Maddon wins AL manager of year; Piniella wins NL  —  NEW YORK — Joe Maddon has won the American League Manager of the Year after guiding the Tampa Bay Rays from baseball's basement to the World Series.  Lou Piniella of the Chicago Cubs is the National League winner.

Piniella honored as Manager of Year  —  Cubs skipper wins award for third time, donates prize money  —  CHICAGO — Lou Piniella, who guided the Cubs to the best record in the National League, was named Manager of the Year by the Baseball Writers' Association of America on Wednesday.

Tampa Bay Rays  —  Baseball America's Top 10 Prospects lists are based on projections of a player's long-term worth after discussions with scouting and player-development personnel.  All players who haven't exceeded the major league rookie standards of 130 at-bats or 50 innings pitched (without regard to service time) are eligible.

Yankees Sign Damaso Marte  —  By Tim Dierkes [November 12 at 3:38pm CST]  —  3:38pm: Joel Sherman says the 2012 option is for $4MM, with a $250K buyout.  —  1:06pm: It's official.  Marte gets a three-year deal with a club option for 2012.  —  9:01am: According to Impacto Deportivo …

Yanks, Marte agree to three-year deal  —  Reliever, 33, gives Bombers solid left-hander in the bullpen  —  NEW YORK — The possibility of operating without an established left-handed option out of the bullpen, as the Yankees did for much of last season, is no longer a concern.

For free-agent pitchers, it's buyer beware  —  Historically speaking, we needn't look far to recognize that pitching can be as volatile as stocks, albeit on a far more consistent basis.  For every good long-term pitching deal that pans out, there are seemingly several that do not.

Red Sox not raising ticket prices  —  BOSTON (AP)—For the first time in more than a decade, the Boston Red Sox aren't increasing their ticket prices at Fenway Park for the 2009 season.  —  The team said Wednesday that it had increased prices in each of the last 14 years.