Phillies select Amaro as new GM  —  This just in. . .  Ruben Amaro Jr. is the new Phillies general manager.  —  Sources close to the situation confirmed to the Daily News' Paul Hagen that club president Dave Montgomery met with assistant general manager, scouting and player development …

NO ‘OPTION’ FOR MARTE  —  Add Damaso Marte to Jason Giambi and Carl Pavano as players the Yankees aren't likely to exercise options on - which will make them free agents.  —  Giambi has a $22 million option with a $5 million buyout and Pavano has a $15 million option with a $1.95 million buyout.

After a Steep Fall, Leyritz Tries to Rebuild Life  —  FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — Autumn had always been good to Jim Leyritz.  —  Most of the time, Leyritz was just a workaday Yankee on a team of stars, but the postseason seemed to be his stage, as he twirled his bat at the plate and hit home runs when it mattered most.

Let the offseason races begin  —  Most of baseball's 30 general managers will arrive in Dana Point, Calif., Sunday and Monday for the annual GM meetings, the unofficial beginning of baseball's offseason.  —  It's going to be a busy winter, with huge names out there for the taking.

Texas Rangers' seek catcher-for-pitcher deal  —  egrant@dallasnews.com  —  The Rangers on Monday will invade the St. Regis Monarch Hotel in Dana Point, Calif. - site of AIG's infamous post-government bailout executive retreat - but they won't be indulging in spa treatments or ringing up the surf butler.

A new role for Sveum  —  He will take over hitting coach spot  —  By Tom Haudricourt of the Journal Sentinel  —  Dale Sveum will be back on the Milwaukee Brewers' coaching staff in 2009 but not as third base coach.  Or bench coach.  —  Looking for a different challenge …

Rockies' Fuentes files for free agency  —  All-Star closer should draw significant interest on open market  —  DENVER — Left-handed relief pitcher Brian Fuentes, who earned three All-Star Game invitations in a Rockies uniform and owns the club's career saves record, filed for free agency on Saturday, as expected.

Pirates: South Africa produces shortstop prospect  —  The Pirates, trying to mine all areas to get prospects into their minor league system, hope they've found a diamond in the rough in Mpho Ngoepe from South Africa.  —  Ngoepe, 18, is a switch-hitting shortstop who signed with the Pirates …

Sabathia files for free agency … NEW YORK (AP) — CC Sabathia, the prize pitcher on this year's market, filed for free agency Saturday.  —  Sabathia was acquired by Milwaukee from Cleveland on July 7, then went 11-2 with seven complete games, three shutouts and a 1.65 ERA in 17 starts …

Steve Tyrell's a voice from heaven  —  Grammy-winning pop crooner Steve Tyrell, who begins his annual two-month stint Tuesday night in the late Bobby Short's place as the Café Carlyle's holiday in-house performer, can also be considered the unofficial “singer to the New York sports owners.”

Hot Stove Central: Right Fielders  —  If you want something out of the ordinary this offseason, try this on for size: the top right fielder on the free-agent market is a Yankee, wants to stay a Yankee, and the Yankees might let him walk away.  —  You read that right.

Little Stein stokes the Hot Stove  —  That didn't take long.  This from the AP: … Prediction: Between now and the start of the spring training, there will approximately 17 of these stories where Hank makes some sort of comment about a player he wants, or how the Yankees need pitching …