Yankees give Sandman a magical sendoff  —  NEW YORK — Mariano Rivera sat all alone at the end of the dugout late Thursday night.  The game was over, the Rays were celebrating their victory on the field and the Yankees had already retreated to the clubhouse.

Hamilton to put weight back on during offseason  —  ARLINGTON — Don't expect Josh Hamilton to come into Spring Training light again.  —  Last offseason, he started a natural-juice diet — or “lifestyle change,” as he calls it — and entered at an estimated 227 pounds, roughly 20 pounds lighter than normal.

Cuba says athletes can sign professional contracts in foreign leagues, reversing long ban  —  HAVANA — Cuba announced Friday that island athletes will be allowed to sign contracts to compete in foreign leagues, a shift from decades of policy that held professional sports to be anathema to socialist ideals.

Robinson Cano, Yankees far apart  —  The gap between second baseman Robinson Cano and the New York Yankees on a new contract is enormous, with sources telling ESPN's Buster Olney that the soon-to-be free agent is seeking approximately $305 million over 10 years.

Guthrie goes seven to lead Royals over White Sox  —  CHICAGO — Jeremy Guthrie pitched seven strong innings, and David Lough hit a two-run homer to lead the Kansas City Royals to a 3-2 victory over the Chicago White Sox on Thursday night.  —  One day after being eliminated from the post-season …

Man To Be Charged In Fatal Stabbing Of Dodgers Fan Following Giants Game  —  SAN FRANCISCO (KCBS/KPIX 5) — A Los Angeles Dodgers fan was stabbed to death after his team played the San Francisco Giants at AT&T Park on Wednesday night, and police said Thursday one of two men detained in the attack would be charged with homicide.

Heyward Leads Braves to 7-1 Win Over Phillies  —  ATLANTA — Jason Heyward had a career-high five hits, including a leadoff home run, and the Braves rode a five-run first inning to post a 7-1 win over the Phillies on Thursday night.  —  The win pulled the Braves even with the idle Cardinals …

Girardi On WFAN: Offseason Of Intrigue Sure To Come For Yankees  —  NEW YORK (WFAN) — It's the question on a lot of people's minds: what will the Yankees look like next year?  —  Joe Girardi told WFAN's Mike Francesa on Thursday that he expects the team to look a lot different …

Commissioner Bud Selig to retire following 2014 season  —  Major League Baseball commissioner Bud Selig will formally announce his retirement on Thursday afternoon, reports Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com.  The retirement will take effect in January 2015.  —  Selig, 79, has insisted …

Greg Dobbs returning to Marlins in 2014  —  In case you missed it, as reported by our own Barry Jackson....  The Marlins are re-signing infielder/pinch-hitter Greg Dobbs, who was due to become a free agent.  He said a deal was struck between his agent and owner Jeffrey Loria.

Tigers the odds-on WS favorites  —  According to the numbers, Detroit is the best bet to win the World Series  —  The numbers suggest Cabrera and Fielder will be popping corks at the end of the World Series.  —  In the September 30 issue of “ESPN The Magazine” (at newsstands now!) …