White Sox GM Ken Williams said Saturday that he doesn't believe the team needs to sign any more high-priced free agents. "We have learned some tough lessons ... throwing as much talent against the wall is not necessarily the answer," Williams said. "Things have to fit in place. Players have to complement one another, and they have to be in that clubhouse pulling for the same goal."

Free-agent pitcher Pedro Martinez claims that he has generated interest from numerous clubs this offseason, but nothing from the Mets as of yet. "I've received various formal offers from various clubs who have a lot of interest in me," though he didn't identify them. He said his priorities were "my comfort and [maintaining] my health," Martinez said. Martinez has said that he'd prefer to return to the Mets.

After signing free-agent Eric Hinske, Pirates' General Manager Neal Huntington said on Friday that the team is unlikely to retain utility man Doug Mientkiewicz. "The signing of Eric would realistically . . . I don't want to say eliminate, because we told Doug going into spring training last year that he wasn't going to make the team . . . but it certainly decreases the chances of Doug making our major league team," Huntington said.

The most commonly held misconception of this offseason is that the Yankees could have signed pitcher Ben Sheets or could still sign left-fielder Manny Ramirez. According to the Basic Agreement, and confirmed by a top Major League Baseball official, once the Yankees signed CC Sabathia, A.J. Burnett and Mark Teixeira, they had signed their quota of Type A or Type B free agents under the collectively bargained rules established by management and the Players Association. All three were Type A free agents who played for other teams last season aside from the Yankees. The Yankees could re-sign their own Type A or Type B free agents without it affecting the quota. Under the rules, "if there are from 39 to 62 [Type A and B] players [during a given offseason], no team can sign more than three." "Frankly, it's an unusual year to have that many ranked players," Rob Manfred, Major League Baseball's executive vice president of labor relations, told MLB.com this week.

Reliever Tom Gordon is reportedly close to a deal with the Diamondbacks that would finalize his departure from the world champion Phillies. Philadelphia declined to exercise their option on Gordon after three injury-plagued seasons. "We've had a number of conversations and we're getting close," Gordon's agent, Rick Thurman, told the Arizona Republic.

Jason Varitek has until Friday to accept Boston's most recent contract offer, and the catcher is rumored to be seriously considering sitting out the season instead of accepting the deal. The Sox reportedly gave Varitek the choice of a one-year contract for a guaranteed $5 million or a one-year deal for $5 million with a vesting option.

Cardinals general manager John Mozeliak says that the team will not pursue free-agent slugger Manny Ramirez. "The answer is no," Mozeliak told the Los Angeles Times. Speculation began on Thursday when Albert Pujols said in a news conference in the Dominican Republic that he'd like St. Louis to sign Ramirez. "I speak with Manny every three days and he tells me, 'Man, no one wants to sign me,' " Pujols said. "I'm not an agent or general manager, but I can't understand how Manny has not signed."

Albert Pujols is encouraging the St. Louis Cardinals to sign Manny Ramirez. The Cardinals slugger, who won his second NL MVP award in November, acknowledged the team might not have enough money to land the free-agent outfielder. "I speak with Manny every three days and he tells me, 'Man, no one wants to sign me,' Pujols said Thursday during a news conference. "I'm not an agent or general manager, but I can't understand how Manny has not signed." Pujols passed along Ramirez's telephone number to St. Louis manager Tony La Russa. "Maybe St. Louis doesn't have the money to sign him, but he could give them a discount because St. Louis is a great city that supports its players,'' Pujols said.

The Braves have had a couple of weeks to discuss Andruw Jones, and in the process, it doesn't appear that they've become any more interested in bringing the veteran outfielder back to their organization. In fact, it appears the Braves and Jones have become more disinterested in each other.

An official of one team that has had contact with Adam Dunn's agents says Dunn is "definitely" waiting to see what happens with Manny Ramirez because the Dodgers are his preferred destination. That's not a good development for the Nationals, who have made no secret of their interest in Dunn.