Thome, Phillies agree to one-year deal  —  PHILADELPHIA — Jim Thome signified a rebirth of baseball in Philadelphia with his arrival in 2003.  —  He's coming back for possibly his final shot at a World Series championship.  —  Sources said Friday evening that the Phillies and Thome have agreed on a one-year contract.

MLB All-Stars win fourth straight in Taiwan  —  Nats' Morse delivers go-ahead two-run single in sixth inning  —  KAOHSIUNG, Taiwan — The venue changed, the weather heated up and the All-Stars of Major League Baseball kept on winning, but this one was close.

Yankees ‘certainly will talk to’ Wilson despite postseason problems  —  C.J. Wilson has won 31 games in his two seasons as a starter for the Rangers, becoming one of the best lefties in the game and perhaps the most sought-after free-agent pitcher this offseason.

Sources: Giants willing to deal Jonathan Sanchez  —  In an effort to free up money so they can pursue offensive upgrades, the Giants are willing to trade starter Jonathan Sanchez, according to major-league sources.  —  The Giants have one of the best (and most expensive) starting rotations in baseball.

Mets lay off nearly 10 percent of their non-playing employees  —  Before Game 7 of the World Series, reporters asked commissioner Bud Selig about the $25 million that Major League Baseball had loaned the New York Mets back in November 2010.  Has Mets ownership, which has been fighting …

Matheny interviews with Cardinals; but no Francona yet  —  The Cardinals interviewed Mike Matheny for the manager's job today, but they didn't talk to former Red Sox manager Terry Francona.  —  Matheny, a former Gold Glove catcher with the Cardinals, is currently a minor-league instructor in the organization.

Nats interested in free agent Oswalt to lead staff  —  WASHINGTON — After signing right-hander Chien-Ming Wang to a one-year deal, Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo indicated that he wants to add another veteran starter to the rotation.  —  According to a baseball source …

Minor League Free Agents 2011  —  Major League Baseball granted free agency to 537 minor league players on Nov. 2, five days after Game Seven of the World Series heralded the end of the 2011 season.  The number of players in this year's free agent class is consistent with totals from 2010 (533 players) and '09 (536).

Royals' efforts to acquire the Braves' Jurrjens stall  —  The hot stove grew warmer this week for the Royals, whose offseason efforts to bolster their rotation led to discussions with the Atlanta Braves regarding right-handed pitcher Jair Jurrjens.  —  Those talks stalled when the Braves …

Cubs 2K12: Job candidates will be asked to manage simulated game  —  Theo Epstein (center) and new Cubs execs Jed Hoyer (right) and Jason McLeod will put prospective managers through their paces in a daylong series of simulations.  Charles Rex Arbogast~AP  —  How do you determine …

Brewers hitting coach up for BoSox gig?  —  The Red Sox are early in their search for a new manager, but Brewers hitting coach Dale Sveum appears to be the front-runner, according to rival executives.  —  Sveum, who turns 48 on Nov. 23, interviewed for the Red Sox's opening on Wednesday.

Citi Field tweaks help Bay, Wright  —  New changes will increase the Amazin's production, but pitchers will benefit as well  —  New York Mets left fielder Jason Bay's home run production at Citi Field may double as the result of changes to the ballpark's dimensions, while third baseman David …