The Dutch Oven: Just Take a Little Nibble, Pal

Why the dutch oven? Because the term 'hot stove' needs to be retired. This feature will attempt to give you a listicle-driven source for all sorts of off-season baseball rumors. If you have any suggestions, rumors, or recipes that I can cook in my dutch oven, email us

• Braves Dip Pen In Japanese Inkwell Just One More Time: Frank Wren's frequent flier miles across the Pacific are paying off! The Braves signed Japanese pitching prospect Yoshinori Yamarin to a minor league deal. He went undrafted in last year's NPB draft but don't hold that against him. The hat size, however, is a different story.
  
  
• Yankees Bring Back Andy Dynasty for Another Go-Around: Veteran lefty Andy Pettitte has agreed to return to the NY Yankees for a one-year contract worth up to $12 million after certain incentive bonuses are met. And they will be met. Because if Andy Pettitte is good at one thing it's meeting incentive bonuses. And praising Jesus.
  
  
• Brewers Bring Back Craig Counsell, Refuting Earlier Reports: I thought the former NLCS MVP had signed with the Padres but I couldn't have been any wronger. I also thought the Padres had inked a deal with Omar Vizquel but again, I was wrong. In any case, Counsell returns to a utility role with the reigning wild card Brewers. He'll play a little second, play a little short, dick around at third base, and generally annoy Ryan Braun with constant requests to play Parcheesi.