Yankees acquire Vazquez\nNEW YORK -- The New York Yankees made their first big move of the offseason, bolstering their rotation by agreeing Thursday to acquire Javier Vazquez from the Montreal Expos.\nIn exchange for the 27-year-old right-hander, New York sent first baseman Nick Johnson, outfielder Juan Rivera and left-hander Randy Choate to Montreal.\nThe deal is contingent on all the players passing physicals, the Expos said. New York did not immediately acknowledge the trade.\n"It's tough to trade a pitcher like Javier Vazquez, but I think we have a better opportunity with the situation going forward," Expos general manager Omar Minaya said at a news conference in Montreal.\nVazquez fills one of the holes in the Yankees' starting rotation. He 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.\nHe's three years younger than Bartolo Colon, a free agent that attracted the Yankees' interest.\nNew York's rotation, the backbone of its run to four World Series titles and six AL pennants since 1995, is unsettled. Roger Clemens retired, and Andy Pettitte and David Wells filed for free agency. In addition, Wells had back surgery Tuesday.
Red Sox hire Terry Francona \nBOSTON -- Four of the first dozen men to manage the Boston Red Sox led the team to a World Series title. In more than eight decades since, twice as many and then some have tried and failed.\nNow, Terry Francona will give it a shot.\nFrancona was hired as the next Boston manager on Thursday, joining his former Philadelphia Phillies ace, Curt Schilling, in an effort to bring the Red Sox their first championship since 1918.\nFrancona said he knew it was a perfect fit as soon as he came to Boston to interview with general manager Theo Epstein.\n"I went home knowing this was a place I wanted to end up," Francona said. "All of the things they seem to believe in -- communication, open and honest communication, the way you treat people, their view on the game of baseball, it just seemed like a terrific match"
