Pirates to extend Tabata, Walker  —  The Pirates are putting the finishing touches on a long-term contract with outfielder Jose Tabata and also are deep into talks with second baseman Neil Walker about a similar deal, several team and league sources told the Tribune-Review today.

Fifth-place Cubs fire general manager Hendry  —  With one of the highest payrolls but the second worst record in the National League, the Chicago Cubs fired general manager and vice president Jim Hendry on Friday.  —  Assistant general manager Randy Bush was named Interim general manager, the team announced.

Chipper ends speculation: “I'm playing next year”  —  Chipper Jones said he will return to play for the Braves in 2012, ending speculation that the Braves' 39-year-old third baseman might retire after this season and walk away with a year left on his contract.

Tigers expand AL Central lead with win over Indians  —  DETROIT — Max Scherzer pitched seven strong innings and the first-place Detroit Tigers hit three homers in a 4-1 victory over the second-place Cleveland Indians on Friday night.  —  The Indians could have taken over the AL Central lead …

Trial date set for Madoff trustee vs. Mets  —  NEW YORK (AP)  —  A March trial date has been set for a jury to hear a $1 billion claim against the New York Mets' executives by the trustee recovering money for cheated investors of Bernard Madoff.  —  U.S. District Judge Jed Rakoff set the March 5 trial date at a Friday hearing.

A-Rod unlikely to return to Yanks 'til Sunday  —  MINNEAPOLIS — Alex Rodriguez “feels much better” Friday than he did Thursday.  Still, he probably won't play for the New York Yankees again until Sunday.  At the earliest.  —  As he had on Thursday, A-Rod engaged in hitting …

Brewers' Rogers suspended for stimulant  —  A lousy season got worse Friday for Brewers pitching prospect Mark Rogers, who drew a 25-game suspension after a second positive test for a stimulant in violation of Major League Baseball's Joint Drug Prevention and Treatment Program.

Draft maneuvers by Nationals, Pirates drawing the ire of Selig … While the Nationals and Pirates were patting themselves on the back for jobs well done after their amateur draft signings, baseball commissioner Bud Selig wasn't nearly as impressed.  According to people in attendance …

NL MVP race just one big mess  —  Selecting the winner right now is, well, not easy ... and it might not get easier  —  Here comes a question we've been tossing at people all over baseball for the past two weeks.  And it has reduced every one of them into doing more bumbling and stumbling than rumbling and grumbling.

Masterson goes six strong; Indians top White Sox to win series  —  CHICAGO — Justin Masterson pitched six effective innings, Kosuke Fukudome had a tiebreaking RBI triple and the Cleveland Indians inched closer to the top of the AL Central with a 4-2 victory over the Chicago White Sox on Thursday night.