The Cubs announced Thursday that they will partner with Bloomberg Sports — a company already allied with MLB.com for fantasy baseball — to design a new player evaluation system for the team's baseball operations department.

While it's far too early to say that the Mariners' Dustin Ackley and Blue Jays' Brett Lawrie are headed for stardom, they each gave glimpses of their considerable talents in limited action as rookies.

Prince Fielder will sign a contract before the first pitch of the spring, agent Scott Boras said on Wednesday.

If the most sincere form of flattery is imitation, franchises out West are falling all over themselves in praise of San Francisco's Giants. All across the nine-team landscape, front offices are putting together young, power-armed rotations, with a thirty-something veteran or two tossed into the mix.

Despite recent reports of his retirement, veteran Melvin Mora said he has only given up playing winter ball in Venezuela and hopes to continue his big league career in 2012.

CBSSports.com was the first to report on Wednesday that Yankees managing general partner Hal Steinbrenner met with Edwin Jackson's agent, Scott Boras, to discuss the hurler.

Veteran right-handed reliever Scott Proctor is headed to South Korea after signing a one-year, $300,000 deal to play for the Doosan Bears, according to a report.

On Wednesday night, Tigers ace Justin Verlander hit the late-night airwaves as a guest on Conan with Conan O'Brien.

Former University of Wisconsin quarterback Russell Wilson has decided to pursue a career on the gridiron rather than the diamond, according to ESPN.com. The two-sport athlete and Rockies prospect has informed Colorado that he will not report to Spring Training.

Reds great shortstop Barry Larkin learned he was elected to the Hall of Fame at his house in Orlando, Fla., on Monday. He was feted during a Tuesday news conference in New York. Wednesday was all about Larkin's hometown of Cincinnati and enjoying the moment with his family.

Despite the departures of Gio Gonzalez and Trevor Cahill, pitching depth is a club strength, and nearly 10 hurlers will battle for a rotation job come Spring Training.

A formalized contract between the Reds and prospective new closer Ryan Madson might take several days to complete.

Major League Baseball has pre-approved a number of applicants to purchase minority shares of the Mets, sources confirmed on Wednesday.

Following are the first Spring Training workout dates, subject to change, both
for pitchers and catchers and full squads of the 30 Major League Clubs.

Munenori Kawasaki, an eight-time All-Star infielder in Japan's Pacific League, officially signed with the Mariners on Wednesday as a Minor League free agent with an invitation to the club's Major League camp in Spring Training.

It spoke to the reputation of Fernando Martinez that the Major League team with the top waiver priority, Houston, scooped up the outfielder in a process ending Wednesday. It was an expected outcome for the Mets, who recently spent hours in meetings debating whether or not to cut their former top prospect loose.

General manager John Mozeliak confirmed on Wednesday that the Cardinals have signed catcher Koyie Hill to a Minor League contract. Hill, who turns 33 in March, spent the past five seasons with the Cubs organization.