Jack Cust, who hit at least 25 home runs and tallied 70 RBIs each season from 2007-09 with the Athletics, has agreed to a one-year deal with the Astros that includes an option for 2013, according to a baseball source.

The Arizona Diamondbacks are holding their seventh annual Fantasy Camp this week at their Spring Training complex at Salt River Fields in Scottsdale, Ariz. Steve Gilbert, who covers the D-backs for MLB.com, is taking part in the camp and is sharing some of his experiences.

The Nats have two players — left-hander John Lannan and outfielder/first baseman Michael Morse — who remain eligible for arbitration.

Tigers GM Dave Dombrowski wouldn't say on a Tuesday afternoon conference call that the Tigers had to make a move to replace Victor Martinez, but he acknowledged the obvious: The club is going to have to explore possibilities outside the organization.

The Phillies and Cole Hamels on Tuesday agreed to a one-year, $15 million contract, which allowed them to avoid salary arbitration. The deal also allows them to focus on a possible multiyear extension before Hamels becomes a free agent following the 2012 season.

Demonstrating the belief that Pablo Sandoval's 2011 resurgence was legitimate, the Giants agreed to terms with the third baseman on a three-year contract extension Tuesday, avoiding salary arbitration.

The Yankees announced on Tuesday that they have agreed with right-handers Joba Chamberlain and David Robertson on non-guaranteed one-year contracts, thus avoiding salary arbitration.

Twins lefty Brian Duensing is optimistic that he'll bounce back this year and return to his previous form that saw him win a role in the starting rotation last season.

A monster 2011 season has landed Jacoby Ellsbury a sizable raise. The Red Sox avoided salary arbitration with their star center fielder by signing him to a one-year contract worth $8.05 million.

Joe Saunders might have briefly fallen out of the D-backs' plans, though the left-handed pitcher never completely fell off their radar. On Tuesday, the D-backs and Saunders agreed to a one-year deal worth $6 million, thus essentially finalizing their starting rotation for 2012.

Giants right-hander Tim Lincecum is seeking $21.5 million in salary arbitration, barely short of the record $22 million that Houston's Roger Clemens requested in 2005. San Francisco countered with a $17 million offer Tuesday.

The Dodgers signed outfielder Andre Ethier and first baseman James Loney to one-year contracts Tuesday, leaving Cy Young winner Clayton Kershaw as the team's only remaining player eligible for salary arbitration.

The Brewers and reliever Francisco Rodriguez agreed to a one-year, $8 million contract just ahead of Tuesday's deadline for arbitration-eligible players and their teams to exchange figures.

The Astros finalized their coaching staff for the 2012 season by announcing on Tuesday that they had hired Craig Bjornson as bullpen coach.

Peter Moylan will have a chance to prove he is healthy and regain his spot in the Braves bullpen. Moylan has signed a Minor League contract with the Braves and accepted an invitation to compete for a job in Spring Training.

The Cubs exchanged salary figures with Matt Garza on Tuesday, and avoided arbitration with Jeff Baker, Blake DeWitt, Geovany Soto, Ian Stewart, Chris Volstad and Randy Wells.

Dayan Viciedo didn't need any pushing or prodding from the White Sox to reach out to Yoenis Cespedes and Jorge Soler, a pair of Cuban defectors who soon should be highly coveted free agents.