Pitchers who could help: Reed, Marcum

Monday's biggest move was the trade of White Sox RHP Addison Reed to the Diamondbacks for 3B Matt Davidson.
It gives Arizona a closer, after the Snakes made do with a combination of ineffective closers such as RHPs Brad Ziegler and J.J. Putz this season. Third base was a black hole on the south side of Chicago, so Davidson has a chance to star. The move also could signal the re-signing of free-agent 3B/1B Eric Chavez in Arizona. There isn't a whole lot left in his tank, but he's probably a good guy to have around.
Reed had 40 saves in 2013, despite fading down the stretch. He could be more inspired with the D-backs in the playoff hunt.
Taking a page from the NFL, the majors have made moves to assimilate portions of their competition, for dollars as well as players. In this case, it's with Nippon Professional Baseball to hold the posting price to a maximum of $20 million. Consider that the posting cost for RHP Yu Darvish was nearly three times that amount, and that this kind of big-money deal tends only to increase in price over time, and you can see that the North American teams can save money at the Japanese teams' expense.
It would seem that the new agreement would make teams in Japan less willing to post players, but the Rakuten Golden Eagles are letting RHP Masahiro Tanaka move into the market. Clearly, he's the biggest short-term winner. Some of the millions that major league teams formerly would have had to put toward the posting fee now will go into Tanaka's (and his agent's) pockets. Let the bidding begin!
The Braves added to their rotation for at least part of the season by agreeing to a 1-year contract with incentives for RHP Gavin Floyd. He underwent Tommy John surgery in May, and there's concern that it might take him more than a year to recover because his operation involved a tendon as well as the ligament usually repaired.
If you're interested in tracking the Astros' bullpen, it added RHP Matt Albers on a 1-year contract.
Here's a transaction that could have far-reaching implications. The Indians signed RHP Shaun Marcum to a minor league contract. He suffered through ineffectiveness and injuries this year. Marcum has been a good pitcher, but only for short stretches between injuries. It's easy to forget that Cleveland was a playoff team in 2013, but the Tribe could benefit from another experienced arm in the rotation for at least part of '14.
* * *
Football. My team in the scoring-only AMFL did not break my personal record in my 27th year in the league. I received nothing from RB Ray Rice and just 3 points for QB Matthew Stafford's 4th-quarter TD pass. So I finished with a 66-20 victory, 4 points short of my all-time high. I'm now alone in third place, but two games out of first. Because I lost both games against the leader, I don't think I can finish first. A bigger concern is the three teams just a game behind me. If two of them overtake me, I'd drop into the second-division consolation playoffs with no chance to be the league champion.
My team's collapse in the scoring-plus-yardage league concluded with RB Reggie Bush's first-half touchdown. I lost 196-183 in the consolation playoffs, and will have some sort of consolation consolation matchup over the next few weeks against a team that defeated me during the season. But, in the parlance of today's everybody-is-a-winner culture, even if I lose this playoff, I still would be the consolation consolation loser champion.
* * *
Hockey. Three Avalanche players helped me hold steady while the second-place team above me lost 2 points. Still a big hill to climb. One of my biggest advantages Monday was that none of my goalies played, so I managed to pick up a point in GAA over a team whose goalies also suck. And for tonight, I picked up another Avalanche player, Peter Stastny, who has scored four goals in his last two games against the Stars. I'll get to see him in action tonight. I'm hoping Colorado G Jean-Sebastien Giguere starts and plays well.
* * *
Basketball. I should stop looking at my games in progress early in the evening. On Monday, with a pretty full roster, I had a 6-2 lead when I checked after dinner. Checked this morning and it was 5-2-1, with a tie in points. But wait! I'm now losing 5-2-1. The only player in action Monday who was on my bench was the Nets' Joe Johnson. He merely scored 37 points, and would have helped my problem area: 3-pointers. Johnson had 10! I believe his being on the bench was a case of guilt by association from existing within a few miles of the suckiness that was Knicks G J.R. Smith. I did get Smith off my roster, and I'll get JJ back in the lineup the next time Brooklyn plays.

Ellis looks like better pickup than Axford

Two baseball deals were set over the weekend, another was finalized and two others were reported.
The Dodgers confirmed that 3B Jose Uribe would return on a 2-year, $15-million deal and the Twins re-upped RHP Mike Pelfrey for 2014 and '15.
The Mets completed their 2-year contract with free-agent RHP Bartolo Colon.
The reported free-agent signings were by the Indians for RHP John Axford -- who could become their closer, at least until he loses the job -- and the Cardinals with 2B Mark Ellis. He could take some pressure off left-handed-hitting 2B Kolten Wong.
* * *
Football. The problem with having more than one fantasy team is that a guy who gives you a win in one league could beat you in another. That appears likely to be the case in my two football leagues.
Chiefs RB Jamaal Charles' 5 touchdowns gave me 30 points in my scoring-only league. That helped me to a 63-20 lead with RB Ray Rice and the Lions' quarterbacks still to play. My opponent's starting lineup has all played already. In a league that has been going since 1987, I haven't scored more than 70. And that was when we got double points for 50-plus-yard scoring plays and I had Jerry Rice on my roster. I'll still be two games out of first place with two to play.
In my scoring-plus-yardage, I'm on the verge of blowing a 25-point lead after the first week of a two-game consolation semifinal playoff. Playing against me, Charles scored 51 points. That helped my opponent pulled within 183-181 with my roster exhausted and Lions RB Reggie Bush still available for him Monday night.
* * *
Hockey. With only one player from my roster actually playing, I dropped a point in ATOI. Valtteri Flippula gave me an assist and plus-1. Fortunately, I didn't make a change to put Flyers G Steve Mason in my lineup. He again gave up four goals, and lost in overtime. But I might have been able to use my two Ducks skaters, Corey Perry and Dustin Penner, each plus-1. I apparently didn't make lineup changes after Saturday night's Bucks-Mavericks game. Got up this morning at 5 to go to Bonham for two church services, took a nap when I returned and didn't wake up until the Packers were scoring to pull within 29-24 of the Cowboys.
Made another move to get more minutes as well as some penalty minutes and shots and a positive plus/minus on my backline. Welcome, Stars D Brenden Dillon to replace the Bruins' Torey Krug.
* * *
Basketball. Late Sunday afternoon, after Gerald Greene made a 3-pointer, I was leading 8-0 as this week's head-to-head matchup neared its end. However, I knew my lead of 1 3-pointer wasn't safe with Stephen Curry still playing for my opponent.
So I wasn't surprised when Curry made 4 treys and no one on my roster had another. However, it was a surprise that my opponents' hustling team made 13 steals and 32 of 35 free throws (while my guys were missing 5 of 17). That left me with a 5-3 win for the week (22-10 over the last 4 weeks after a 5-18-1 start).
I moved up to seventh place, 2 1/2 games out of fifth. I'm also 4 1/2 games behind the third-place team, my opponent for the next week, and 7 1/2 out of first.