‘Duk’s Dozen is a heaping morning serving of baseball items, links and takes — designed to keep you warm all offseason long.

1. We got a bit excited on Thursday about the possibility of Clayton Kershaw and Tim Lincecum facing off in the NL West for the next decade to come but Lincecum’s camp isn’t any closer to making that a guarantee. Tiny Tim’s agent tells Henry Schulman that he only sees the two sides talking about a contract for 2012 and not a long-term extension. Schulman, however, remains optimistic that the winter will provide plenty of time for the two sides to come together. Let’s hope so. San Francisco Chronicle

2. Kershaw’s Cy Young win on Thursday was a vindication of sorts for Dodgers scouting boss Logan White, who has spent the last few years being asked how he could have picked Kershaw ahead of Lincecum in the 2006 draft. Los Angeles Times

3. Blue Jays fans should be excited about the possibility of a second wild-card spot saving them from their AL East purgatory, but it’s kind of surprising to learn that the extra berth would have only benefited them once — in 1998. Toronto Sun

4. Orioles fans are not as impressed. Orioles Insider

5. Hmmm, four seasons and only two wild card berths to show for it. Maybe there is something to the Curse of Heidi Watney. Red Sox Monster

6. Was Theo Epstein the big source for the Globe’s fried chicken story? That’s what one Boston radio station was reporting on Thursday, the same day that Epstein beat out the Red Sox by getting to Dale Sveum first. Sox & Dawgs

7. Not that Red Sox fans should get that riled up over losing out on Sveum.  Over The Monster

8. Ah, yes. Today’s clever Christmas list item, tomorrow’s companion for the “In Dusty We Trusty” hoodie at the back of your closet. The Heckler