The Marlins would love to add Cubs right-hander Matt Garza to their improved starting rotation. Miami signed left-hander Mark Buehrle to a contract earlier this offseason. The Marlins, after failing to land Athletics left-hander Gio Gonzalez, have serious interest in Garza, according to major league sources.

Hanley Ramirez still has yet to publicly comment on whether or not he will agree to move to third base in favor of shortstop Jose Reyes. Florida wants Ramirez to slide to the left of the infield so Reyes can play his natural position of shortstop. There has been speculation that Ramirez is unhappy and would welcome a trade. Ideally, the Marlins don't want to go that route. They are hopeful that he will make a seamless transition.

Diamondbacks manager Kirk Gibson has spent the winter figuring out ways to keep his team hungry. "It's certainly something I put a lot of thought into," Gibson said. "You guys know me -- I constantly shake myself to remain humble. Success is hard to deal with. We've talked about it. I'm not worried about it, but yet I'm alert about it. It could damage our chances if we can't remain humble." One of the things Gibson will do is continue to emphasize the fundamentals, believing that all the work that was put in last spring only scratched the surface. Arizona entered the 2011 season as long-shots, but won the National League West title.

The White Sox have traded outfielder Carlos Quentin to the Padres for two prospects. San Diego general manager Josh Byrnes is bringing Quentin back four years after trading him to Chicago as an executive with Arizona. "It's exciting. First of all with the trade happening this morning, your whole life has been shifted," Quentin said. "It will take time to set in but it's exciting that it's shifting to San Diego where I grew up. It's definitely a positive to me and I look forward to contributing to the Padres." The White Sox received minor league pitchers Simon Castro, a right-hander, and Pedro Hernandez, a left-hander.

Rutgers and Iowa State met at Yankee Stadium on Friday for the second annual Pinstripe Bowl, a game that reconnects New York with its storied past in college football. Rutgers, feeding off a friendly crowd, started slow but scored 20 straight points en route to a 27-13 victory. The school has now won five straight bowl games -- all under coach Greg Schiano -- and hasn't lost since the 2005 Insight Bowl. Rutgers, in fact, has gone to six bowls in the last seven years.

Emilio Bonifacio was a rate bright spot for the Marlins during the 2011 season. The speedster enjoyed a breakout season and proved capable of playing multiple positions in both the infield and outfield. Bonifacio is likely to be the starting center fielder and bat second behind shortstop Jose Reyes in 2012.

The Cubs have hired former star Bill Buckner as a minor league hitting coach. Buckner will be with the Boise Hawks of the short-season Class A Northwest League. The Cubs made the announcement Friday. Buckner played for the Cubs from 1977-84 and won the 1980 NL batting title. He was a career .289 hitter over 22 seasons.

Phillies right-hander Roy Halladay recently helped rescue a boy from an anaconda attack in the Amazon. Professional sport fisherman Skeet Reese embarked on a fishing trip to Brazil earlier in the month with Halladay, Cardinals right-hander Chris Carpenter and former closer B.J. Ryan. Halladay and Reese found a local sitting naked next to a tree with a large anaconda bite. The anaconda wrapped around the motor of the boy's canoe, preventing him from fleeing. Halladay and Reese helped the local gather his belongings, flip the boat and tow it away.

The Tigers are a new suitor for Cubs right-hander Matt Garza. Interest in Garza has picked up recently, according to Major League sources. Multiple teams are pursuing the right-hander aggressively, increasing the odds that he will be dealt before spring training.

The Blue Jays have agreed to a one-year deal with left-handed reliever Darren Oliver, according to sources. The agreement includes a team option for the 2013 season. Oliver, who turned 41 in October, was a key member of the Rangers bullpen the past two seasons.