Baseball GMs come to Chicago for talks

CHICAGO --- Instead of swaying palm trees, the roar of 747s greeted baseball's general managers as they began gathering for their annual meeting.

They've come to a hotel near O'Hare International Airport to swap stories and perhaps players, and to start discussions with agents.

Increasing the use of video replay could be a topic when the formal meetings start today, especially after a series of missed calls in the postseason. Video reviews, which began in 2008, are limited to determining whether potential home runs are fair or foul or whether the ball cleared a fence.

"I have been on record as using as much technology as possible for the betterment or our game and to protect the umpires, too," Yankees general manager Brian Cashman said Monday.

Cashman is comfortable commissioner Bud Selig will protect the game and "make sure that whatever gets implemented is done in the proper way, and if it gets done slowly over time and we're better for it, so be it."

More deals are expected around the winter meetings, to be held in Indianapolis from Dec. 7-10. Three key Yankees are potential free agents: World Series MVP Hideki Matsui, left fielder Johnny Damon and 37-year-old left-hander Andy Pettitte.

New York's biggest rival in the AL East, the Boston Red Sox, were busy Monday. They exercised their $7.7 million option on Victor Martinez and declined options on Jason Varitek and Alex Gonzalez -- though Varitek can exercise a $3 million player option.

Boston also agreed to a $5 million, two-year contract with 43-year-old knuckleballer Tim Wakefield.

The Tampa Bay Rays exercised their $10 million option on All-Star Carl Crawford. The team also declined $2 million options on left-handed reliever Brian Shouse and backup catcher Gregg Zaun.

Because this year's GMs meeting lasts only until midday Wednesday, the executives might not be able to hold as many discussions as they did during past sessions.

"Surprisingly there have been more conversations throughout the playoffs and the World Series than I can remember," White Sox general manager Ken Williams said last week after his team acquired third baseman Mark Teahen in a trade with the Kansas City Royals.

DRUG LIST CASE: All 27 active judges on the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals might take the unprecedented step of rehearing the baseball drug list case, which could delay a final resolution until at least 2011 and possibly later.

In an order Wednesday, Chief Judge Alex Kozinski asked lawyers to submit briefs by Nov. 25 addressing whether the case should be heard by the full court.

The dispute involves the records and samples of 104 players the government alleges tested positive in baseball's anonymous 2003 survey. The identities of six players alleged to be on the list have become public.