison and Gaby Sanchez are expected to compete for the first base job during spring training.

"I want to continue to be on a team that can win and to play in front of great fans - and we know that the Yankees fill both of those," Damon said. "I think everyone knows my desire to come back. Still, every time I've been a free agent, I've ended up switching teams. It's the nature of the beast. If people are interested, I'm going to listen." Damon would reportedly be open to a shorter deal with New York, however he would want a higher annual salary.

The Mets are considering a list of secondary pitchers in the event that they are unsuccessful to sign John Lackey -- Joel Pineiro, Randy Wolf, Jason Marquis and even Ben Sheets -- however Harden isn't one of them, according to a source. The 27-year-old right-hander was 9-9 with a 4.09 ERA and 1.34 WHIP in 2009, posting a 10.91 K/9 in 141 innings, however the Mets may be a bit gun-shy given his injury-history.