Yu Darvish and the Rangers agreed on a six-year, $60 million deal just before today's (Wednesday's) deadline. Story

The Toronto Blue Jays have avoided arbitration with Carlos Villaneuva by signing the right-hander to a one-year deal worth just over $2.2 million. 

UPDATE - The Jays have also come to terms with second baseman Kelly Johnson on a one-year contract worth $6.3 million and outfielder Ben Francisco will get just over $1.5 million for 2012.  The above link from BlueJays.com has been updated.

Here are the answers to last week's challenge.

After the Yankees spent much of last season trying to pry perennial Cy Young contender Felix Hernandez from the Mariners with a package headed by catching uber-prospect Jesus Montero, the M's finally convinced the Bronx Bombers to change the asking price and the two teams have completed a different deal, sending Montero to the AL West in exchange for a different young ace with Cy Young potential, 22-year-old Michael Pineda. 

The timing on dealing baseball's (probably) best catching prospect is odd, given the extremely recent retirement of long-tim Yankee catcher Jorge Posada. But what say you all, Bauxites? Who wins this one-for-one "challenge" trade? In 2012? Long-term?

 Update: Sunday morning, the revamped NYY rotation took a minor hit as veteran Bartolo Colon reportedly inked a deal with Oakland.

Jays left fielder Eric Thames is part of the team's Winter Tour that is sweeping through Eastern Canada this week to spread the Blue Jays gospel.  He had a few interesting things to say during an interview on TSN 1050 in Toronto Thursday afternoon.

Today's POTD features the game played on Roberto Alomar Hall of Fame Day at the Dome.

Even though Ryan Madson has found gainful employment for 2012, agent Scott Boras is taking issue with the Philadelphia Phillies after the free-agent closer signed a one-year deal with Cincinnati for $8.5 million.  Boras claims the Phillies backed out of a four-year, $44 million deal with his client before signing Jonathan Papelbon away from the Boston Red Sox.  Phillies GM Ruben Amaro Jr. says no such offer was made.

Ryan Madson saved 32 games for the Phillies in 2011, posting a 4-2 record with a 2.37 ERA along with 62 strikeouts in 60 2/3 innings

The Blue Jays wore red and were left seeing red in the end on Canada Day.

No, it's not Brett Lawrie.  To make room for Darren Oliver the Blue Jays have designated Mark Teahen for assignment.  The Blue Jays will trade or release Teahen after the prescribed waiting period, which is ten days I think.

Teahen's status change is not a surprise, there is no spot for him on the 2012 squad.  I assume AA has been trying to deal him with no success.  The Jays might still deal him to the team that will absorb the most of his salary but don't expect anything back unless the Jays eat all of his contract.  Teahen has value to some teams but not as his current salary of $5.5 million.

Andy Pettitte retired in 2010. Derek Jeter and Mariano Rivera are back for another go-round. But one less tie to recent Yankee greatness is no longer going to step to (or squat behind) the plate for the Bronx Bombers.

The Associated Press reported Saturday that free agent catcher Jorge Posada will announce his retirement this month, after 17 seasons with the New York Yankees rather than pursue opportunities with other teams. (Yahoo! || ESPN New York)

A five-time All-Star, Posada compiled a career batting average of .273 with 275 home runs and 1,065 RBIs, winning the Silver Slugger Award five times as best hitting catcher in the American League and won five World Series titles with the team that drafted him in the 24th round of the 1990 draft.

Only Hall of Famers Bill Dickey and Yogi Berra caught more games in Yankee pinstripes than Posada, who did so 1,574 times. So there's the basis for tonight's question and the "Hall Watch" designation of this thread ... does Jorge eventually join his predecessors Bill and Lawrence (that's Yogi, kids) in Cooperstown?

And if not, where does he rank in the annals of Yankee backstops? In addition to the two HOFers, don't forget Bresnahan, Howard, Munson and more!

See how many players you can identify in these filtered photos of 2011.

The Chicago Cubs have acquired first base prospect Anthony Rizzo from the Padres today in a four-player deal that sends former first-round pick Andrew Cashner to the West Coast.

Rizzo, a lefty-hitting slugger drafted by Boston under now-Cub Theo Epstein's regime and acquired by San Diego last winter as part of the prospect package in the Adrian Gonzalez trade, is expected to be Chicago's regular first baseman in 2012..

Rizzo, 22, hit .331 at Triple-A Tucson last year with 26 home runs and 101 RBIs, with a 423 on-base percentage and .652 slugging percentage. He was ranked the No. 3 prospect in the Padres system, and made his major league debut for San Diego in 2011, struggling with a .141 average in 128 at-bats in 49 games. (I believe that number of AB means he is still officially a rookie, right?)

The Cubs also sent outfielder Kyung-Min Na to the Padres, and received pitcher Zach Kates.

Escaping that pitcher's paradise San Diego to play in the Wrigley bandbox? This isn't a prediction, but just an observation .... the rookie HR record is McGwire with 49, you know ...

Veteran Bauxite Mike Green, in the most recent Jason Returns thread, notes, finally, "This thread is a little long. Maybe a new one is in order for the new year. How about with a question: which NL team do you root for, and why?' And, he admits, "If Rogers continues on its current road, I need to find an NL team to root for. It was always the Expos, of course, but I just can't get excited about the Nats."

So a tri-level of questions:

1. Which NL team do you root for, and why?
2. Which (other) AL team do you root for, and why?
3. How do you feel about the Washington Nationals?

As always, thanks Mike. Let's stir up the rabble!

(P.S. what else is going on? Anything else worth reporting or asking, let us know!)
New ... the conversation has taken an interesting turn and Bauxites are now sharing (and linking to) their first game ... join in!

The Blue Jays have announced the acquisition of Jason Frasor for minor league pitchers Myles Jaye and Daniel Webb. Frasor returns to the Jays after being with the White Sox for less than half of a season. The Jays 40 man roster has one spot available for Frasor.

The Toronto Blue Jays have made more dents to the 2011 transactions column.  After signing free agent lefty Darren Oliver from Texas to a one-year deal and fellow southpaw Aaron Laffey to a minor league deal Friday, the Jays handed out minor league pacts to shortstop Brian Bocock and righties Jerry Gil and Robert Coello.