The New York Mets will no longer operate a team in the Gulf Coast League, the organization announced in a statement released on Tuesday.

The balance of power in the American League seems to be moving westward. In fact, the balance of power in the AL may be galloping to the west. The latest evidence of this trend appeared on Monday night, when it was announced that the Texas Rangers had won the rights to negotiate with Japanese pitching phenom Yu Darvish.

Tampa Bay has agreed to terms with Joel Peralta on a one-year, $2.175 million deal, so it will not go to arbitration with the veteran reliever.

Jimmy Rollins is returning to the Phillies after shopping his talents as a free agent, which is the way it should be. The word is he took less money to stay in Philadelphia.

The growth of baseball Down Under takes another big step as Twins infielder Luke Hughes is among those playing in the inaugural Australian Baseball League All-Star Game, broadcast from Perth at 1 p.m. ET on Wednesday on MLB Network.

Ned Yost's commitment to the game of baseball goes beyond holding the Royals' managerial reins. Yost and a group of investors hope to break ground in 2012 on a 1,400-acre multi-sport complex and entertainment center northwest of Atlanta.

The Pirates have added right-hander Ryota Igarashi and first baseman Jeff Clement through Minor League contracts and have invited both to participate in Spring Training.

Meet new Marlins closer Heath Bell. He's slid into the mound at the All-Star Game and jumped into his swimming pool — fully clothed — for entertainment purposes. He's also recorded more saves than anyone else in the big leagues for the past three years.

Ed Wade, who was dismissed last month as Houston's general manager, has rejoined the Phillies as a special consultant to the baseball operations department, the club announced on Tuesday morning.

Who are some organizations that the Astros can look toward as models as they start from scratch? Of the 15 other teams that underwent ownership changes since 2000, four stick out, including two National League Central division rivals.

The question isn't if there will be a surprise contender in 2012. It's when, and it's who, as five clubs might just jump up and etch more astonishment into the game's annals.

The Rangers have won the negotiating rights to Japanese pitcher Yu Darvish, Major League Baseball announced on Monday.

Infielder/outfielder Mark DeRosa said on Monday night that he is interested in playing for the Nationals, but he is not close to making a decision. He pointed out that other teams are interested in his services, but declined to name the other teams.

The Rangers won the rights to negotiate with 25-year-old Japanese right-hander Yu Darvish with a $51.7 million bid. Now, they've got 30 days to negotiate a contract — and offer a dramatic counter-punch to the division-rival Angels' offseason moves.

All along this winter, the Texas Rangers have been working with two lists, two plausible possibilities for how their offseason could play out.

D-backs general manager Kevin Towers and manager Kirk Gibson understand their turf. The National League West is the game's most unpredictable division, the obvious choice of mystery lovers everywhere. That's why they have had a busy winter fortifying their defending division champs.

Japanese sensation Yu Darvish will not be taking his services to Toronto, after it was announced late Monday night that the Texas Rangers won the rights to exclusively negotiate with the powerful right-hander.