The Cardinals signed backup catcher Jason LaRue to a one-year contract on Friday. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. LaRue, who was one of six Cardinals to file for free agency, appeared in 61 games in 2008 and batted .213 with four homers and 21 RBIs.

The Mets picked up the $12 million option on the contract of Carlos Delgado for the 2009 season on Friday. Delgado hit .271 with 38 homers and 115 RBIs even after a rough start to the season. "Carlos is a key part of our plans for 2009, and we wanted to let him know as quickly as allowed that we wanted him back," Mets general manager Omar Minaya said in a statement. "Yesterday -- the day following the conclusion of the World Series -- was the first day that we could pick up the option per the contract. It was our full intent to promptly close our deal with Carlos, and that's what we did."

The New York Yankees announced today they have added left-handed pitcher Wilkin De La Rosa and right-handed pitcher Eric Hacker to the 40-man roster. De La Rosa, 23, was 9-4 with a 2.11 ERA (106.2IP, 72H, 35R, 25ER, 44BB, 125K) in 32 combined games (11 starts) with Single-A Charleston and Single-A Tampa in 2008, ranking fifth in the organization in strikeouts. He began the season in the bullpen and was 3-1 with a 2.74 ERA (49.1IP, 15ER) in 21 relief appearances. In his 11 starts, he went 6-3 with a 1.82 ERA (59.1IP, 12ER), limiting opponents to 2ER or less in each start. Signed by the Yankees as a non-drafted free agent in November 2001, De La Rosa was converted to a pitcher in 2007, going 1-0 with a 2.63 ERA in 12 relief appearances with the GCL Yankees in his first action on the mound (24.0IP, 32K). The Dominican Republic native played his first five professional seasons (2002-06) as an outfielder, batting a combined .224 with three home runs and 88RBI in 287 games. Hacker, 25, was 9-6 with a 2.43 ERA (144.1IP, 121H, 47R, 39ER, 37BB, 115K) in 26 combined starts with Single-A Tampa and Double-A Trenton in 2008, ranking second in the organization in ERA. He limited opponents to three runs or less in all but one start, including a stretch of four straight starts without giving up an earned run from 4/8-24 w/ Tampa (27.0IP, 7H, 2R, 2BB, 18K). On 4/8 vs. Dunedin (TOR), in his second start of the season (w/ Tampa), he threw 7.0 no-hit innings but did not record a decision. Hacker went 2-0 with a 1.54 ERA in two postseason starts for the Double-A champion Trenton Thunder, recording the win in Game 1 of the Eastern League Division Series and Game 1 of the Championship Series. In six minor league seasons (2002-08), Hacker owns a 30-15 record with a 2.70 ERA in 75 games (67 starts). He was selected by the Yankees in the 23rd round of the 2002 First-Year Player Draft.

Former Brave Andruw Jones, who is currently under contract with the Dodgers, would like to call Atlanta home once again. "I?ve got one more year in my contract," said Jones. "Hopefully, I can come back to Atlanta. I would love to finish my career here." Jones had a horrendous first year with the Dodgers. He hit .158 with three homers and 76 strikeouts in 209 at-bats before going on the disabled list in early September. "I?ve been rehabbing, working out again," he said. "I feel good."

According to two reports, the Brewers are expected to hire Ken Macha as their new manager, according to an Associated Press report. The Brewers called a news conference for Thursday afternoon to announce their new manager. The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel said as early as Monday that the former A?s manager would be GM Doug Melvin?s pick. ESPN.com confirmed the hiring, citing two unnamed sources.

Commissioner Bud Selig called the events surrounding Game 5 of the World Series at Citizens Bank Park "baseball drama at its best." "It was a tough week, but it ended beautifully," said Selig after the Phillies defeated the Rays, 4-3, to win their first World Series since 1980. "It was an interesting World Series. It had its challenges. But the last three innings here were really baseball drama at its best. All's well that ends well."

Junichi Tazawa, a hard-throwing right-handed pitcher who wants to play in the major leagues, was not taken in Japan's amateur draft on Thursday. "I'm very relieved," Tazawa said. "I was very nervous right up until the end of the draft." Tazawa asked Japanese teams not to draft him so that he could pursue a career in the Major Leagues. Several teams, including the Red Sox and Cubs, scouted Tazawa while he led Nippon Oil to the corporate league championship this season.

Fox Sports president Ed Goren says that the network didn't orchestrate the sixth-inning suspension of Game 6 of the World Series. "I didn't know they were going to stop the game until I saw the tarp pulled," Goren said, "and I didn't need to know ... It's their game." Goren says Fox didn't have much motivation to halt Monday's action, claiming that the ratings might have increased as the deciding-game continued. Monday's action drew an 8.2% share of U.S. households. "If the game stayed competitive," Goren said, "it might have gone to 14."

The Marlins haven't discussed a contract extension for manager Fredi Gonzalez, but the team appears happy with his performance during the 2008 season. Larry Beinfest, the team's president of baseball operations, declined to discuss an extension but said Gonzalez "did a real good job."

The Red Sox haven't made any official decisions, but they are expected to continue calling Fort Myers, Fla. their Spring Training home. Lee County -- where Fort Myers is based -- voted, 3-1, to approve an agreement with the Red Sox to build a new facility. According to a report, the new stadium would have a Fenway Park feel to it, with 9,999 seats plus a berm area, which would bring the capacity up to about 12,000.