The man who would be or could be White Sox closer in 2012 and beyond has a much more pedestrian goal to begin this next season. But the big prize is to be the man on the mound at the end of games.

As Barry Larkin sat behind a microphone at his introductory Hall of Fame news conference in New York on Tuesday morning, he was quick to mention two of his most prized possessions: signed gloves from two of his idols, Davey Concepcion and Ozzie Smith

In the center of a frenzied, celebratory Yankees clubhouse on the evening of Sept. 21, Jorge Posada was wiping bubbly from his eyes as he savored what would turn out to be one of the final highlights of his playing career.

Question of Day: Who's bound for Hall in '13?

The Cubs signed free agent Paul Maholm on Tuesday, a move first announced by the left-handed pitcher on Twitter.

For all the key additions the Marlins have made this offseason, perhaps the club's biggest need is for Josh Johnson to stay healthy. Mark Buehrle, meanwhile, is a proven veteran with impressive credentials.

The tests Kendrys Morales underwent in Colorado last week came back positively, clearing the Angels' recovering first baseman to begin running on his own power and ramping up his baseball activities.

At least there's a reason not to vote for Jack Morris for the Hall of Fame. It's not a good reason, but at least it's a reason. That's one more than the people refusing to vote for Jeff Bagwell have.

This is 2012, but not for our purposes this evening. This is a year we have before us, but one of alternate identity, The Year of the Shortstop. This isn't about the 12 months that began eight days ago, but rather the annum that began July 9 when Derek Jeter unloaded and put himself in select company with his 3,000th career hit.

Following the schedule the Giants prescribed, catcher Buster Posey has added running to his workout regimen as he continues efforts to heal his left leg in time for the 2012 season.

Lou Piniella took over as Cincinnati Reds manager in 1990 and quickly realized he had a championship-caliber team on his hands. His first objective was to get all the players on the same page. That's when he turned to Barry Larkin.

Just like Mike Napoli, Rangers pitcher Derek Holland will likely have to wait for a long-term contract extension.

Major League Baseball groundskeepers and the Baseball Tomorrow Fund will unveil a newly renovated Orange High School baseball field in Orange, Calif., on Tuesday.

On Friday night at the Peabody Opera House in downtown St. Louis, Tony La Russa will participate in "A Champ's Perspective" presented by Budweiser, a night of talking baseball and reminiscing about the 2011 Cardinals' run to the World Series title.

Jeff Bagwell's date with the National Baseball Hall of Fame will have to wait. Bagwell, the Astros' all-time leader in homers and RBIs, fell short of being elected to the Hall of Fame on Monday, garnering 56 percent of the vote on his second time on the ballot in voting by the Baseball Writers' Association of America.

On a crisp January day, workers were dismantling the Winter Classic hockey rink that, just a week earlier, had made Citizens Bank Park the epicenter of the hockey world. Things change. And as it happened, working out inside the home clubhouse was a man who understands that reality as well as anybody.

The World Series champion Cardinals will be recognized by President Barack Obama next week.