Having failed as manager of the Orioles and being quickly booted after a return to the Yankee bench, Lee Mazzilli will now try his hand as lead studio analyst for the Mets on SportsNet New York. Mazzilli's old post as Yankees bench coach has been filled by Don Mattingly. Some folks are taking this as a sign that Mattingly will succeed Torre as the manager of the club.
We appear to be the only team that is currently seriously weighing an offer for Aubrey Huff. Huff is kind of a sally and he'd have to DH, but I suppose I could sort of get behind the idea. ESPN has a great line about how Huff "has always hit well at Camden Yards." His career line is .285/.357/.486 with 8 homers at the Yards, which isn't bad, but is hardly anything to get your knickers in a curl about. If this were a big deal, you'd think Huff would be doing everything he can to get his foot in the door in Toronto: .320/.393/.557.
The Tigers signed Jose Mesa to a one-year deal, hoping to cash in with the septuagenarian crowd.
The Angels signed Darren Oliver.
Jeff Suppan is suddenly a hot commodity with so many guys off the board. The Pirates and Royals are interested, but the Cardinals appear to be indifferent to retaining Suppan. Whoever signs Suppan better have a home park he can pitch in.
Roger Clemens' agent, Randy Hendricks, says that if Clemens pitches next year, it will be for Houston, the Yankees, or Boston. SurPRAHZ, surPRAHZ.
The Cardinals just might be interested in dealing for Carl Pavano, evidently fearing that Mark Mulder's absence from the disabled list will hurt the team's balance.
It doesn't appear likely that the Devil Rays will sign Akinori Iwamura.
The Brewers, Rangers and Pirates have been talked about in connection with a trade for Jon Lieber.
Veteran third baseman Jeff Cirillo is going to receive an offer for the Twins for $1 million and incentives. I like Cirillo, but the Twins really need to find a proper third baseman at some point.