Option play: White Sox keep Buehrle, Dye, Iguchi … CHICAGO — Mark Buehrle, Jermaine Dye and Tadahito Iguchi all were instrumental in helping the Chicago White Sox win the World Series in 2005.  Nearly 12 months later, the White Sox decided to retain their services.

Shortstop Young highly ranked by Elias  —  Lee, Padilla are latest Rangers to file for free agency  —  Derek Jeter and Alex Rodriguez get national attention because they play for the New York Yankees, but Michael Young is more highly regarded in the 2006 Elias Player Rankings.

Padres to interview Bud Black for manager  —  Padres General Manager Kevin Towers said Monday he plans to interview Bud Black, one of the leading candidates for the club's managerial opening, on Wednesday.  Earlier that day, he will ask the Los Angeles Angels for permission to interview Black, their pitching coach for seven years.

Nats' Soriano Files For Free Agency  —  Alfonso Soriano took what could be the first step in leaving the Washington Nationals yesterday, officially declaring free agency, opening the bidding among all 30 major league teams on perhaps the premier offensive player on the market.

Arizona Fall League Notebook: Oct. 30  —  SURPRISE, Ariz.—Hunter Pence has never really been a good defender.  The 23-year-old will hit for average, and you know he's going to hit for power with 59 homers over the last two seasons—the last 28 of which came at Double-A Corpus Christi during the regular season.

Carlos Lee, Aramis Ramirez lead latest free-agent filers … Carlos Lee is ready to cash in on his career season.  —  Lee was among 39 players to file for free agency Monday, a list that also includes Chicago Cubs third baseman Aramis Ramirez and St. Louis Cardinals postseason hero Scott Spiezio.

Soriano targeted; Pat's pact edible?  —  LIKE EVERYONE else in the Phillies family, president David Montgomery gnashes his teeth when he thinks of the St. Louis Cardinals hoisting the Commissioner's Trophy.  —  Maybe signing Alfonso Soriano, who filed for free agency yesterday …

How the Cardinals Shocked the World* and Won the World Series  —  Mike and Maria Schneider are an L.A. couple who run a blog called Franklin Avenue, which is more or less a cultural guide for local groups.  Over the past year Mike and Maria have been asking their infant son Evan to pick …

The New Collective Bargaining Agreement - Revenue Sharing  —  Wonders never cease.  Almost two months before the December 19th deadline, management and the Players' Association hammered out a new collective bargaining agreement that will run for five years, expiring on December 11, 2011.

Mailbag: What's in store for rotation?  —  Beat reporter Thomas Harding answers fans' questions … With the Rockies being fairly competitive, how much time do you think they have left with the current pitching to win a playoff spot in the next few years before the pitchers are worn out and we start serious rebuilding again?