NEW YORK (AP) - Moises Alou is staying with the New York Mets, and Damion Easley will return next season, too.

The Mets exercised their $7.5 million option on Alou's contract Wednesday, bringing back the 41-year-old left fielder who was limited to 87 games this season because of a quadriceps injury.

New York also re-signed Easley to a $950,000, one-year deal. The backup infielder and outfielder provided a boost off the bench in 2007 before a badly sprained left ankle ended his season on Aug. 18.

When Alou was in the lineup, he produced. He batted .341 with 13 home runs, 49 RBIs and only 30 strikeouts in 328 at-bats during his first year with the Mets, who collapsed down the stretch and missed the playoffs.

Also...

The Dodgers continue to work toward a three-year deal with Joe Torre, but the two sides have yet to reach agreement on Torre becoming the team's next manager.

Torre, 67, is still negotiating financial terms with the Dodgers, sources say, and his desire to bring several of his former coaches to Los Angeles could be a sticking point.

The Dodgers' job opened Tuesday when Grady Little resigned as manager. Torre became the clear front-runner after Joe Girardi turned down the Dodgers to join the Yankees.

Giants re-signed shortstop Omar Vizquel to a one-year, $5.3 million contract with a vesting option for 2009.

Phillies acquire RHP Brad Lidge and infielder Eric Bruntlett from the Astros for outfielder Michael Bourn, RHP Geoff Geary and third baseman Mike Costanzo.

How stupid. I guess Myers will go back to starting. I dunno though, maybe they want Lidge to set up Myers. If I were them I guess I would use Lidge to close and Myers to start. But they should have just traded for a good starter and kept Myers the closer possibly.

Funny you should say that.

Rotoworld says,

"We're not at all impressed with Ed Wade's first move as Houston's GM. Bourn could have a long career as a fair regular, but he's basically another Willy Taveras for the Astros. If Lidge's arrival in Philadelphia results in Brett Myers' return to the rotation, this could be a big winner for Pat Gillick. Geary is an average middle reliever and Costanzo's a long shot to have a career, so this basically boils down to Lidge for Bourn. Lidge is only under control for one more year, so it's not a huge slam dunk. Still, turning Myers back into a starter gives the Phillies a bigger rotation upgrade than they possibly could have picked up in free agency."

IMO I think the Phillies should keep Myers as the closer, Lidge to set up and Gordon for the 7th. Almost makes it a 6 inning game. If this was actually the case, trying to sign a Kenny Rogers would be a smart move. 6 strong innings and then you hand it off to the closing team.

That would make sense although Rogers in particular I just keep waiting for him to stop doing well. If they could just have a few good starters and a couple mediocre ones then like you said have those 3 relievers in the pen it would be very good though. And the fact that any of the three relievers CAN pitch 2 innings if necessary. So I would say a couple of their starters would only have to go 5 and they could go right to the main 3 on those rare occasions. lol

As for the deal itself, I don't have an opinion on whether it was a good deal as far as the exchange. I do like Lidge pretty much. It's honestly not easy to decide what Myers' role should be becuase 1. he has had injury history and 2. he did great as closer, but then some games he really sucked at it, just not as much as Gordon would have.

Todd Jones resigns with Tigers for 7 mil.

Yankees GM Brian Cashman said that neither Mariano Rivera nor Jorge Posada would be agreeing to deals before the midnight deadline.

Rivera is quoted as telling an AP reporter in the Dominican Republic that he'll consider Los Angeles once he can talk money with other teams. "The Yankees are my first option," he said in Santo Domingo. "But if that is not possible, there is Joe with the Dodgers."

Jorge Posada signed a deal with the Yankees, which will be finalized after his physical Tuesday, is worth $52.4 million over four years.

Torii Hunter signed with the Angels.

Francisco Cordero about to sign with the Reds.

Yankees may get Johan Santana.

mets may get dan haren.

The Twins are close to landing Delmon Young from the Devil Rays in a six-player deal that would send Matt Garza, Jason Bartlett and Juan Rincon to Tampa Bay.

The six-player Delmon Young trade has yet to go through because of concerns regarding medical reports on Juan Rincon's elbow, according to CBS Sportsline.

The Rays are supposed to receive Matt Garza, Jason Bartlett and Rincon from Minnesota for Young, Brendan Harris and Jason Pridie. Neither team should be willing to let this fall apart because of Rincon. His WHIP has gone from 1.02 to 1.21 to 1.35 to 1.56 the last four years, while his strikeout rate has plummeted in the other direction.

http://cbs.sportsline.com/mlb/story/10500884/rss

Delmon deal finalized.

I think if Santana goes to the Red Sox his value decreases becuase it's just hard to have a good enough e.r.a. and whip there. His wins would go up. K's probably would go down since they would most likely not use him as many innings. If he goes to Yankees, his value increases in my opinion.

The best part of Santana is that he hasnt been overworked. He has only pitched over 230 innings twice in his career and the twins were always very careful with him. He's only been a starter for 4 1/2 yrs and already has 2 cy youngs. Probobly would be better fir for the yankees because of him being a lefty and what I heard was that the new ballpark will have basically the same dimensions as the old 1.

Yanks would still need a #2 starter if they get Santana.

Santana

?

Wang

Pettite

Kennedy

I wouldn't say they "need" another. Wang is probably better than most #2 starters. I don't know. I think their problems are way more than starting problems. They have a lot of players who have "decent" years and nobody having great ones anymore. Well Arod of course. But a lot of them I just don't think of as "great". And they are way overpaying for Rivera. I guess your hero Chamberlain will do good, but in general I think players are going to have to go back to theeir old selves or the Yankees won't be great. For instance if Farnsworth keeps being the current Farnsworth, that is not good. He was only so-so.

Also I am sure Mussina is staying in the rotation and they have a couple other young starters. I doubt they would get another starter if they get Santana. If they DON'T get Santana, they are not in great shape, as I don't like any of the free agent options they would have.

forgot about stupid mussina. If the Padres were smart they would trade peavy to the yankees for Mussina and some class A guy. Peavy is gonna be going down hill after this cy young.

If he goes to the Yankees he will. If he stays on the padres he won't get hurt again.

Mets acquire catcher Brian Schneider and outfielder Ryan Church from the Nationals for outfielder Lastings Milledge.

IMO this is a retarded deal. I am in no way a big fan of milledge but he coulda been packaged for something better then this. A bad catcher and a utility OF with speed. Mets already have Endy Chavez to fill that role so church has no value. I would have rather opened the season with Estrada than Schnieder.

Yes you are a fan of his. You always kept picking him up in fantasy leagues and telling me I should.

The Yankees have decided to include Phil Hughes in their proposal for Johan Santana, the New York Daily News reports.

Rogers signed with Tigers. Percival signed with Rays.

Kaz Matsuin signs 3 year deal with Astros.

White Sox acquired outfielder Carlos Quentin from the Diamondbacks for first baseman Chris Carter.

In a huge deal, Detroit acquired Dontrelle Willis and Miguel Cabrera Tuesday. Finally for the short-term future the red sox and yankees will NOT both make the playoffs in my opinion. Of course if the White Sox and Indians do bad, this wouldn't impact that.

Good day for Tigers. The baseball tigers got that deal done and the Memphis Tigers won in Overtime to keep their #2 ranking.