Javier Vazquez has pitched himself out of another uniform, and so at 32 years old it appears he'll pick up in Atlanta where he left off in places such as New York and Chicago, as a stuff guy who might never live up to his stuff.

Last we saw Vazquez, Chicago White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen was daring him to show up in a big game, just one, and Vazquez was responding by getting bombed in his last four starts, finally in Game 1 of the American League Division Series against the Rays.

The Braves take him because they are thin in the rotation and because general manager Frank Wren was unable to wrangle Jake Peavy out of San Diego. They take him because they are down John Smoltz, Tim Hudson and Tom Glavine. And they take him because they admire his durability and hope he'll be better away from hitter-friendly U.S. Cellular Field and, of course, Guillen.

Wren still hopes to add another starter, particularly if Jo-Jo Reyes is among the players going to the White Sox. The Braves are among five

Notes on another less-than-newsy hot stove day …

If the CC Sabathia camp is hoping for something big from the Los Angeles Dodgers, it's not happened yet. Amid rumors the L.A. Angels' reported interest in Sabathia is a bluff designed to soften up the Mark Teixeira negotiations with Scott Boras, a person close to Sabathia said there haven't been conversations with the Dodgers in recent weeks. Does that sound necessarily like a guy longing to pitch in SoCal?

The Minnesota Twins would like to rework the left side of their infield, starting with signing third baseman Casey Blake. Blake has opened negotiations requesting more than $20 million over three seasons, however, or more than the Twins want to spend. And while Blake is a Twins kind of player, he is 35 and the Twins do not consider him a middle-of-the-order hitter.

So while they wait for that price to come down, the Twins will consider other options. It's not their preference, but they could play Alexi Casilla or Brendan Harris at

Jake Peavy could be a little closer to being traded and the Chicago Cubs could be a little closer to getting him.

San Diego Padres general manager Kevin Towers said Wednesday night he might have identified a third team that would facilitate sending the standout pitcher to the Cubs, who don't possess the depth in prospects or big league-ready talent to meet the Padres' asking price.

Towers, who last week hit an impasse in negotiations with the Atlanta Braves, declined to name the third team. He said he intended to speak again to Cubs GM Jim Hendry after the Thanksgiving holiday.

The Yankees have had their $140 million sitting out there for a while, so maybe it's time they come off CC Sabathia and get after Mark Teixeira, the same way the Angels are hedging Sabathia against Teixeira, the way the Red Sox are hedging Teixeira against a batting order showing the first signs of wear.

As of Thanksgiving eve, it was beginning to look as though somebody was going to bid a lot of money on an undisputed ace or a young-ish and legit cleanup hitter, and then (assuming that's not the Red Sox) get Manny Ramirez instead.

Not so terrible, really, considering that for a short period – two, maybe three years – neither Sabathia nor Teixeira will produce like Manny nor draw crowds like Manny.

Scott Boras represents Ramirez and Teixeira. Asked about the market out there – the global economic woes and all – Boras hardly seemed concerned.

“Twelve teams need a player who can hit third, fourth or fifth,” he wrote. “Tex and Manny control the talent needs of most clubs. Only six free

The agent for Rafael Furcal called "bogus" a report out of the Dominican Republic claiming the Oakland Athletics had offered the free-agent shortstop a four-year, $48 million contract.

Agent Paul Kinzer also shot down a rumor the Mets had any interest in Furcal as a second baseman, or that Furcal would be inclined to switch positions.

The A's and Giants have been most aggressive, according to Kinzer, in an aggressive market for Furcal. The Dodgers figure to remain involved. And Kinzer, with a chuckle, said there was, "a surprise team, not the Mets."

The Braves figure to make a run at Furcal if Yunel Escobar goes to the Padres in a Jake Peavy deal. The Cubs, Orioles and Cardinals would have reasons to pursue Furcal, who has been told he'd have little future back issues if he adhered to a rigid conditioning and maintenance program.

Notes: Here are the significant deadlines coming: Monday – Last day for teams to offer their free agents salary arbitration (in order to be eligible for

Every morning, Mike Mussina knew.

Every inning of every start, he knew.

When he took the ball on that final Sunday of his 18th big-league summer and pitched for his first 20-win season, he knew.

He wasn't coming back.

"I lied to all of you," Mussina said Thursday afternoon. "I knew that that was going to be my last year since the first day of spring training."

He revealed his secret with neither regret nor pleasure, just another matter-of-fact changeup, the way it had to be, everybody out on their front foot, Mussina impassive.

He chose to retire when he had 250 wins, then retired at 270, the last 20 a pleasant romp through sweaty side sessions and futile clubhouse mentoring and a barren New York Yankees October.

Freed of much beyond the day's work, Mussina bore down on his 40th birthday, made 34 starts and pitched 200 innings. As the summer passed, and as teammates ridiculed this retirement foolishness, and as his fastball remained reliable, he never considered staying, not for a

The Chicago Cubs will continue their efforts to obtain Jake Peavy from the San Diego Padres despite re-signing Ryan Dempster this week, according to a source close to the negotiations.

The only team known to be engaged with the Padres (the Atlanta Braves are expected to resume their pursuit) on Peavy, the Cubs are attempting to put Peavy alongside Carlos Zambrano, Rich Harden, Ted Lilly and Dempster, easily the deepest rotation in the NL.

Still, as the Cubs' payroll rose with the Dempster deal – four years, $52 million – there were questions about their continued desire for Peavy, who is owed at least $60 million over the next five years. Padres GM Kevin Towers has said the Cubs lack the parts to swing the trade for Peavy, meaning they'd have to involve at least one other team in the negotiations.

But, the Cubs are still in.

"They are still alive," the source said.

First of all, the New York Yankees do not overbid.

They accessorize.

The Milwaukee Brewers have been the Milwaukee Brewers long enough (and the Yankees the Yankees long enough) to know how this works.

The Brewers extend themselves to the final brick in their ballpark, to the very last season ticket and to the brink of fiscal optimism, all maybe beyond what they can afford.

They take a long, hard breath and let ride $100 million, almost half of what Mark Attanasio paid for the franchise just three years ago, because they'd rather not go another quarter-century without October.

And then the Yankees make it rain.

But, and here's the thing, there's a reason why the Yankees' offer to CC Sabathia – believed to be for about $140 million over six years – hasn't seemed to scare anybody off.

“Maybe,” said a GM who'd rather see CC in his colors, “he doesn't want to pitch there.”

Dodgers GM Ned Colletti said Wednesday evening a report that his club was on the verge of making an offer to Sabathia