MLB Baseball News

The Boston Red Sox and Chicago Cubs are both in the market for a new manager, and both teams seem to be working off the same shopping list. Theo Epstein recently stepped down as general manager of the Red Sox to become GM of the Cubs, and reportedly made a manager wish list before leaving Boston with his former assistant turned new Red Sox GM Ben Cherington.

The Cubs and Red Sox have both already interviewed Phillies bench coach Pete Mackanin and Brewers hitting coach Dale Sveum. Cleveland bench coach Sandy Alomar, Jr. is scheduled to interview with the Red Sox on Wednesday and then with the Cubs on Friday. Alomar is the only minority candidate either team has interviewed so far, and baseball rules require teams interview at least one minority.

The Baltimore Orioles are expected to announce on Tuesday that they’ve signed Dan Duquette to be their next general manager. Duquette was previously the GM of the Boston Red Sox (1994-2002) and the Montreal Expos (1991-1994), but has been out of the majors since leaving the Red Sox in 2002. The Orioles haven’t had a winning record since 1997, and Duquette apparently wasn’t their first choice.

The Orioles reportedly offered the job first to Tony LaCava, but he rejected the O’s, preferring to stay an assistant GM with the slightly less awful Toronto Blue Jays, who haven’t made the playoffs since 1993, but occasionally finish as high as 12 games over .500 while fighting with the Orioles to not finish in last place in the AL East.

The 2011 World Series ended less than a week ago, but odds are already out for who’ll take the crown in 2012 — and the favorites are familiar.  The Philadelphia Phillies are the favorites to win it all at +400, while the New York Yankees have the best odds of any American League team at +650. The Texas Rangers coming so close this year, have only the fourth-best odds at +1200.

Despite their epic September collapse, the Boston Red Sox have better odds (+800) than the two-time defending American League champion Rangers.  The post-La Russa St. Louis Cardinals are at +1400 to repeat as champs. Vegas gives the Cards the same chance it gives the Detroit Tigers, who knocked off the Yankees in the first round of the playoffs last month.

On the last day that New York Yankees pitcher CC Sabathia could have opted out of the final four years and $92 million left on his contract, the Yankees and their ace agreed on an extension that will pay Sabathia an extra $30 million and keep him under contract through 2016. He’ll make $25 million in 2016, with a $25 million vested option for 2017 or a $5 million buyout.

Sabathia tried to tell the media that his main concern wasn’t money but more ensuring more time playing in the Bronx. “It was clear to everybody I wanted to be a Yankee, end my career as a Yankee,” said Sabathia. “It was just more time, that’s all it was. It was never a question about money or anything like that. It was just more time. I want to end my career here and make sure I end my career as a Yankee and hopefully, I’ve done that.”