MLB Rumors: Yankees kissing Pettitte goodbye - Fan Zone- nbcsports.msnbc.com

By Mark J. Miller

updated 9:51 a.m. ET Sept. 5, 2008

Yanks kissing Pettitte goodbye?
At season's start, it looked like 2008 would be the swan song for 39-year-old Mike Mussina but rumor has it the Yankees are going to try and keep him around for another year and ditch another fan favorite: Andy Pettitte, who supposedly hasn't fully decided yet whether he wants to pitch next year or not. Rumor has it he's leaning toward yes, but it's very unclear if the Yanks will want him back in the Bronx, particularly if it can get hold of a few free-agent front-line starters. (New York Newsday)

Giants might change up up infield
Giants manager Bruce Bochy is apparently thinking he could have Emmanuel Burris at second next season and Ivan Ochoa at short next season. It appears that unless Kevin Frandsen has some sort of miracle occur, he will be out of a job. Note to self: never let Achilles tendon snap the way Frandsen's did this past spring. (San Francisco Chronicle)

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LaRussa expecting "impact" help
Things haven't gone exactly to plan this year for MLB's third most winningest coach, Tony LaRussa, so he's expecting the Cardinals to be very much in the mix this winter, searching for and signing "impact help." Why the team hasn't seemed aggressive in the personnel department this season remains under debate. Some in the Cards' clubhouse seem to think it has to do something with a lack of confidence. (St. Louis Post-Dispatch)

Leyland might beleaving Detroit
Tigers manager Jim Leyland has one year left on his contract with the Tigers and is hoping to actually get an extension even though he has admitted to being part of the problem with the team this season. Odds are good that owner Mike Ilitch will bring Leyland back next year but Leyland wasn't sounding like he was banking on it: "I have a contract for next year. I don't even know if I'm going to be here next year. We could all get fired," he said. (Detroit Free Press)

Zambrano might miss only one start
Starter Carlos Zambrano has tendonitis and inflammation in his right shoulder but the Cubs are banking on him only missing one start and not being done for the season. Zambrano actually skipped an MRI on Wednesday and then had it on Thursday. Rumor had it that he either had personal business Wednesday or that he didn't want to get an injection into his pitching arm. Stay tuned. (Chicago Tribune)