• Tony La Russa didn't officially say he'll be back in St. Louis in 2010, according to Joe Strauss of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. But it sounds like he's leaning towards returning, and that an announcement could be made within a couple days.
• Terry Pluto of the Cleveland Plain Dealer writes that Bobby Valentine would be the best choice as an "impact" manager for the Tribe. He thinks that Manny Acta is the favorite though.
• The Plain Dealer's Bud Shaw also gives his two cents on the Indians' managerial hunt, opining that Valentine's "outside-the-box interview strategy figures to backfire."
• At least four teams are very interested in Cuban lefty Noel Arguelles, according to Kiley McDaniel of Baseball Prospectus (via Twitter). In the same tweet, McDaniel mentions that Wagner Mateo still looks headed to the San Francisco Giants.
• Michael Baron of MetsBlog agrees with MLB.com's Marty Noble when he says the New York Mets have to address their need for a catcher.

FRIDAY, 5:02pm: According to John Manuel of Baseball America, Cuban defectors Noel Arguellez and Jose Iglesias have been declared free agents by Major League Baseball after clearing the unblocking process. Both players defected while in Canada last July for the World Junior Championships.

Arguellez is a 19-yr old lefthanded pitcher that Manuel says has drawn Francisco Liriano comparisons. Iglesias, also 19, is said to be a shortstop in the Orlando Cabrera mold. Jamie Torrez, the agent for both players, says he has been contacted by several teams already, but did not speculate on any bonus demands.