On Friday, the team announced that the Slugger Manny Ramirez will exercise his $20 million option to return to the Los Angeles Dodgers for the 2010 season.

The deal was signed by Ramirez last off season that guaranteed him $25 million for 2009 and a player option for 2010, had until Tuesday to notify the club.

Last season, the 37-year-old batted .290 with 19 home runs and 63 RBIs, but was hit with a 50-game suspension by Major League Baseball for testing positive for a banned substance.

After returning from the early season suspension, Ramirez failed to regain top form.

According to Dodgers General Manager Ned Colletti, there was no doubt he had his struggles this past season.

(Source: http://www.reuters.com)

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The Philadelphia Phillies won’t try to get three World Series to start from Cliff Lee and will instead put Joe Blanton on the mound for Sunday’s Game Four, according to the team.

On Wednesday, Lee shut the Yankees down in the opener, but the lefty is not used to pitching on three days’ rest and manager Charlie Manuel said he preferred to see him return to the mound for Game Five on Monday.

In New York, the series tied at 1-1 after two games, resumes on Saturday at Citizens Bank Park for the first of three games in Philadelphia.

Last year’s World Series MVP for the Phillies, Cole Hamels starts for the home team against New York’s Andy Pettitte, whose 16 wins top the all-time list for postseason victories.

Meanwhile, the Yankees have not ruled out the possibility of using Game One starter CC Sabathia on Sunday and to get two more starts on Thursday from the big left-hander if the best-of-seven Fall Classic goes the distance.

According to Phillies manager Manuel, Lee had never pitched on three days’ rest but said he might be able to use Lee in relief in a Game Seven.

This season, Blanton was 12-8 with a 4.05 earned run average. In the National League Championship Series, he gave up the four runs against the Los Angeles Dodgers in six innings.

According to New York manager Joe Girardi, he was also contemplating a quick return for A.J. Burnett, who won Thursday’s game 3-1.

(Source: http://www.reuters.com)

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