Mike Matheny's first public test as manager of the Cardinals went swimmingly on Tuesday. Unfortunately for Matheny, it was also likely the easiest test he'll face.

The official annual awards presented to players by the Baseball Writers' Association of American will be announced live via MLB Network and simulcast on MLB.com for the first time next year.

Dale Sveum has heard the rumors about the Cubs being linked to free agents Albert Pujols and Prince Fielder, but he's not penciling either in his early lineups.

Players like Mike Trout and Bryce Harper are the new untouchables. Under club control for at least six years with ceilings reaching to the stars, top prospects are simply too valuable to move, no matter how tempting in the short term it might be.

Mariners manager Eric Wedge indicated on Tuesday in his meeting with the media at the Winter Meetings that Ichiro Suzuki's role could indeed be changing after 11 seasons almost exclusively as the club's leadoff hitter.

Free-agent pitcher C.J. Wilson said his agent, Bob Garber, is planning to have dinner with Rangers general manager Jon Daniels on Tuesday night at the Winter Meetings.

Major League Baseball filed an objection Tuesday with a Delaware bankruptcy court contending that Commissioner Bud Selig and executive vice president of labor relations and human resources Rob Manfred should not be deposed by FOX Sports in the ongoing Dodgers litigation.

Bob Elliott, a longtime baseball writer for the Toronto Sun, was named on Tuesday the 2012 winner of the J.G. Taylor Spink Award by the Baseball Writers' Association of America for meritorious service to the profession.

Amid reports that the Angels had emerged as the frontrunners for free-agent left-hander C.J. Wilson, the club was believed to be meeting with the hurler's agent at the Winter Meetings on Monday night.

The Hot Stove is in full swing at the Winter Meetings in Dallas this week. Follow the Hot Stove MLBlog to stay up on all the trades, signings, rumors and analysis.

The Reds had yet to make a splash of a transaction at the Winter Meetings as of early Monday evening, but there was work being done behind the scenes.

Day 1 at the Winter Meetings was relatively quiet for the Blue Jays, and according to Alex Anthopoulos, it's possible things will remain that way until after the annual event wraps up later this week at the Hilton Anatole hotel in Dallas.

Marlins officials met with the agent of free-agent slugger Albert Pujols on Monday afternoon.

The Nationals are seriously thinking about putting Jayson Werth in center field to start the 2012 season, and he could be flanked by Bryce Harper in right.

The Marlins' pending signing of Jose Reyes has created an early buzz at the Winter Meetings. But the first official signing was Heath Bell, who was introduced as Miami's new closer at a news conference at the Winter Meetings on Monday.

The Dodgers are working toward deals with right-handed starting pitcher Aaron Harang and utility man Jerry Hairston Jr., according to a baseball source.

The Mets are the latest victims of conspiring circumstances. With Jose Reyes now gone, their 2012 is as ominous as dark, churning waters. And 2013? Well … why borrow trouble?