CHICAGO (AP)—The Chicago White Sox have declined the mutual option on veteran right fielder and former World Series MVP Jermaine Dye, clearing the way for him to become a free agent.

Dye will get a buyout of $950,000 instead of $12 million he could have gotten in salary next season.

Dye, the World Series MVP in 2005 for the White Sox, signed a two-year, $22 million extension late in the 2007 season. This year, the 35-year-old Dye batted .250 with 27 home runs and 81 RBI in 141 games.

Dye has also played with the Braves, Royals and Athletics. In 14 major league seasons, he has batted .274 with 325 homers and 1,072 RBIs. In five seasons with the White Sox, he batted .278 with 164 homers and 461 RBI.



Story:http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news;_ylt=Al9lZpbfALCxIAGT4gtSCis5nYcB?slug=ap-whitesox-dye&prov=ap&type=lgns

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By: bigrob054 | On: Fri Nov 06, 09 12:07 PM

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MINNEAPOLIS (AP)—The Minnesota Twins have acquired shortstop J.J. Hardy from the Milwaukee Brewers in exchange for outfielder Carlos Gomez.

The move, announced Friday, relieves a crowded outfield for the Twins, who also have Delmon Young, Denard Span and Michael Cuddyer.

The 27-year-old Hardy batted .229 with 11 home runs and 47 RBI in 115 games for the Brewers in 2009. A 2007 All-Star, he is just the third shortstop in Brewers’ history to hit more than 20 home runs in a season twice Robin Yount and Jose Hernandez.

He has a career batting average of .262 with 75 home runs and 265 RBI in 571 games.

The 23-year-old Gomez was acquired by the Twins from the New York Mets last year. He batted .229 with three home runs and 28 RBI in 137 games with the Twins last season.



Story:http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news;_ylt=AnmdLsb_FX_TyQ36FMCIxt85nYcB?slug=ap-twins-brewerstrade&prov=ap&type=lgns

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By: bigrob054 | On: Fri Nov 06, 09 12:04 PM

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NEW YORK -- Pitcher John Lackey and outfielder Matt Holliday were among 79 players who filed for free agency Thursday, the first possible day.

Outfielder Jason Bay, first baseman Carlos Delgado, pitcher John Smoltz and reliever Billy Wagner also filed, as did pitcher Jon Garland after the Los Angeles Dodgers declined his $10 million option. He will receive a $2.5 million buyout.

Instead of becoming a free agent again, outfielder Bobby Abreu agreed to a $19 million, two-year contract to stay with the Los Angeles Angels.

"I really feel happy here with Los Angeles," Abreu said. "I really enjoy to play for them, and I think when they started with the conversation for the contract and we didn't have any problems back and forth, it was a nice negotiation. It was no problem to stay and come back with the Angels."

Abreu hit .293 with 15 homers, 103 RBIs, 30 steals and 94 walks as Los Angeles won the AL West and advanced to the AL Championship Series.

Approximately 100 more players are potentially eligible to file by the Nov. 19 deadline.

Mark Kotsay agreed to a $1.5 million contract to remain with the Chicago White Sox rather than become eligible for free agency. The 33-year-old infielder and outfielder hit .278 with four homers and 23 RBIs in 67 games combined with Boston and the White Sox.





Story:http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=4627587

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By: bigrob054 | On: Fri Nov 06, 09 2:10 AM

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ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP)—Bobby Abreu had no interest in spending another winter— or even another week—without an employer. The Los Angeles Angels were only too happy to oblige the slugger who transformed their lineup this year.

The veteran outfielder agreed Thursday to a $19 million, two-year contract to stay with the Angels rather than test the free-agent market again.

“I really feel happy here with Los Angeles,” Abreu said in a telephone interview from Las Vegas. “I really enjoy to play for them, and I think when they started with the conversation for the contract and we didn’t have any problems back and forth, it was a nice negotiation. It was no problem to stay and come back with the Angels.”

After earning $16 million with the New York Yankees in 2008 under the final year of a contract he originally signed with the Philadelphia Phillies, Abreu became a free agent. He didn’t find a new home until Feb. 12, just before spring training, when the Angels gave him a one-year contract that guaranteed $5 million.

He earned an additional $1 million based on plate appearances, but the Venezuelan still was one of the majors’ biggest bargains.

Mostly playing right field, Abreu hit .293 with 15 homers, 103 RBIs, 30 steals and 94 walks as a durable contributor to one of the majors’ top offenses. He also raised his game to keep Los Angeles afloat while sluggers Vladimir Guerrero and Torii Hunter were sidelined with midseason injuries, earning AL player of the month honors for July by batting .380 with 28 RBIs.

Manager Mike Scioscia labeled Abreu as the Angels’ most valuable player late in the season.




Story:http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news;_ylt=Akwqrnjoe4IScnrhw5oIBqQRvLYF?slug=ap-angels-abreu&prov=ap&type=lgns

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By: bigrob054 | On: Fri Nov 06, 09 2:01 AM

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IRVING, Texas -- Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo was defiant Thursday, saying that discussions about why wide receiver Roy Williams has such low numbers will not divide his team.

Williams only has 14 catches for 249 yards and two touchdowns heading into the Cowboys' game at Philadelphia Sunday night.

Williams said Wednesday that Romo throws better passes to the team's other receivers, and he can't figure out why.

Romo said the two are working hard in practices, even doing extra work, but for whatever reason, the chemistry is not there.

"I don't look at the numbers," Romo said before Thursday's practice at Valley Ranch. "We've been through this before with people trying to intersect and divide a football team. This team is too strong from the core.

"I know the media is going to make certain things appear what they may not actually have been or things of that nature. This team is too committed to winning and too committed to improving to let anything like that or anything [the media] may present to us divide this team."

For the past two days, Williams has discussed his lack of a connection with Romo. He said Thursday that he was getting tired of talking about it.




Story:http://sports.espn.go.com/dallas/nfl/news/story?id=4626279

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By: bigrob054 | On: Thu Nov 05, 09 3:16 PM

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NEW YORK -- The New York Yankees bolted from the dugout even before the last grounder was scooped up. After waiting nine years for championship No. 27, no one would dare hold them back.

"It feels better than I remember it, man," captain Derek Jeter said. "It's been a long time."

Hideki Matsui tied a World Series record with six RBIs, Andy Pettitte won on short rest and New York beat the Philadelphia Phillies 7-3 in Game 6 on Wednesday night, finally seizing that elusive title -- the most in all of sports.



Story:http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/recap?gameId=291104110

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By: bigrob054 | On: Thu Nov 05, 09 1:31 PM

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By: bigrob054 | On: Thu Nov 05, 09 12:43 AM

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MANAGUA, Nicaragua (AP)—Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Vicente Padilla accidentally shot himself in the leg in Nicaragua.

Dr. Eduardo Reguera said Padilla didn’t need surgery after spending time at Managua’s Metropolitan Hospital.

Police spokesman Vilma Reyes said Wednesday that Padilla’s pistol apparently jammed during a target shooting session late Tuesday. Padilla was trying to clear a round from the chamber when the pistol went off.

His agent, Adam Katz, told The Los Angeles Times that it was a “hunting accident.”

Padilla went 4-0 with a 3.20 ERA for the Dodgers the final two months of the regular season. He allowed one run in 7 1-3 innings in Game 2 of the NL Championship Series, but was battered for six runs in three innings in a season-ending loss to the Phillies.



Story:http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news;_ylt=AjgVXbiznp5iDMVgTVhYWnY5nYcB?slug=ap-dodgers-padillashot&prov=ap&type=lgns

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By: bigrob054 | On: Wed Nov 04, 09 1:20 PM

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PHILADELPHIA (AP)—By the ninth inning, Phillies fans were preparing for the worst.

The New York Yankees were at it again, chipping away at a dwindling lead and threatening to take away the Phils’ World Series title right there at Citizens Bank Park.

Desperate to hang on, somehow Chase Utley and the Phillies did. Derek Jeter grounded into a double play, Mark Teixeira struck out, and Philadelphia staved off the Yankees and elimination with an 8-6 win in Game 5 on Monday night.

Now comes the hard part: winning twice at Yankee Stadium.

Game 6 will be played Wednesday night, with New York’s Andy Pettitte going on short rest against Pedro Martinez, not exactly a beloved figure in the Bronx.

Utley hit two home runs to raise his Series total to a record-tying five, Cliff Lee won again and Philadelphia cut its deficit to 3-2.

“We didn’t have a choice. It was either go home and watch football and college basketball or extend the season,” Phillies shortstop Jimmy Rollins said.

Ahead 8-2, the Phillies watched New York score three times in the eighth inning and put its first two batters on in the ninth. Jeter’s grounder drove in a run, but the fans on their feet couldn’t exhale until Teixeira struck out as the tying run.



Story:http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/recap;_ylt=AqVRDFRxqoE65oi.HGjJl8E5nYcB?gid=291102122&prov=ap

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By: bigrob054 | On: Tue Nov 03, 09 2:00 AM

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By: bigrob054 | On: Mon Nov 02, 09 12:21 AM

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