Yankees and manager Joe Girardi agree on a new three-year, $9 million contract  —  SAN FRANCISCO - Joe Girardi is headed back to the Bronx.  —  The Yankees and Girardi agreed to a three-year contract worth $9 million, the Daily News has learned.  The two sides are putting the finishing touches on the deal …

Strong-willed manager for Mets not in Alderson's view  —  Mets on Twitter  —  Tweet  —  Sandy Alderson almost certainly will hire a low-profile manager for the Mets whose main focus will be to carry out the vision of the new general manager without drama.

Ron Washington's easy Game 2 choice  —  Let's be real clear about this ... David Murphy is not some raw scrub who's likely to wilt under the pressure of actually playing.  For most of the past three years, he's been playing when the other team starts a right-handed pitcher (which is most of the time).

Official Elias Rankings  —  MLBTR has obtained the official Elias rankings for the upcoming offseason.  The list below includes all ranked free agents, including those who have already signed, those who say they'll retire and those whose options will likely be picked up.

Mets Sign Dominican Third Baseman Sanchez  —  Elvis Sanchez, a power-hitting third baseman from the Dominican Republic, has signed with the Mets.  —  Sanchez, 16, is a 6-foot-2, 195-pound righthanded hitter from La Romana who stands out for his power and arm strength.

Who Profits from the Postseason?  —  I previously blogged this on Comcast Sports Southeast, but I wanted to repost here for those who don't follow all my blogs.  —  Eight Men Out is one of my favorite baseball movies.  No matter how many times I watch, my heart still aches for Shoeless Joe.

Wakefield wins Roberto Clemente award  —  Red Sox pitcher Tim Wakefield has been named the recipient of the 2010 Roberto Clemente award, an award given annually to the player who “combines a dedication to giving back to the community with outstanding skills on the baseball field.”

CONFIRMED: Pat Burrell is The Machine  —  A few days ago, dong-shot specialists Deadspin ran a video of Giants closer Brian Wilson doing an appearance with Chris Rose on his Fox Sports show Cheap Seats via satellite from his house when a man wearing a gimp outfit casually walked behind him mid-interview.

It's time to say you're sorry, Sandy  —  Fans deserve a mea culpa from Alderson, who didn't speak up during steroids era  —  In a lot of ways, Sandy Alderson comes to the New York Mets out of central casting.  A Marine, Vietnam vet, Harvard Law grad, architect of a winner …

Options declined on Berkman, Johnson, Wood  —  NEW YORK — The Yankees announced Tuesday that they have declined to exercise their 2011 options on Lance Berkman, Nick Johnson and Kerry Wood, permitting them to file for free agency.  —  Yankees general manager Brian Cashman said this week …