The Cubs' new front office tandem of Theo Epstein and Jed Hoyer head into the Winter Meetings next week in Dallas with a plan on how to build their "foundation for sustained success." They just aren't leaking any details.

This year, the Winter Meetings are in Dallas from Dec. 5-8, and it's difficult to imagine general manager Doug Melvin doing anything quite as dramatic as he did a year ago.

Nobody outside the Rangers' tight-knit front office cadre really knows what general manager Jon Daniels has planned as the offseason progresses and the Winter Meetings get ready to begin next week in Dallas.

Tigers president/general manager Dave Dombrowski says he doesn't know what's going to happen at next week's Winter Meetings in Dallas. With new general managers abound, a new Collective Bargaining Agreement in place and all the top free agents still on the market, it's too unpredictable.

In baseball's version of Christmas bargain hunting, Ned Colletti made a flurry of supporting cast signings in November, because that's all the Dodgers can afford. At next week's Winter Meetings, he can't play big spender chasing Albert Pujols and Prince Fielder.

The hype surrounding baseball's annual Winter Meetings may not create an ideal working environment, but A's GM Billy Beane is prepared for the chaos when the game's decision-makers convene in Dallas from Dec. 5-8.

The Astros will head into next week's Winter Meetings in Dallas with issues to resolve, both on and off the field.

The Mariners would like to dive into the Prince Fielder sweepstakes, but with an already stretched budget, filling the club's needs will require general manager Jack Zduriencik to continue his bold deal-making.

The Yankees will be on site to conduct business at the Hilton Anatole when the baseball world converges upon Dallas beginning Monday, considering possibilities to improve a roster that already appears quite formidable.

New Angels general manager Jerry Dipoto has identified the areas he wants to upgrade, and fitting all of those needs into the club's budget presents a challenge he's ready to meet head-on at the Winter Meetings.

In the years under Reds general manager Walt Jocketty's regime, most of the Winter Meetings action has been quietly done behind the scenes and out of sight in the way of talks and negotiating.

When general manager Ben Cherington arrives at baseball's Winter Meetings — which take place in Dallas from Dec. 5-8 — he will go full-speed ahead in trying to make the necessary tweaks to turn the Red Sox into a championship team.

The Nationals are looking to acquire bench help at first base after Chris Marrero tore his left hamstring playing in the Dominican Winter League.

Coveted free agent C.J. Wilson visited Miami on Monday, and according to the Palm Beach Post, the Marlins expressed the sentiment that they want the left-hander to be in South Florida next season.

Western artist and sculptor Bruce Greene has been commissioned by the Rangers to create a statue honoring the memory of Brownwood firefighter Shannon Stone, who died from injuries sustained in a fall from the left-field bleachers on July 7.

The Orioles named Gary Rajsich the organization's new director of amateur scouting on Monday.

Johnny Narron, a former Brewers Minor League coach and manager and the older brother of bench coach Jerry Narron, will fill the hitting coach post vacated when Dale Sveum was hired to manage the Chicago Cubs.