The Marlins continue their free agent signing binge, adding P Mark Buehrle with a four-year, $48 million deal days after signing two other top players, closer Heath Bell and SS Jose Reyes. Buehrle will rejoin manager Ozzie Guillen, who was his manager with the Chicago White Sox since 2004. Meanwhile, the Padres acquire closer Huston Street from the Rockies to take over for Bell.

The Houston Astros hire Jeff Luhnow to be their new General Manager, one week after Ed Wade was fired. Luhnow was a Vice-President with the St. Louis Cardinals, responsible for overseing their drafting and for player development in Latin America.

At the Winter Meetings, Jose Reyes is introduced as the Marlins’ new shortstop. The 28 year-old switch-hitting infielder, the NL’s batting champ, signed a six-year, $106 million contract to play with Miami after the cash-strapped Mets showed little interest in retaining their homegrown All-Star.

Tim McCarver is named the recipient of the Hall of Fame’s Ford Frick Award for 2012 in recognition of his three decades as a national broadcaster following his playing career.

The Yankees win the posting for SS Hiroyuki Nakajima from the Seibu Lions, and now have 30 days to reach a contract agreement. Nakajima is being considered as a back-up infielder in New York but the two sides will fail to come to an agreement on contract terms.

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.

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.

The Lowell Spinners, the Red Sox short-season affiliate, well-known for their unique promotional events, publicly extend an invitation to Michaele and Tareq Salahi to attend the team’s Eighth Annual Alumni Dinner to be held later this month at the city’s Memorial Auditorium. The infamous couple has become recently newsworthy for their appearance at a White House State Dinner without being included on the guest list.

The 2009 Winter Meetings start slowly in Indianapolis, IN, with the only deals announced on the first day being SS Adam Everett re-signing with the Tigers for one year, and the Nationals acquiring reliever Brian Bruney from the Yankees for a player to be named later.

The Veterans Committee holds two votes for election to the Hall of Fame, in the managers and umpires category and the executives category. In the first group, former umpire Doug Harvey and manager Whitey Herzog are elected and will be inducted in 2010. No one from the second group receives the required 75% of votes. Harvey is the first umpire elected in 11 years.