Red Sox offer on table for Jon Lester  —  BOSTON — The Boston Red Sox made a contract offer to pitcher Jon Lester when he met with the team's owners earlier this week, according to a major league source.  —  The terms of the offer were not disclosed, and the source said he did not expect Lester to make a quick decision.

Billy Butler, A's agree to 3-year deal  —  Free agent Billy Butler has agreed to a three-year, $30 million deal with the Oakland Athletics, sources told ESPN The Magazine's Buster Olney.  —  The Kansas City Royals previously paid Butler a $1 million buyout rather than exercise …

Matt Harvey, Mets on same page over pitcher's workload for next season … DATABASE  —  Matt Harvey's career starts … Mets  —  Get to know Matt Harvey

Sources: Stanton's $325M deal backloaded  —  If Giancarlo Stanton opts out of his new 13-year, $325 million contract with the Miami Marlins after the first six seasons, he'll be walking away from a staggering $218 million over the final seven seasons, sources familiar with the deal told ESPN.com Tuesday.

My (Fake) Interview With Tiger*  —  When Tiger Woods returned to golf from his back surgery, the national media saw it as the greatest news flash since D-Day.  This energized me so much I immediately tracked down Tiger and asked if we could do the interview we should have done years ago.

The family legal fight over Ryan Howard's finances  —  It was late July when Ryan Howard pointedly asked a reporter if he wanted to trade places with him.  The anguish in his tone was palpable.  A former perennial MVP candidate, the slugger's career was nearing its nadir.

JAMES SHIELDS INTERESTS ARIZONA — BUT CAN IT AFFORD HIM?  —  So far, we've heard very little about the market for free-agent right-hander James Shields.  —  Well, here is one interested team:  —  The Arizona Diamondbacks.  —  The D-Backs tried to trade for Shields and Wade Davis …

KCK native Ray Sadecki, standout major-league left-hander, dies at 73  —  Ray Sadecki, the Kansas City, Kan., native who won 135 games in his 18-year major-league pitching career — and the 1964 World Series opener — died Monday afternoon in Mesa, Ariz., from complications of blood cancer, according to his family.

Ex-UD star, respected baseball scout dies at 58  —  The essence and character of Jeff Taylor, a man beloved by family, friends and the baseball community, can be traced to a baseball field at Newark High School more than 40 years ago.  —  Taylor, a longtime scout working for the Cincinnati Reds …