Dave Van Horne, longtime broadcaster of the Montreal Expos (from 1969 to 2001) and Florida Marlins (since 2002), is named recipient of the Hall of Fame’s 2011 Ford Frick Award.

The Tampa Bay Rays are at the center of dealings at the Winter Meetings today. Three of the starters from last season’s team, which posted the best record in the major leagues, change uniforms: OF Carl Crawford signs a seven-year, $142 million deal with Boston, 1B Carlos Pena inks a one-year deal with the Cubs, and the Rays trade SS Jason Bartlett to San Diego for two young pitchers, Cesar Ramos and Adam Russell. With P Joaquin Benoit signing with Detroit as a free agent last month, and closer Rafael Soriano expected to follow suit shortly, the team will have a very different look next year.

In other moves, OF Jeff Francoeur signs with Kansas City, P George Sherrill goes to the Braves, and DH Jack Cust inks a deal with Seattle.

Signings today include OF Matt Diaz going to the Pirates and utility player Ty Wigginton going to Colorado, both on two-year deals, and the Mets reaching agreement with P D.J. Carrasco and C Ronny Paulino. Paulino still has 8 games remaining on 50-game suspension for PED use which he began to serve as a member of the Marlins at the end of last season.

A judge in the divorce proceedings of Los Angeles Dodgers owner Frank McCourt muddies the waters when he invalidates a 2004 marital property agreement that stated the Dodgers were McCourt’s sole property. As a result, his former wife Jamie is recognized as half-owner of the team; she is considering selling her share to outside investors.

The Orioles acquire 3B Mark Reynolds, renowned for both his homers and strikeouts, from the Diamondbacks for P David Hernandez and Kam Mickolio. In a related move, the D-Backs sign 3B Melvin Mora, formerly of Colorado, to a one-year deal; they also ink P J.J. Putz for two years, with the aim of installing him as their new closer.

Flush with young starting pitchers, the Blue Jays trade last year’s Opening Day starter, Shaun Marcum, to the Brewers for top Canadian prospect Brett Lawrie.

Hisashi Iwakuma announces he is closing negotiations with the Oakland Athletics and will remain with the Rakuten Golden Eagles in 2011. Selected under the posting system, Iwakuma was offered a four-year, $15 million deal, which he felt was below his value.

Pat Gillick, the executive who built the Toronto Blue Jays from an expansion team to an American League power that won two World Series in the early 1990s, is elected to the Hall of Fame by the Veterans Committee. Former Players Association head Marvin Miller falls just one vote shy of election.

On the eve of the winter meetings, free-agent Jayson Werth (.296, 27, 85) and the Nationals come to terms on a $126 million, seven-year contract. The signing of the 31 year-old right-fielder, who has been a cog in Philadelphia’s recent success, will help to fill the void created by the departure of Adam Dunn, the team’s former clean-up hitter, to the south side of Chicago.