Daily Distractions: Minor-league invitees, HGH testing, Marcus Thames, coffee.

Yesterday, a Dodgers spokesperson emailed to pass along three new names of players signed to minor-league contracts with invitations to major-league camp: Right-handed pitcher Matt Palmer, catcher Elizier Alfonzo and infielder Brian Barden.

The Dodgers have also invited RHP Juan Abreu, LHP Kelvin De La Cruz, RHP Greg Infante, C Wilkin Castillo, C Ramon Castro, INF Alfredo Amezaga, INF Brian Barden, INF Omar Luna, INF Ozzie Martinez, INF Dallas McPherson, INF/OF Nick Evans and OF Jeremy Moore.

Teams can invite as many non-roster players as they want to spring training but must trim their major-league roster to 25 by opening day, April 1.

Some more distractions …
• A developing story: According to multiple reports, MLB will announce it will administer in-season blood tests for HGH. This would make MLB the first major North American sports league to do so.

• Outfielder Marcus Thames didn’t play last year after spending 2011 with the Dodgers. His first post-baseball job: Hitting coach of the High-A Tampa Yankees.

• If Brandon League didn’t appear to make out like a bandit when he signed a three-year, $22.5 million contract in October, it sure seems that way now. Rafael Soriano, Jose Valverde, Brian Wilson, Kyle Farnsworth and Francisco Rodriguez are all free agents still. And whether or not you think they can close, their agents are trying to make the case that they can, maybe using League’s season-and-a-half-or-so for comparison. Here’s guessing that none of them will get three years and $22.5 million.

Adam Kennedy turns 37 today. Also still a free agent. Adam  Kennedy

• Here’s one explanation as to why the identity of Aaron Sele‘s Hall of Fame advocate remains a secret. (If you dive into this, know that the writer’s unstated definition of a “secret ballot” is “ballot not revealed online”).

• I’m interviewing Pete Rose today. Greta Van Susteren got him yesterday. Any questions you’d ask the banned all-time hits leader?

• Do you like a good cup of coffee? Read this. We might all be switching to Red Bull.

• Today’s song choice is inspired by the incredibly virulent backlash toward HOF voters for tossing a shutout yesterday. (Also inspired by the thought that coffee shops may become an endangered species.)