GM Amaro unveils ‘Phillies Way’ handbook  —  While two teams that did not win 90 regular-season games in 2014 played to the conclusion of the World Series, the Phillies huddled at their facility in Clearwater, Fla. General manager Ruben Amaro Jr. unveiled The Phillies Way …

Send Alex Gordon!  —  It would have been close.  Alex Gordon might have scored, particularly if he'd been in the mindset to do so all along.  Or maybe not.  I'm sure there will be Zapruder-film-type breakdowns, and I'll look forward to seeing them.  It would have been one hell of a moment …

COLORADO ROCKIES / MLB  —  ROCKIES GM JEFF BRIDICH: CHANGES TO COACHING STAFF DONE  —  The Denver Post  —  The Colorado Rockies introduce Jeff Bridich as the team's new general manager on Oct. 8, 2014 at Coors Field.  (John Leyba, The Denver Post)  —  Change is on hold for the Rockies.

Red Sox Sign Koji Uehara To Two-Year Extension  —  The Red Sox announced that they have signed right-hander Koji Uehara to a two-year extension that runs through the 2016 season.  Alex Speier of WEEI.com reports that it is a two-year, $18MM contract (Twitter link).  Uehara is represented by Mark Pieper of Relativity Sports.

Report: Cubs to hire ex-Rays manager Joe Maddon  —  Rumors that surfaced immediately after Joe Maddon left the Rays last week that he was headed to the Cubs apparently are about to become reality.  —  Though agent Alan Nero told the Tampa Bay Times on Wednesday night there was “not a done deal …

Hot stove begins to warm as 121 players become free agents under Article XX B  —  Free agency and the Major League Baseball offseason represent a time of optimism and hope for baseball teams and their fans.  By the time the last pitch in the World Series is thrown, all 30 teams are already hard …

Emerson new bullpen coach; Jensen to assist Bush, teach catchers  —  Darren Bush has spent 10 seasons in the A's organization, including two as a Class A hitting coach.  (AP)  —  OAKLAND — The A's have promoted from within to fill out their 2015 coaching staff.

Orioles Exercise Options On Chen, O'Day; Decline Options On Markakis, Hundley  —  The Orioles announced that they have exercised their club options on left-hander Wei-Yin Chen ($4.75MM) and right-hander Darren O'Day ($4.25MM).  Additionally, Roch Kubatko of MASNsports.com tweets that the team …

Five Lessons We Learned From the 2014 MLB Season  —  Last night, Madison Bumgarner led the Giants to their third World Series title in five years, capping a topsy-turvy baseball season in which a legend said good-bye, injuries ripped through pitching staffs, and the last two teams standing were wild cards.

Cards exercise Lackey's MLB-minimum option  —  ST. LOUIS — The Cardinals have exercised their 2015 contract option on pitcher John Lackey, which is at the major league minimum.  —  The right-hander agreed to an $82.5 million, five-year contract with Boston in December 2009 that contained …

Nationals Exercise Denard Span's Option; Decline LaRoche, Soriano  —  3:01pm: The team announced the move on Span while also announcing that it has declined its club option on reliever Rafael Soriano and the team end of a mutual option for first baseman Adam LaRoche.  —  Neither of those moves surprised, either.

Yankees' next hitting coach could be in Royals dugout  —  Raul Ibanez greets Alex Gordon .  —  KANSAS CITY, Mo. — There was serious speculation running through Kauffman Stadium before the Giants' 3-2 victory over the Royals in Game 7 of the World Series that the Yankees were waiting …

Hisashi Iwakuma's Option Vests  —  The Mariners announced that Hisashi Iwakuma's $7MM option has officially vested based on his on-field performance.  The option was widely believed to be a club option, however Bob Dutton of the Tacoma News Tribune recently reported that the option vested by virtue of Iwakuma's on-field performance.