From the AP today comes this story Sabres fans might be interested, since Hasek is such a big part of Sabres history:

By KAREL JANICEK, Associated Press Writer

PRAGUE (AP)—Six-time Vezina Trophy winner Dominik Hasek will come out of retirement to play for his former club in the top Czech league.

The 44-year-old goaltender agreed to play next season for HC Moeller Pardubice, a club in the town where he was born and started his career with, Hasek and club representatives told a news conference in Prague on Tuesday. Hasek will be the oldest player in the league, and Pardubice has an option to extend the contract by one more year.

“I’m really glad I could sign a deal with this club,” Hasek said. “It’s a club where I spent the most years. I’ve never even thought I could play for any other club in the Czech Republic. I’m looking forward to the next season.”

The announcement comes less than a year after Hasek retired after winning his second Stanley Cup with the Detroit Red Wings last June.

“A year ago I said goodbye to the NHL but not to hockey,” Hasek said. “After a year when I was engaged in other activities I felt like returning.”

Hasek helped Pardubice win the Czech title in 1987 and ’89.

“My return won’t be easy,” Hasek said. “We have big goals with Pardubice. I don’t talk about my age but a return to top hockey will not be easy. I want to keep winning, I’m looking forward to it.”

Drafted by the Chicago Blackhawks in 1983, Hasek joined the NHL in the 1990-1991 season and won 389 games with the Red Wings, Ottawa Senators, Buffalo Sabres and the Blackhawks. He won the Hart Trophy twice as the NHL’s most valuable player and took home the Vezina six times as the league’s top goalie.

He previously retired in 2002 after winning his first Stanley Cup with Detroit but rejoined the NHL in the 2003-04 season.

Hasek played two games for Pardubice during the 2004-05 lockout season.

He also led the Czech Republic to a gold medal at 1998 Nagano Olympics—and is now hoping for an encore at next year’s Winter Games in Vancouver.

Hasek said he didn’t know whether the Czech coaches are interested in having him on the team, but that playing in another Olympics “will be a motivation for me in training.”

According to the Boston Herald this morning - Friday (Halloween)- the Sox are expected to officially invite Tim Wakefield  back.  This will be his 15th year pitching for Boston.

From the article titled  "Wakefield Set To Return," it states :

"Wakefield recently completed an end-of-year physical and MRI, the last hurdle before the Red Sox exercise their $4 million club option for 2009. His unique arrangement with the club, in a deal signed back in 2005, features an annual club option that, in theory, extends into perpetuity.

"Wakefield, 42, was 10-11 with a 4.13 ERA in 30 starts this season, the fifth time in the last six years he reached 30 starts. He has also won in double figures in six of the last seven seasons.

"Wakefield’s 2008 won-loss mark was somewhat deceptive, too. He had 18 quality starts, second only to John Lester  five of those starts, he suffered losses because of poor run support.

"Wakefield holds the franchise record for most uninterrupted seasons for a Red Sox pitcher."

OTM readers: is this a good move, do you think?

Is Wakefield still worth having on the roster or would the Sox be better served with giving the slot to another young guy?

 My take is that he pitched well enough last summer to be the number-five starter for the upcoming regular season (iF he can still produce as he did much of last season) , but, he's in the bullpen once the playoffs start.....no if, ands or buts. 

Can somebody tell me why Tito Francona couldn't use Papelbon for two innings in a close game?  How many times - particularly the last month or so - have the relievers blown games in the eighth inning and Pap never even got in the game?  Right now he is the ONLY reliable relief pitcher we have, so what's wrong with bringing him in to begin the eight inning of a one-run game? Today was another example.  Delcarmen blew another one. If it's not him, it's Oki or Hansen.  This is happening on a regular basis.

Actually, I've been thinking about this for awhile since watching an interview last year  with "Goose" Gossage who was remarking that it was disgusting how they baby pitchers nowadays and that today's relievers only throw one inning many times.  He said he pitched two or three innings most times. So did Bruce Sutter, Dennis Eckersly and others.  They had nice careers, too, and didn't have sore arms.

What do you think?

I'm brand new here, a longtime Card fan, someone who lives a long way from St. Louis and is seeing them regularly on TV (cable package) for the first time.....so if these questions are old, please forgive me.

What drives me crazy is how a great manager like Tony LaRussa (perhaps the best in the game) can (1) stick with Jason Isringhausen for loss-after-loss when it is apparent to all  fans the guy is long past his prime. He blows five games in two weeks, and we lost first place, perhaps for the rest of the season;  (2) how Chris Duncan plays so often when he can't hit (just flails at low pitches and never seems to learn) or field; (3) why - as he did last night - stick with a guy (Wellemeyer) who obviously didn't have it from the first inning on. The guy had given up 12 hits and 6 runs before TLR ever got somebody up in the bullpen!   How can such a smart baseball man like TLR do these things?  Are the first two because of devotion to an old hero and to his friend/sidekick Dave Duncan?   Doesn't TLR  put the team's welfare ahead of his personal relationships.....or is that impossible for any big-league manager?   What are they saying in St. Louis about these particular things?  Thank you.