Expect Sox to break bank for Teixeira  —  Here's a prediction: By the time this is over, win or lose, the Red Sox effectively will have made Mark Teixeira the largest contract offer in the history of your storied franchise.  —  Preposterous, you say?  Clearly, you have not been paying attention.

Source: Yankees RHP Mussina decides to retire  —  As expected, New York Yankees pitcher Mike Mussina has decided to retire, according to a baseball source with knowledge of the situation.  Mussina informed the Yankees last week he would give them a decision by the end of this week.

Yankees-Sabathia: What's the holdup?  —  Things don't move as quickly this time of year as we all hope they would or think they should.  The Yankees offered CC Sabathia $140 million for six years last Friday, and the popular question now is: “What's taking him so long?”

Tribe names Hernandez bullpen coach  —  Spent past three seasons as pitching coach in Detroit  —  CLEVELAND — The Indians are still sorting through their bullpen options for next season, but they have settled on a coach for the relief corps.  —  As announced Wednesday …

Leitch: The Unfortunate Legacy of Pedro Martinez  —  Remember when Pedro Martinez was to be the savior of the Mets?  Now the Mets don't even want him back.  Pedro's contract, signed in 2004, is off the books, and while he claims he wants to come back, the Mets don't seem to have room for him in the rotation.

A modest proposal  —  How the Yankees can solve their third-base problem  —  The Yankees need a plan at third base.  What they have now isn't working.  —  Things were so much better when Scott Brosius was around.  That's a third-base plan.  Third basemen who put up on-base percentages …

Bernie still not ready for the retired life  —  Bernie Williams, part-time musician and now actor, still won't commit full-time to retirement.  Williams, who will have a featured role in the upcoming movie, “Keeper of the Pinstripes,” remains hopeful that his baseball career is not quite over.

Teixeira interested in playing for Nats  —  Maryland native intrigued by idea of returning home  —  WASHINGTON — It has been reported several times that the Nationals have interest in signing free-agent first baseman Mark Teixeira.  MLB.com has learned that the feeling is mutual …

Prominent hitters who may swing it in '09 or call it a career … The Hot Stove season is off to a fine start for Ryan Dempster, Jeremy Affeldt and Eri Yoshida, the 16-year-old female knuckleballer who was drafted by a Japanese League club this week.  And life is good if your name happens to be CC Sabathia …

MLB says Tribune sets Dec. 1 deadline for Cubs bids  —  NEW YORK - Bidders for the Cubs have until Dec. 1 to submit offers, Major League Baseball said Wednesday after a meeting of its ownership committee.  —  Bob DuPuy, baseball's chief operating officer, said representatives of four bidders …

Astros' 40-man roster grows by three  —  Houston purchases contracts of Bogusevic, Manzella and Sutton  —  The Astros purchased the contracts of outfielder Brian Bogusevic, shortstop Tommy Manzella and second baseman Drew Sutton on Wednesday, adding the Minor League prospects to the 40-man roster …