FanHouse Mlb Rumors

For most of the summer, Joe Torre indicated that he was planning on retiring from managing after his contract with the Dodgers expires in 2010. Both he and people who have followed his career closely noted that he's made similar statements in the past, and he's still in the dugout. Accordingly, Torre admitted to T.J. Simers on Sunday that he's considering negotiating a contract extension with the Dodgers that would keep him in L.A. beyond the 2010 season.

In his two years with the Dodgers, Torre's taken the team to the NLCS twice, but failed to get past the Phillies both times. Dating back to his years with the Yankees, he's taken his team to a playoff spot in 14 consecutive seasons. Unsurprisingly, Dodgers GM Ned Colletti indicates in the same story that he'd be happy to negotiate with Torre, should he want an extension.

Sammy Sosa's skin has not been digitally altered in the recent photo you see on the left. And despite the theories flying, this also isn't Michael Jackson Part II -- his skin hasn't been stripped of any pigment by a disorder such as Vitiligo.

It turns out Sosa has just been undergoing a "rejuvenation process," according to Cubs employee Rebecca Polihronis, who speaks frequently with the baseball legend.

After eight seasons with the Philadelphia Phillies, 29-year-old pitcher Brett Myers will reportedly be playing for a new team in 2010. According to Jim Salisbury of the Philadelphia Inquirer, Myers has been told by Phillies general manager Ruben Amaro Jr., that he will definitely not be a Phillie next season. The report also states that Myers wasn't given a specific reason that he won't return.

Myers has spent his entire professional career in the Philadelphia organization after being selected in the first round in the 1999 draft. He went 73-63 with a 4.40 ERA and added 21 saves during his time in Philly.

Last offseason, in an effort to bolster their ineffective late-inning relief, the Mets made a three-team, 12-player trade of which J.J. Putz was the centerpiece. Putz had previously been a very effective closer for the Mariners, but he would get eighth-inning duty for the Mets, considering they paid a hefty sum to bring in Francisco Rodriguez to close.

Less than one year later, it appears Putz and the Mets will go their separate ways. According to Ben Shpigel of the New York Times, the Mets will decline Putz's $9.1 million player option for 2010 and instead buy his contract out for a cool million -- making him a free agent.

UPDATE: It seems that Padilla did not shoot himself, but was in fact shot by a shooting instructor. Full details here.

Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Vicente Padilla is back home in his native Nicaragua now his team's season has ended, and while there he's decided to do some hunting. Unfortunately for Vicente it seems his aim with a gun is a lot like his aim with his fastball. Sometimes he loses control of the thing and ends up hitting somebody.

Though this time it was himself.

Padilla was treated in a hospital on Tuesday after suffering what is being called a "minor" gunshot wound to his right leg.

New York Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter has achieved many things since beginning his career in the Big Apple. He's won four World Series championships -- and is only a win away from his fifth -- a World Series MVP in 2000, three Gold Gloves and is a 10-time All Star.

He's also a New York institution and Yankee legend with the likes of Mickey Mantle, Joe DiMaggio and Babe Ruth. Except there's one thing Jeter may end up with that none of those other Yankee heroes had. There are plans to have a bridge named after him in New York.

According to Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports, the Atlanta Braves are near a deal that would extend the contract of 34-year-old Tim Hudson by another three years. Rosenthal cites major league sources, and one source told him it would be shocking if the extension wasn't complete within the next four days.

Hudson was once a Cy Young-type pitcher -- he finished in the top-6 three times in a four year span -- but those days are long gone. He can be a valuable part of a pitching staff, though, as he went 16-10 with a 3.33 ERA in his last full season (2007). Since then he's made just 29 starts in two seasons, due to having to undergo and come back from Tommy John surgery.

After one pretty lackluster season in Kansas City, it's likely Coco Crisp is going to be playing elsewhere next season. The Royals, who clearly need to avoid wasting money, would owe Crisp $8 million should they decide to retain his services. It would cost them just $500,000 to buy him out.

Crisp, who turns 30 this coming Sunday, batted just .228 with a .714 OPS in 49 games last season for the Royals. He also had surgery on both of his shoulders. Considering all that, there's no realistic reason for the Royals to not buy him out.

While the Los Angeles Dodgers season may be over it appears that team owner Frank McCourt's divorce drama with his wife Jamie is going to continue for a while. The latest story being reported about the estranged couple is of Jamie calling 911 after being startled at home by Frank.

According to the police report that was filed, Frank did not attack Jamie in anyway, but rather came over to the house while she was swimming, which prompted her to make the call.

One of Major League Baseball's two general manager vacancies could be filled in the next few days. The Padres appear poised to hire Red Sox assistant general manager Jed Hoyer to replace long-time GM Kevin Towers, who was fired at the beginning of October, according to multiple outlets including the San Diego Union-Tribune.

Hoyer has been a bit of a hot property for awhile now, having interviewed for GM positions with the Pirates and Nationals in recent years, but this won't be his first general managing job.

He and Ben Cherington were named co-GMs of the Red Sox in the winter of 2006 during Theo Epstein's brief hiatus from his post running the club, and most famously helped orchestrate the deal that brought Josh Beckett to Boston.