BASEBALL Yanks get Vazquez from Expos

The pitcher will join New York's starting rotation.
COMBINED DISPATCHES
NEW YORK -- Now that the New York Yankees have Javier Vazquez, they are likely to turn their attention to Andy Pettitte.
Vazquez became the latest starter in the Yankees' collection when New York acquired him from the Montreal Expos Thursday for first baseman Nick Johnson, outfielder Juan Rivera and left-hander Randy Choate.
Vazquez joins a starting rotation that already includes Mike Mussina, Jose Contreras and Jeff Weaver, with Jon Lieber and free agent David Wells also possibilities. New York says re-signing Pettitte is its top off-season priority but negotiations with the left-hander, who also has talked with Houston, have not progressed much.
Thursday's trade fills one of the voids in the rotation. It is contingent on all the players passing physicals.
Vazquez fills one of the rotation slots that became uncertain with the retirement of Roger Clemens and the free-agent status of Pettitte and Wells. Vazquez went 13-12 with a 3.24 ERA for the Expos last season, ranking third in the NL in strikeouts with 241 in 230 2-3 innings.
Gary Sheffield took a physical Thursday, a step toward completing a $39 million, three-year deal, which will include about $15 million of deferred money.
Red Sox
BOSTON -- Terry Francona was hired as the next Boston manager, joining his former Philadelphia Phillies ace, Curt Schilling, in an effort to bring the Red Sox their first championship since 1918.
Francona, 44, managed Schilling in Philadelphia through four losing seasons from 1997-2000 when the Phillies were a young team trying to rebuild. In Boston, Francona will be expected to win immediately.
Reds
CINCINNATI -- Dave Miley was hired to manage the rebuilding Cincinnati Reds, who removed the interim tag from his job title.
Miley went 22-35 as interim manager last season. He took over after manager Bob Boone and general manager Jim Bowden were fired on July 28. Miley, a 24-year veteran of the Reds organization, received a one-year contract with a club option for another season, general manager Dan O'Brien said.
Matsui to choose
TOKYO -- Japan's Kazuo Matsui will choose from four major league teams courting him, according to media reports.
The 28-year-old switch-hitting infielder didn't specify which teams he was considering, citing ongoing negotiations, the national Asahi newspaper and other major dailies reported today.
Matsui, a seven-time All-Star in Japan's professional leagues, batted .305 with 33 homers, 84 RBIs and 179 hits this year for the Seibu Lions.
Marlins
MIAMI -- Infielder Mike Mordecai agreed to a one-year contract.
Mordecai batted .213 last season for Florida, but both of his home runs during the regular season were extra-inning game winners, and his lone hit of the postseason was a three-run double that helped fuel the eight-run eighth inning that won Game 6 of the NL championship series.
Cardinals
ST. LOUIS -- Center fielder Jim Edmonds had shoulder surgery Thursday, and the team expects him to be healed by spring training.
Edmonds, a career .293 hitter, batted .275 last season with 32 doubles, 39 home runs and 89 RBIs.
Free-agent catcher Chris Widger re-signed, agreeing to a $500,000, one-year contract.