Toronto Blue Jays

San Francisco Giants and star pitcher Tim Lincecum have both agreed to a two-year, $23 million deal. The deal was reported to be struck after a salary arbitration hearing that was first delayed then canceled in Tampa. Lincecum is subject to a physical for the agreement to go ahead.

Apparently, Lincedum the 2008 and 2009 Cy Young winner had demanded a $13 million salary for the 2010 season. That amount if agreed would have been a record for a player entering his first year of arbitration.

According to The Associated Press’ source, first baseman Jim Thome and Minnesota Twins of the American League Central have agreed to a one-year, $1.5 million deal. The contract also includes performance bonuses.

The AP’s source familiar with the negotiations between both parties asked for anonymity since the team has yet to make the announcement.

For the diehard fans of the New York Yankees, third baseman Alex Rodriguez does not need more hip surgery and that will be a relief to the Yankees Empire.

Rodriguez found out that his surgically repaired right hip is doing just fine and his hopes of starting a winter workout should not be interrupted.

Last March, Rodriguez went under the knife to repair a torn cartilage and then missed the first month of Baseball season. It was expected that he would require more surgery during the offseason, but Rodriguez was excited to find out that it would not be the case.

Philadelphia Phillies head into Game 2 of the World Series leading the series against the New York Yankees 1-0, but what’s more compelling about this game outside of the fact that the Yankees were dominated in Game 1 by Cliff Lee’s pitching and Chase Utley hit two home runs off CC Sabathia, is the fact that Pedro Martinez is pitching in Game 2 against New York.

While this is his first World Series start in five years, Martinez plans to lead the Phillies to a two-game lead over New York Thursday night at Yankee Stadium.

If the New York Yankees did not believe Jimmy Rollin’s prediction, maybe they should consider that going forward. Rollins, the Philadelphia Phillies shortstop predicted that the Phillies will win the World Series in five games. They started off on a good note Wednesday night in New York as pitcher Cliff Lee dominated the Yankee batters, while Chase Utley had two home runs to give Philadelphia an initial 2-0 lead as they eventually won game one 6-1.

Last year, the Philadelphia Phillies shortstopper Jimmy Rollin had predicted the team would win 100 games, they ended up with 92 wins along with 11 more wins as they won the World Series last season. This week, Rollins boasts that the Phillies will take care of the New York Yankees in the 2009 World Series of Baseball in five games.

This time, Rollins, playing for back-to-back World Series titles, might be accurate with the number.

When it was announced that Mark McGwire would join the coaching ranks at his former team the St. Louis Cardinals as their new hitting coach, most critics of baseball would have simply pointed to his refusal to answer questions during a March 2005 Congressional hearing on Steroids. But no one can deny the fact that McGwire along with Sammy Sosa in 1998 brought baseball back to its place as America’s past time and his well deserved opportunity to give back to the sport he gave his all.

St. Louis Cardinals slugger Albert Pujols went under the knife on Wednesday as doctors removed bone chips in his right elbow.

The arthroscopic surgery was performed by the famous Dr. James Andrews as the operation included removing bone chips and trimming bone spurs.

Pujols the top slugger for the Cardinals and one of the best home run hitters in baseball is expected to be fully recovered in time for next season.

Pujols will begin to rehab his elbow though the team has not really set a time for his return.

He is known for his snow white beard and hair along with his time with the New York Mets, but ESPN’s Baseball analyst Steve Phillips has been in the news for his steamy affair with a production assistant at the network while still married to his wife Marni.

According to the New York Post that initially had this exclusive story, which is now being reported everywhere on the web, Phillips had an affair with 22-year-old Brooke Hundley, a young lady who still works for company, while it was announced that Phillips has been suspended for one week.

So Manny Ramirez and Alex Rodriguez are not the only major names in Baseball to test positive. Boston Red Sox slugger David Ortiz and key member of their World Series championship in 2004 and 2007, tested positive for performance-enhancing drugs in 2003.

Ortiz and Ramirez were among more than 100 MLB players who tested positive for performance-enhancing drugs in 2003, according to a report in the New York Times.