appears to be making little effort to retain

NEW YORK, N.Y. - Free agent outfielder Jacoby Ellsbury, fresh off winning the World Series with Boston, reached agreement with the rival New York Yankees on a seven-year contract worth about $153 million, a person familiar with the negotiations said Tuesday night. Ellsbury is the second major free-agent addition in the Yankees off-season rebuilding after missing the playoffs for just the second time in 19 years. The centre fielder was to take a physical in New York on Wednesday that he must pass before the deal can be finalized, the person said, speaking on condition of anonymity because no statements were authorized. The Yankees also had been negotiating with outfielder Shin-Soo Choo, who like Ellsbury is represented by agent Scott Boras. Earlier Tuesday, New York finalized an $85 million, five-year contract with All-Star catcher Brian McCann. There is a long history of stars moving from Beantown to the Big Apple during their careers. Babe Ruth was the most famous, and Roger Clemens, Wade Boggs and Johnny Damon followed. Ellsbury, who turned 30 in September, led the majors with 52 stolen bases despite being hobbled late in the season by a broken right foot. The lefty-hitting leadoff man batted .298 with nine homers and 53 RBIs, and the short right-field porch at Yankee Stadium should boost his power numbers. Ellsburys deal includes a $21 million option for the 2021 season, with a $5 million buyout. If the option is exercised, the deal would be worth $169 million over eight years. His agreement may not be finalized this week, and its possible he could be introduced by the Yankees during a news conference at the winter meetings next week in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. The move would raise the Yankees luxury tax payroll to about $138 million for 10 players. The Yankees hope to get under the $189 million tax threshold next season, which includes about $177 million for salaries for the 40-man roster and approximately $12 million for benefits. New York also has been speaking with the agents for Robinson Cano, their All-Star second baseman. The Yankees, who rebuffed his request for a 10-year deal worth more than $300 million, believe he has been in talks with the Seattle Mariners. Ellsbury won a pair of World Series titles with the Red Sox and was an All-Star in 2011, when he finished second to Detroits Justin Verlander in AL MVP voting. He has reached the post-season four times and is a career .301 hitter in those 38 games. After their playoff absence, the Yankees are undergoing a major transformation. Closer Mariano Rivera and Andy Pettitte are retiring, Phil Hughes is leaving to sign with Minnesota and New York appears to be making little effort to retain outfielder Curtis Granderson. McCann, a seven-time All-Star, is to be introduced at a news conference Thursday at Yankee Stadium. He receives $17 million in each of the next five seasons, and the Yankees have a $15 million option for 2019 with no buyout. The option becomes McCanns if he has at least 1,000 plate appearances combined in 2017 and 2018, has at least 90 starts at catcher in 2018 and does not end the 2018 season on the disabled list. His deal includes a full no-trade provision, meaning he cannot be dealt without his consent. McCann, who turns 30 in February, hit .256 with 20 homers and 57 RBIs in 102 games this year, when he missed the first month following off-season surgery on his right shoulder. He has a .277 average in nine big league seasons with 176 homers and 661 RBIs. Following the departure of Russell Martin last off-season, Yankees catchers combined for a .213 average, eight homers and 43 RBIs, according to STATS, down from .220, 22 and 64 in 2012. "We feel we have made a significant improvement to a key position, while adding a high-character presence to our clubhouse," Yankees managing general partner Hal Steinbrenner said in a statement. "Our work this off-season has just begun, but we feel this is an important step towards what will be an exciting and rewarding 2014 season for our fans." Nike Air VaporMax Flyknit Black Anthracite .com) - Colorado forward P. Vapormax Mens Clearance . -- Atlanta Braves pitcher Tommy Hanson is being checked for a possible concussion after blowing a tire on his way to the first workout of spring training. http://www.clearancevapormax.com/cheap-vapormax-2019-clearance.html .ca. Kerry, I hope you address Ron MacLeans comment during the second intermission of Game 4 in Montreal-Tampa series. Basically, he suggested that the NHL should not have used a referee from Quebec, following the Game 3 disputed non-goal, because the referee could be biased towards Montreal. Fake Vapormax 2019 . Hoefl-Rieschs exit — from the downhill course into safety nets, then airlifted from the slope by helicopter — left Anna Fenninger of Austria favourite to win her first giant crystal trophy one month after becoming an Olympic champion. Wholesale Vapormax Flyknit . Jamies number grades given are out of five, with five being the best mark. Marc-Andre Fleury, Penguins (3) - Surrendered a tough first goal against on a deflection through the body short side.PHILADELPHIA -- Another gem by Phillies starter Cole Hamels was nearly wasted again. Darin Ruf hit a solo homer in the eighth to break a 2-2 tie and lifted the Philadelphia Phillies to a 3-2 victory Sunday and three-game sweep over the Atlanta Braves. "It was a good sign for Darin to go right-centre like that," Phillies manager Ryne Sandberg said. "He seems to get a lot of pitches away. Its a good sign he stayed on that one, and it was a big moment. Thats what he needs to continue to do." Hamels (7-13) made just two mistakes Sunday -- two long homers off the bat of Evan Gattis -- and they nearly cost him the win. Gattis first home run, in the second inning, travelled 480 feet to centre field. In the seventh, he tied the game with a long ball that went deep into the left-field bleachers. It was his first career multi-homer game. "Hes strong," Hamels said. "He swung with everything he had in him. I felt like I was throwing a golf ball out there and he had a driver." They were the only two hits Hamels allowed over eight innings. He struck out nine, walked two and retired the side in order four times. "He was outstanding," Sandberg said. "Its about time he got a late-inning run to get the W." Gattis almost had another home run in the fifth inning, but it died at the warning track in dead centre field with a strong wind blowing in. "I guess if the 50 mile-an-hour winds didnt keep it in play, it definitely wouldve went off the wall," Hamels said. "Or through it." B.J. Rosenberg earned his first career save with a perfect ninth inning. "He took it and ran with it," Sandberg said. "He earned the spot there today, came through big time with great stuff, pounded the strike zone with strikes." David Carpenter (3-1) took the loss for allowing Rufs homer in the eighth. Chase Utley doubled and Ruf singled to knock in the Phillies first two runs in the first inning. Utley and Ruf both finished with two hits apiece. Braves starter Paul Maholm went six innings and allowed two runs on seeven hits, three walks and a hit batter.dddddddddddd He struck out five and stranded seven Phillies baserunners. "He gave us a great opportunity to win the game," Atlanta manager Fredi Gonzalez said. "We only had two hits. We didnt do much offensively to the whole series." Two baserunning blunders by Cesar Hernandez may have cost the Phillies extra runs. He was picked off in the first inning and thrown out by Joey Terdoslavich attempting to go first to third in the fifth inning. Philadelphia squandered a chance for more runs in the sixth. After the first two men reached base via a walk and an error, Freddy Galvis grounded into a double play and Hamels struck out. B.J. Upton, who went 0 for 4, finished the series 0 for 12 with seven strikeouts. B.J. and Justin Upton are hitless in their last 32 at-bats combined. "They pitched well all three games," B.J. Upton said. "We were in all three games, it just didnt work out. ... Were fine. Well come back to play tomorrow." The Braves had just 10 hits in the series. The Phillies are 11-2 in their last 13 one-run games. "Its great to just play well in all facets of the game, pitching, defence, swinging the bats well this series too," Ruf said. "It was nice just to see what we can do when all phases of the game are clicking for us." NOTES: Atlanta LHP Scott Downs is considered day-to-day with a non-displaced fracture to the tip of his right ring finger. Down left Saturdays game after being hit on his glove hand with a line drive. ... Cole Hamels has gone at least five innings in 72 consecutive starts, the longest active streak in the majors. ... Braves OF Justin Upton, hitless in 16 at-bats entering Sunday, did not start. He entered as a pinch hitter in the eighth and struck out. ... Atlanta, which owns baseballs best home record at 51-20, is just 34-37 on the road. ... Philadelphia resumes its homestand Tuesday against the Padres with Roy Halladay (3-4, 7.19) on the mound. ... Atlanta heads Monday to Miami, where Kris Medlen (12-12, 3.4 Cool