Top News:
Sean McAdam / Boston Herald:
Tim Wakefield set to return — Sox to exercise option — Tim Wakefield spent the last 14 seasons with the Red Sox [team stats]. Today, the Sox are expected to officially invite him back for a 15th year. — Wakefield recently completed an end-of-year physical and MRI …
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Tony Massarotti / Boston Globe:
Sox bring back Wakefield — This should hardly come as a surprise, but the Red Sox have exercised their 2009 option on pitcher Tim Wakefield. A formal announcement was made by general manager Theo Epstein this afternoon. — Though Wakefield pitched poorly in Game 4 of the American League …
Discussion:
MLB Rumors
Matthew Cerrone / MetsBlog.com:
News: Mets Pick Up Delgado's Option for 2009 — The Mets have picked up Carlos Delgado's 2009 option, which will reportedly pay him $12 million. — However, as I wrote in early October, despite picking up his option, it sounds like Delgado's future with the Mets will depend …
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Marty Noble / MLB.com:
Mets pick up Delgado's option — First baseman under New York's control in '09 for $12 million — NEW YORK — The Mets have taken a procedural step that four months ago appeared to be beyond improbable and one month ago seemed to be a foregone conclusion: They have exercised their option on the contract of Carlos Delgado.
Discussion:
Ya Gotta Believe
Bart Hubbuch / Mets Blog:
Mets pick up Delgado option — The Mets followed through on their promise to pick up the $12 million option on the final year of Carlos Delgado's contract. Delgado, 36, is coming off a roller-coaster season that saw the first baseman get off to a terrible start before suddenly (and suspiciously) …
Joe Cowley / Chicago Sun Times:
Vazquez has role as Sox trade bait — Right-hander Javier Vazquez had stood by his locker during the final days of the White Sox' postseason collapse, answering the same question over and over again without a hint of emotion or a sign of hesitation. — Did he want to be traded? — “No,” Vazquez said.
Discussion:
Chicago Tribune, MLB Rumors, Chicago Sun Times, Dom D's Mets Fan Blog, MetsBlog.com and MLB.com
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Kat O'Brien / Newsday:
Sabathia a big target for Yanks — Yanks figure to be one of his suitors, may eye Teixeira, Ramirez — The Yankees can't officially negotiate financial terms with any free agents - aside from their own - until Nov. 14, but the countdown to the all-out pursuit of ace CC Sabathia is on.
Discussion:
New York Post, On the Yankees beat, NY Daily News, THE BASEBALL SAVANT, NJ.com, iYankees and Newsday
RELATED:
Adam McCalvy / MLB.com:
Macha's staff to include familiar faces — Sveum, Sedar and Castro expected to return; waiting on Maddux — MILWAUKEE — The Brewers will make an announcement on Friday about new manager Ken Macha's coaching staff, and some familiar names will be on the list.
Discussion:
Baseball Time in Arlington
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Bill Chastain / MLB.com:
End of year means Baldelli a free agent — Outfielder thanks Rays for sticking with him during illness — ST. PETERSBURG — Rocco Baldelli is a free agent now that the season is over, and on Thursday afternoon, the veteran outfielder said he did not know what to expect heading into the offseason.
Discussion:
MLB Rumors
RELATED:
Adam Rubin / NY Daily News:
Omar Minaya gears up for busy winter, inks Fernando Tatis — With the World Series finally out of the way, GM Omar Minaya officially can get to work retooling the Mets to compete with the world champion Phillies. He has his work cut out. — Minaya's first order of business came Thursday …
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Paul Hagen / Philly.com:
It's never too early to start looking at 2009 Phillies season — The offseason technically began the moment Eric Hinske swung and missed. — For those who root, root, root for the Phillies, that means a hearty celebration that will gradually give way to a gentle afterglow that should warm …
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Gordon Wittenmyer / Chicago Sun Times:
Expect Blanco back with Cubs in 2009 — Although the Cubs on Friday declined to exercise Henry Blanco's $3 million contract option for 2009, the team anticipates re-signing the backup catcher as a free agent for a lower guaranteed salary. — Blanco, who turns 38 next summer …
Discussion:
MLB Rumors
Marty Noble / MLB.com:
Mets face harsh reality with Phillies' win — Rivalry grows with World Series championship in Philadelphia — NEW YORK — It was the morning after the night before, and echoes from downtown Philadelphia still were audible — even in Kansas. Mike Pelfrey heard them Thursday, he considered the source and said, “OK, good for them.”
Discussion:
MetsBlog.com
Rick Morrissey / Chicago Tribune:
130-game baseball season? Why not — There are age-old tribal conflicts that don't last as long as a major-league baseball season. — In the time it takes to get through the 162-game regular season and the slow-drip playoffs, you could write a chemistry textbook, crack a North Korean spy code …
Jim Molony / MLB.com:
65 file on first day of free agency — Manny, Sheets, Teixeira biggest names to test early market — All-Stars Manny Ramirez, Ryan Dempster, Ben Sheets, Milton Bradley, Jason Varitek and Joe Crede were among the 65 players who filed for free agency Thursday, the first day of MLB's 15-day filing period for eligible players.
Discussion:
New Jersey Online
Seema Mehta / Press Association:
Her mention of the world-champion Phillies doesn't go over well with a crowd that has different loyalties. — A swing and a miss in Erie — It was a throwaway line meant to be a crowd-pleaser. But it fell flat. — On Thursday at a rally in Erie, Pa., Sarah Palin touted the victors in the World Series to thousands of supporters.
