It's time for the annual question (see last year's version if you want "proof") ...

So what baseball-related gifts did people get?

Don't be shy -- Christmas "loot" is all about showing off, so  ... what'dja get???

Regular readers of Da Box may recall that we have introduced Hall of Names holiday themes before -- not just Christmas, either, as one of the very first Hall of Names entries was dedicated to (and published on) St. Patrick's Day. Other odes to Thanksgiving, the U.S. Independence Day, Canada Day, and several others, have also appeared.

And yes, we've tried Christmas -- like this less-than-successful group effort in 2003 and a rather better "ode" to Christmas Carols just last year, in '05. Earlier that same holiday season, we built a team called The Chrismas Presence made up of players born on Dec. 25 -- yes, including one guy born that day actually named "Jesus."

For this year, let's think a bit about those colourfully decorated boxes under the tree that get dismantled while the holiday turkey is in the oven. Yes, that's right, last year we met The Christmas Presence, and this year we're going for ...

The Phillies have signed catcher Rod Barajas to a one year deal for $2.5 million with a team option for a second year.

Last minute holiday gifts for baseball fans are always a bit problematic.  It is the off-season after all.  How about a book?

Here's an early look at the top college hitters in the 07 draft.

Johnny Damon, Hall of Famer? You must be kidding me. John Brattain thinks he might. Our own Magpie pointed out that: "If Damon ends up with 1600 Runs Scored and 3000 hits, which he is well on The way to doing, he's a No-Doubt-About-It Hall of Famer". Not to mention that he added power in 2006, hitting .285 with 24 homers and good plate discipline. So, maybe it is not so far-fetched.

How could this week's photograph not be of Vernon Wells?

It couldn't.

So here's Vernon:

Jeff Blair writes that the Jays and Vernon Wells agreed to a contract on Friday night. Peter Gammons notes that the deal is pending the approval of the Player's Union.

Nope, it's not a lead-in for a sunburn remedy ad.  Today, you are the General Manager of the Tampa Bay Devil Rays, and you have a pleasant problem.  You've got the following position players at or near the major league level for 2007: Iwamura, Longoria, Brignac, Zobrist, Guzman, Cantu,  Baldelli, Crawford, Young, Dukes, Gomes.  Who do you want to be in your every day lineup as of the All-Star break in 2007, and at what positions, and who do you want to move (for pitching)?

Jeff Sackmann has distilled extremely useful statistics on minor league catchers from his minorleaguesplits.com website, and reported them in today's THT. First off, to have this information publicly available is a real stride forward.  For Jay fans, the news on Curtis Thigpen is not great.  76.1% of prospective basestealers succeeded in 92 attempts off Thigpen.  He did however throw well in the Arizona Fall League, and earned the start in the championship game over Landon Powell who has one of the stronger arms in the minors.

Ken Rosenthal reports that, "an agreement between the Jays and Wells is close, according to major-league sources".

Here's a little winter-time baseball memory exercise for Bauxites. Complete the following thought -- and explain your answer. (For me, this will be easy.)

Baseball Memory: I can't explain it -- he didn't play for my hometown team, he wasn't a Hall of Famer, there's no obvious defense, but when I was a kid, one of my favorite players in all of MLB was ...

Jeff Blair writes that the Jays have offered a contract to Vernon Wells that would place Wells among the "top-10 highest-paid players in the major leagues and likely exceed the average annual value of the free-agent deal Alfonso Soriano signed with the Chicago Cubs this winter."

"We have made a formal offer," Blue Jays general manager J.P. Ricciardi said Tuesday.

Ex-Jay Derek Bell turned 38 earlier this week. On the same day, not an "ex-Jay" but really a Jay, that is, Jay Bell turned 41. Neither is the best major league player to have been born on Dec. 11 (okay, okay, this should have been posted earlier!), but they are two of the 36 MLB alumni to bear the last/family name "Bell" (or at least to have that as part of their last/family name -- hello Albert Belle, Mark Bellhorn and others); another three have had the middle name "Bell," and per Hall of Names standards, they will be referenced only if necessary.

That said, let's "ring in" a new Hall of Names team that may a-peal to many of you as we meet ...

It's decision day for arbitration eligibles. Who will be non-tendered? In other news, the Rangers signed Eric Gagne to a 1 year contract, while PECOTA likes Matsuzaka 4.01.

What you got?