VoV

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– The Dirt Sheet has been updated.

MLB

– Tim Brown of Yahoo! Sports cites a source who says the Blue Jays and Dodgers have resumed talks of a possible RHP Roy Halladay trade. Brown adds that it looks like new GM Alex Anthopoulos “is restarting the process of moving Doc.” In a report from Carrie Muskat of MLB.com earlier today, the Blue Jays told the Cubs that they intend to move the 32-year-old right-hander this winter. Of the teams linked in conversation regarding Halladay, the Dodgers may need Halladay the most.

– According to SI.com’s Jon Heyman, the Brewers plan to approach 1B Prince Fielder with a long-term extension this offseason. Fielder finished second in the majors with 46 homers in 2009, and had 141 RBIwhile hitting .299/.412/.602. The Brewers have offseason issues with their pitching, but Fielder getting an extension is a must. The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel’s Tom Haudricourt doesn’t expect talks to truly get going until January.

– Angels owner Arte Moreno indicated Thursday that the Angels will pursue free agent OF Jason Bay this winter. Moreno told local media members that he’s intrigued by Bay’s “great bat and great makeup.” The 31-year-old should come at a cheaper price than OF Matt Holliday and seems like a fine fit in Anaheim, where a spot has opened via the expected departure of OF Vladimir Guerrero. Bay hit .267/.384/.537 in 2009 with 36 home runs, 119 RBI and 13 stolen bases in 531 at-bats.

Speaking of Bay, he reportedly wants a five-year deal worth $17M annually. As reported here earlier, he supposedly declined a four-year/$60M proposal on the table from the Red Sox. Bay is expected to field offers from the Mets, Cardinals, Jays, Angels and Mariners, along with a new deal from the Red Sox. Stay tuned.

– According to Mark Feinsand of the NY Daily News, the Yankees would like to re-sign OF Johnny Damon to a two-year contract. Damon’s agent Scott Boras is pushing for a four-year deal, but it’s doubtful he’ll find that this winter. Damon had a great 2009 season, finishing with a .282/.365/.489 batting line, 24 home runs, 82 RBI and 107 runs scored. That said, Damon is 36 and throws a noodle from the outfield. If the Yanks let him walk, the likelihood of them re-signing DH Hideki Matsui no doubt increases. Stay tuned.

– According to SI.com’s Jon Heyman, the Mariners are in talks with the Tigers about a trade involving RHP Edwin Jackson. Jackson went 13-9 this season with a 3.62 ERA and 1.26 WHIP over 33 starts. He made $2.3M in 2009 via salary arbitration and is due for a raise.

– According to Lynn Henning of the Detroit News, the Tigers will make an effort to re-sign SS Adam Everett this winter. Everett, 32, hit a lousy .238/.288/.325 in 2009, but the Tigers were greatly impressed with his defense at the shortstop position. The lack of offense, for what it’s worth, should leave him in Detroit’s price range. The Tigers are struggling financially but can surely afford an inexpensive, defensive-minded shortstop. He’s drawn little-to-no public interest thus far.

– Marlins RHP Josh Johnson and the Marlins have reached an “impasse” on contract talks, leaving the chances of a multi-year agreement in doubt. Johnson’s agent, Matt Sosnick said, “Based on our conversations, there’s no chance of doing a long-term deal with the Marlins. We made it clear that it was going to be this year or it wasn’t going to happen. It was now or never. And the Marlins agreed.” According to Sosnick, the Marlins weren’t comfortable offering anything more than a three-year deal. Johnson, under team control through 2011, is due to make $4M as an arbitration-eligible player next season.

– The Cubs have officially signed LHP John Grabow to a two-year/$7.5M contract. The deal, for some reason, took over a week to finalize. Grabow, 31, was a very solid left-handed reliever this season, but the salary does seem a bit high. He’ll need to prove that his 3.36 2009 ERA was no fluke to justify the chunk of change. And with a 4.03 career ERA and 1.44 career WHIP, the odds are against him.

– According to Ken Rosenthal of FOXSports.com, the White Sox are close to a one-year deal with SS Omar Vizquel. Vizquel, 42, would serve as a backup all around the Chicago infield. He hit just .266/316/.345 in 177 at-bats during the 2009 season but remains one of the finest defenders in all of baseball.

– According to FOXSports.com, the Mariners are considering sliding 2B Jose Lopez to first base next season.
Lopez committed 15 errors at second base in 2009 and showed below average range. With 1B Russell Branyan hitting the open market, the M’s could move Lopez to a less demanding position and focus on grabbing a solid defensive infielder like 2B Placido Polanco or 2B Orlando Hudson.

– According to the NY Post, the Yankees are not shopping OF Nick Swisher. Swisher was rumoured to be a in a deal with Jays ace RHP Roy Halladay, but that no longer appears to be the case.

– Nationals RHP Stephen Strasburg (knee) will not need surgery. Strasburg made a visit to Dr. Lewis Yocum in Los Angeles as a precaution, but was told that some therapy and rest should do the trick. Strasburg was scratched from Saturday’s start in the Arizona Fall League championship game because of a twisted left knee, suffered while shagging flyballs on Thursday. An initial MRI showed some inflammation in the knee, but the Nationals looked to have dodged a bullet on this one. He should be on track for spring training.

– Veteran C Paul Lo Duca wants a return to the MLB. “I want to go back in it full bore and [do] whatever needs to be done. I want to play on a team that wants to win and wants a player that wants to win. I’ll do whatever I need to do. If it’s come off the bench, if it’s spot starts, I’ll do whatever they need me to do…I really feel like I can offer a good bat off the bench to somebody and do whatever needs to be done.”

NHL

– According to the Boston Herald, the Bruins are close to signing F Marc Savard to a contract extension. The deal for the 32-year-old is supposedly for seven year/$39M pact, working out to $5.7M annually. He reportedly could have signed an extension worth $6.5M a year, but that was only for three years.

UFC

– Brock Lesnar’s longtime friend and Jiu-Jitsu coach tells TMZ.com that the UFC Heavyweight champ will indeed return to the Octagon — within 6 months. Rodrigo “Comprido” Medeiros, a 7-time World Jiu-Jitsu champion, told TMZ

“[Lesnar] is getting better and that is the most important thing … He will be fine and be fighting again within 6 months. I can just say that the heavyweights can stop laughing and get ready to start crying because the champion will be back soon.”

Lesnar had surgery earlier this week to repair a hole in his intestine. While Lesnar is still in rough shape and has a long road ahead of him, the outlook has improved dramatically from last week when Dana White was saying that Lesnar is “very very sick” and may never fight again.

NBA

– Despite several reports that G Allen Iverson was a near certainty to sign with the Knicks, the team has decided not to pursue him for the 2009-2010 season. Team president Donnie Walsh seemed sold on Iverson but objections from coach Mike D’Antoni and chairman James L. Dolan swayed the decision. He could still end up with another team soon.

MLB

– Giants MLB Antonio Pierce (bulging disc in neck) will be out indefinitely. Pierce was “shocked” by the news. He practiced on Friday, but experienced discomfort afterwards and was hospitalized for tests. An MRI revealed the injury, which may threaten Pierce’s season.

– Eagles coach Andy Reid said Friday that RB Brian Westbrook (concussions) will miss at least the Eagles’ next three games. And he’s not even a safe bet to return after that. Three weeks is the timetable concussion specialists set for Westbrook’s next checkup, which may or may not involve medical clearance.