Brewers trade Hardy for Gomez  —  By Tom Haudricourt of the Journal Sentinel  —  As it turns out, the Brewers will not be trading shortstop J.J. Hardy for pitching help after all.  Instead, the Brewers used Hardy today to address their centerfield position, trading him to the Minnesota Twins …

First day of free agency busy for filers  —  Bay, Holliday and Lackey among those to test market  —  On the busy first official day of the 2009-10 offseason, nearly half of the 183 eligible players formally filed for free agency.  —  The 79 eligible veterans who elected free agency …

Girardi likely to up ante with uniform switch  —  Joe Girardi is going to wear a big goal on his back next season and dares every team in baseball to deny the Yankees reaching it.  —  That's the same back people were plunging knives into a year ago for his lack of communication and as recently …

Myers will not return to Phillies  —  Brett Myers was told today that his Phillies career is over, the Inquirer's Jim Salisbury reports.  —  “I officially won't be a Phillie next year,” the 29-year-old pitcher told The Inquirer this afternoon.  —  In a meeting with general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. …

Chicago White Sox buy out final year of Jermaine Dye's contract  —  The Chicago White Sox and 2005 World Series MVP Jermaine Dye have parted ways.  —  On Thursday, Jermaine Dye informed the White Sox that he was accepting his 2010 one-year option for $12 million.

Phillies pick up option to keep Lee  —  No decision on Feliz's option; coaching staff retained  —  PHILADELPHIA — The Phillies announced their first big move of the offseason on Friday when they picked up left-hander Cliff Lee's $8 million club option.  —  It was no surprise.

Yankees beat out the Red Sox as team of decade  —  Let's end one debate before it really gets started.  The Red Sox gave it a nice run for a while, but the Yankees are the team of the decade — again.  —  I can just imagine what the scene in Red Sox Nation is about now.  The fans are bitter.

Lincecum pot charge dropped by DA in standard deal, which awaits judge's approval  —  Prosecutors in Clark County, Wash., and Tim Lincecum have reached an agreement in which the pitcher will pay a $250 fine relating to his possession of a marijuana pipe with the drug possession charge being dropped.

New York Mets Top 10 Prospects  —  New York Mets … After being eliminated from the playoffs on the final day of the regular season in 2007 and 2008, the Mets continued to generate drama in 2009—though this time it was primarily off the field.  New York christened Citi Field by going 70-92 …

Cleveland hires Belcher as new pitching coach … CLEVELAND (AP) — Former Indians pitcher Tim Belcher is the team's new pitching coach, the first member of manager Manny Acta's staff.  —  Belcher has spent the past eight years as a special assistant to baseball operations in the Indians organization.

Angels' GM Tony Reagins given contract extension  —  ANAHEIM, CA - The 2009 A.L. West Division champion Angels announced Friday that General Manager Tony Reagins has received a long-term contract extension.  Reagins became the 10th General Manager in Club history when he signed an initial three-year contract on October 16, 2007.

Sabathia to appear on ‘The Jay Leno Show’  —  Yankees ace will take part in ‘Ten@Ten’ segment  —  When Jimmy Rollins appeared on “The Jay Leno Show” prior to the World Series, he famously declared the Phillies would beat the Yankees in five games.  —  “If we're nice, we'll let it go six,” Rollins added.

Joe Posnanski>INSIDE BASEBALL  —  The best team money could buy … Here's the thing about the New York Yankees' huge payroll: It has been talked about so much that, in reality, it is hardly talked about at all.  I know this makes little sense, but what I mean is this:

Synder's running woeful Redskins into ground … It's all about him now.  Whether Dan Snyder secretly wanted this when he bought the Washington Redskins a decade ago is less intriguing a question than why it took so long to become clear, but then, there were so many distractions along the way.

Reds not picking up Hernandez's option  —  Team wants catcher back, but not for $8.5 million  —  CINCINNATI — The Reds want catcher Ramon Hernandez to return for 2010, but not for the $8.5 million figure his club option calls for.  —  “We're not going to pick up the option,” Reds general manager Walt Jocketty said on Friday.