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 …

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 …

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 …

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.

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.”

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 …

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.

Agent: Ken Griffey Jr. would consider returning to Mariners  —  The agent for Ken Griffey Jr. said Friday that his client is “totally open-minded” to discussing a return to Seattle, where he spent 11...  The agent for Ken Griffey Jr. said Friday that his client is “totally open-minded” …

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.

Teixeira, Sabathia top Elias rankings … Mark Teixeira and CC Sabathia have timed their free agency especially well, as they are among the highest-ranked players in the 2008 Elias player rankings, according to documents obtained by SI.com  —  Teixeira, the Angels first baseman …

Red Sox to train 30 more years in Fort Myers … BOSTON (AP) — Boston will keep its spring training home in the Fort Myers area for 30 more years after signing an agreement with Lee County, Florida.  —  The Red Sox have played in the 7,290-seat City of Palms Park since moving from Winter Haven in 1993.

McGee: Want more Yankee Octobers?  Pull for Obama in Nov.  —  This year, Barack Obama signifies hope.  Not over the economic meltdown or the War on Terror, but for October baseball in the Bronx.  —  As Rudy Giuliani rooting for the Red Sox in the 2007 World Series clearly showed, baseball and politics don't always mix.