NEW YORK (AP) Joe Mauer became only the second catcher in 33 years to win the American League Most Valuable Player Award, finishing first in a near-unanimous vote Monday.

The Minnesota Twins star received 27 of 28 first-place votes and 387 points in balloting by the Baseball Writers' Association of America.

Yankees teammates Mark Teixeira (225 points) and Derek Jeter (193) followed. Detroit's Miguel Cabrera drew the other first-place vote and was fourth with 171 points, one point ahead of the Angels' Kendry Morales.

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CHICAGO (AP) Omar Vizquel agreed Monday to $1,375,000, one-year contract with the Chicago White Sox.

The 42-year-old is an 11-time Gold Glove winner and has played mostly shortstop during 21 major league seasons. He figures to add depth to Chicago's young infield. Read More...

WASHINGTON (AP) The Nationals say No. 1 draft pick Stephen Strasburg has a dislocation in his left knee joint and should be fine for spring training.

Strasburg was examined Friday by Dr. Lewis Yocum in Los Angeles. The Nationals say Strasburg will not require surgery, and that treatment will include rest and physical therapy. Read More...

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) 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...