Mike Cameron has a new uniform for 2008.

Cameron Heads North

Free agent outfielder Mike Cameron agreed to a one-year deal worth $7 million, with a club option for 2009. Cameron last season hit .242 with 21 home runs and 78 RBI. Cameron will miss the first 25 games of the 2008 season for failing his second drug test. The Brewers will likely start Cameron at centerfield this season, and move current centerfielder Bill Hall to third base. If all this happens Ryan Braun will probably move over to leftfield. The Brewers had to fill a void in the outfield after longtime Brewer Geoff Jenkins filed free agency this off-season. Cameron’s batting average should rise from the lowly .242 to about .262 this season and will stay right around 20 home runs and 80 RBI.

Oakland Wholesale Club Now Open

The Oakland Athletics and the Atlanta Braves have reached a preliminary agreement on a trade that would send centerfielder Mark Kotsay to Atlanta for pitcher Joey Devine. Atlanta is looking to fill the hole left in centerfield by Andruw Jones. Kotsay missed most of the 2007 season due a back injury that put him under the knife after playing just 56 games. In 56 games last year, Kotsay hit for a .214 average in 206 at-bats. As long as Kotsay can play solid defense and chime in with a few timely hits, his 2008 campaign will be a success. Right now, it appears that the A’s will get the better half of this trade by picking up a pitcher who is only 24 and has lots of potential.

Hometown Zero

The Boston Red Sox have decided to bring back knuckleball specialist and back up catcher Doug Mirabelli. Mirabelli will make $550,000 base salary, $275,000 more in roster bonuses, $150,000 in conditioning bonuses and $1.25 million in performance bonuses based on games and games started. Every five days, he will kill the Sox on offense but his ability to catch the wild knuckleballer Tim Wakefield will more than make up for it.

A Done Deal

Chad Cordero and the Washington Nationals avoided arbitration by agreeing on a one-year deal worth $6.2 million. Cordero in 2007 went 3-3 with 37 saves and a 3.36 ERA for the Nationals. In his career, Cordero is 20-14 with a 2.79 ERA in 299 appearances over four years with Washington and Montreal. Cordero in 2008 will continue to hold down the backend of the bullpen for the Nationals by saving at least 40 games and appearing in 75 games.

The Rumor Report

• The Baltimore Orioles and the Chicago Cubs have ended conversations this week regarding a trade concerning second baseman Brian Roberts. According to Bruce Levine of ESPN Radio the Orioles were asking for Tyler Colvin or Felix Pie and a few pitching prospects, but the Cubs are not willing to give up that much for a second baseman that has a big contract and is involved in all the steroid controversy surrounding Major League Baseball.

• The Santana Saga continues this week; the New York Yankees have “pulled out” of the Johan Santana trade talks and made the cross town rivals the front runner to land the ace. A good thing for the Mets is the Twins have stopped asking for superstar shortstop Jose Reyes to be included in the deal. The Boston Red Sox have not changed their offer since the winter meetings ended. Santana has said that he wants this deal completed before pitchers and catchers have to report to spring training in five weeks.

• The St. Louis Cardinals and Toronto Blue Jays have reportedly reached a deal to swap third basemen, with Scott Rolen heading north of the border and Troy Glaus going to the Gateway City. Rolen, a seven-time Gold Glove winner, had a well-publicized falling out with manager Tony La Russa. This trade could work out for the Cardinals since the ageing Glaus would really benefit from the out of the American League East.

Noteworthy News

• Outfielder Emil Brown, who led the Royals in RBI the last three seasons, signed a one-year contract with the Oakland Athletics.

• The Tampa Bay Rays on Friday requested approval to return to Walt Disney's Wide World of Sports Complex to play three more games this season

• Eddie Guardado agreed with the Texas Rangers on a $2 million, one-year contract that allows him to make an additional $4 million in performance bonuses. Guardado will not get many appearances this season but he will be a valuable addition to a bullpen that could use a veteran to mentor Akinori Otsuka.

• Brandon Backe and the Houston Astros agreed to a one-year, $800,000 deal on Friday. Backe missed most of last season to an injury, but returned to the Astros to go 3-1 with a 3.77 ERA in five starts.

• Alex Cabrera agreed to a $2.2 million, one-year contract Wednesday with the Orix Buffaloes of Japan's Pacific League.