Andy Pettitte only wants to pitch for the Yankees next season if he decides to continue playing, but he's not ready to commit just yet. "I think Andy will continue to pitch," Manager Joe Girardi said. Pettitte has said that he would like to pitch in the new Yankee Stadium. "Like I've told you all over and over, I'm not real sure," Pettitte said. "Just looked at the ballpark over there and I would love to do it. I just feel like I need to get away and like I've told you all, I've got some things that I need to weigh over and figure out." "Hopefully, I can come to a conclusion pretty quick and figure out what I would like to do."

The Braves will be looking to fortify their pitching rotation this winter and could have their eye on Derek Lowe. "Improve our starting pitching ? that?s our No. 1 priority," General Manager Frank Wren said Monday. Recently, Atlanta has had scouts following the Dodgers around scouting Lowe, who will become a free agent at season's end.

Minnesota catcher Joe Mauer is in the middle of a four-year deal worth $33 million, but the Twins could try to lock him up with a lucrative extension this winter. The Twins don't have a history of spending much money, but they could make the move in order to ensure Mauer will be a fixture on the team when Target Field opens in 2010. A five-year extension could be worth close to $100 million given Mauer's production and possible second AL batting title.

The Orioles could make a play for expected free agents Mark Teixeira and A.J. Burnett this winter. Teixeira grew up just outside of Baltimore, and Burnett lives close to the city during the offseason. "I think we would be remiss if we don't look into what might be unique opportunities in the case of geographic ties to the area," said Andy MacPhail, who did not name names. "I think we owe it to our fans to explore that. Again, I don't know how realistic it would be, but I think we'd be remiss in not exploring it."

The Giants will be in the market for CC Sabathia this winter as they determine how serious his interest is in returning to the Bay Area. The team does not plan to wade into the rest of the market for starters. As Sabean said Monday, "We'll look heavily in the market for relief help. Whether we decide to do that with a starting pitcher remains to be seen because I think the price is going to be exorbitant."

The Mets are rumored to want Carlos Delgado back next season, and the first baseman would like to return to the team in 2009 as well. "I'd like to be back," Delgado said Monday. "I like this group of guys. I think we've got a great team. It's a good opportunity, so we'll see what happens." He would like get rid of the bad taste in his mouth following consecutive last-season collapses. "I feel like we've got some unfinished business," he said. The Mets have a team option on Delgado's contract for the 2009 season.

The Mets probably won't make a serious push for the biggest free agent starters like CC Sabathia, Ben Sheets or A.J. Burnett. With John Maine expected to recover fully from surgery to remove a bone spur and Mike Pelfrey also in the top three, the Mets will be looking for a No. 4 and No. 5. Free agent Oliver Perez is expected to price himself out of the Mets' spending plans. "This is the core group of guys that won 97 games," Minaya said, referring to 2006. "This team I thought did an unbelievable job of getting us to today. The unfortunate thing is that we fell one or two wins short. We have to find a way to get those one or two wins. So far, the past two years, we haven't been able to do that."

The Tigers won't pick up shortstop Edgar Renteria's option for next season, President/GM Dave Dombrowski said Monday. The decision leaves shortstop and catcher as the two open spots in next year's lineup.

The debate on whether Joba Chamberlain will be a starter or reliever is likely to linger throughout the winter. "A lot depends on what happens in the winter," said Joe Girardi of the Yankees' planned dive into the starting free agent market, where CC Sabathia and A.J. Burnett are atop a short list quality pitchers followed by Ben Sheets. "Wherever we put him will be a big plus for us."

The Mets are expected to pick up the $12 million option for 2009 on slugger Carlos Delgado before November.