Yankees' Cashman to sign three-year deal  —  Brian Cashman has agreed to return as the Yankees general manager on a three-year contract, Newsday has learned.  —  Cashman deliberated over the decision about whether it was time to move on after 11 seasons as GM, but gave the Yankees an affirmative answer this afternoon.

White Sox claim AL Central crown  —  Danks tosses gem, Thome hits monster homer to beat Twins  —  CHICAGO — With most of the 40,354 in attendance at U.S. Cellular Field sporting dark colors, the White Sox got their “Sox Pride” blackout as requested.  —  Through the immense power of Jim Thome …

Blasts from their past?  —  Teixeira, drafted by Sox, didn't sign  —  ANAHEIM, Calif. - If you could pick about five hitters in baseball who could be tagged with the label “perfect for the Red Sox,” Mark Teixeira likely would have his name in capital letters.

Drug Testers Notified Teams In Minors  —  When George J. Mitchell issued his report last December on the use of performance-enhancing drugs in baseball, Commissioner Bud Selig quickly embraced the report's findings.  He then went further, saying baseball would immediately end a practice under …

Finding a closer top priority for Wedge  —  Tribe manager dissects season gone wrong, looks ahead  —  CLEVELAND — Indians manager Eric Wedge, dressed for a business meeting more than for a postseason press conference, walked into the media dining room at Progressive Field and shook hands Tuesday …

Players To Be Named  —  Today we acquired RHP Eduardo Perez and LHP Michael Watt from the Dodgers in exchange from Greg Maddux.  —  Eduardo is a 20-year old, 6'2" right-hander from Venezuela.  Our scouting reports indicate that he has an advanced feel for pitching, throws consistent strikes …

Red Sox Nation beginning to wear thin  —  OK, I'll give the Red Sox the whole nation thing.  —  Hard not to after following Boston through the playoffs last year and watching the throngs of faithful who always seem to show up no matter where they're playing.

The Dodgers have the best offense of any NL playoff team  —  Don't believe me?  I don't blame you.  The Dodgers scored 4.32 runs per game in the regular season, well below average.  But there are a few problems with looking at that figure.  First, the Dodgers are not the same team today that they were in April.

Padres ‘leaning’ toward Giles' option  —  Towers discusses exercising $9 million clause for right fielder  —  SAN DIEGO — Nothing is definitive, but Padres general manager Kevin Towers said Tuesday that the team is leaning toward picking up right fielder Brian Giles' $9 million option for 2009.

After Yankees' ‘insult,’ Torre in a golden state with Dodgers  —  LOS ANGELES — Joe Torre stood in the Dodger Stadium infield, looked up at the fans screaming in jubilation, and slammed his eyes shut to stop the tears.  —  This is what it feels like to be appreciated again.

DePodesta, Towers won't get permission to talk to M's  —  The list of names the Mariners want to look at as they search for a new general manager is shrinking already, and the club is scarcely 24 hours into the formal process.  —  Sandy Alderson, the president of the Padres …

D-Backs found ways to lose this year  —  The easiest way to put it, when assessing the disappointment of the Diamondbacks season, is to call them underachievers - to say that the overachieving bunch that last year found ways to win somehow found ways to lose this year.

Burrell leaves Phillies' practice with back issue  —  PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Phillies left fielder Pat Burrell (burl) left today's workout with a sore lower back, a day before Philadelphia opens the NL playoffs.  —  The Phillies and Milwaukee play Game One of their division series tomorrow afternoon.