Manny Ramirez chose to pick up the $20 million player option for the 2010 season, Friday. He had until the end of the month to make the decision on the option, which gave him the opportunity to get out of the two-year, $45 million deal he signed last March. Ramirez hit .290 with 19 homers and 63 RBIs in 104 regular season games after missing 50 games due to the suspension incurred when he was disciplined for violating baseball's drug policy.

Jason Richardson drained six of his seven 3-point shots and finished with a game-high 34 points as the Phoenix Suns handed the Celtics their first loss, 110-103, Friday night at TD Garden. Kevin Garnett was 13-of-20 from the floor in the loss and led the Green with 26. The Celtics drew to within four in the final minute before Steve Nash drilled a three with 50.9 seconds remaining to push the Phoenix lead back to seven. In a battle of All-Star point guards, Rajon Rondo finished with 12 points and 11 assists while Steve Nash had 16 points and 12 assists for the Suns. The 6-1 Celtics visit the Nets on Saturday night. For complete coverage, visit the Green Street blog.  

The Celtics will be without reserve forward Brian Scalabrine for their game against the Suns at TD Garden. Celtics coach Doc Rivers announced that Scalabrine came down with bad back spasms on Friday. For more, visit the Green Street blog. 

WILMINGTON, Mass. -- As expected, Bruins forward Mikko Lehtonen was returned to the Providence Bruins on Friday afternoon after filling in for the B’s Thursday night in their 2-1 shootout loss to the Canadiens. Lehtonen was held scoreless in 7:08 of ice time Thursday night, and will head back to the P-Bruins to build on his 10 points (3 goals, 7 assists) and 25 penalty minutes in 11 AHL games.
Lehtonen was recalled on an emergency basis on Wednesday night, but was expected to return to Providence once Byron Bitz made it through Friday’s practice without aggravating his groin injury. Bitz thought he’d be ready to go for Saturday’s game against the Northeast Division-leading Sabres, who have allowed the fewest goals (24) in the NHL this season. Bitz skated with Trent Whitfield and Shawn Thornton
“I feel pretty good. It’s one of those things where one day it feels better and hopefully I’m turning the corner here,” said Bitz. “It feels pretty good. Hopefully it holds up. It’s always tough to watch, but it’s out of your control. If you’re injured, you’re injured. You just hope to heal as quickly as you can so you can get back out there.”

Dolphins Injury Report
Limited Participation

LB Channing Crowder (shoulder) Doubtful
DT Jason Ferguson (elbow) Doubtful

Patriots Injury Report
Did Not Participate

WR Julian Edelman (forearm) OUT
DE Jarvis Green (knee) OUT
T Matt Light (knee) OUT
RB Sammy Morris (knee) OUT
RB Fred Taylor (ankle) OUT
CB Jonathan Wilhite (illness) Questionable

Limited Participation
DE Ty Warren (ankle) Questionable
TE Benjamin Watson (back) Questionable

Full Participation

QB Tom Brady (right shoulder) Probable
WR Randy Moss (shoulder) Probable

Former Patriots and Jets cornerback Ty Law is returning to the NFL. ESPN's Adam Schefter reports that the former Pro Bowl corner agreed in terms on Friday with the Denver Broncos. The 35-year-old corner was expected to fly to Denver on Friday for a physical and sign with the Broncos upon a successful exam. Law would join a secondary that already includes Pro Bowlers Champ Bailey and Brian Dawkins. Law began his career in 1995 with the Patriots, playing in four Super Bowls and was a starting corner on all three Super Bowl winners in New England to come on the football blog, It Is What It Is.  

The injuries are piling up quickly for one of the main challengers to the Patriots in the AFC. ESPN's Adam Schefter, who was on Dennis & Callahan on Friday, reports that perennial Pro Bowl safety Bob Sanders is out for the year with a torn biceps tendon. Earlier this week the Colts placed corner Marlin Jackson on season-ending injured reserve with a torn ACL. Another corner, Kelvin Hayden, is out a month with a knee injury and No. 2 receiver Anthony Gonzalez had arthroscopic knee surgery, putting him out at least two weeks. The 7-0 Colts host Houston this weekend before a Nov. 15 showdown with the Patriots in Indianapolis. For more, visit the football blog, It Is What It Is.

WEEI.com has learned Red Sox infielder Nick Green will undergo back surgery on Monday in Boston. Green suffered a back injury in September and was not active on the 2009 playoff roster. The Red Sox outrighted him to Triple-A Pawtucket yesterday.

FOXBORO  --  For the third straight day, six players were missing from Patriots practice on Friday as Jonathan Wilhite, Jarvis Green, Matt Light, Fred Taylor, Sammy Morris and Julian Edelman were not in attendance at Friday's practice on the Gillette Stadium field. The team worked out in sweats and shells in preparation for this Sunday's game against the Miami Dolphins in Foxboro. For more, visit the football blog, It Is What It Is. 

The Patriots have just announced they have released veteran offensive lineman Kendall Simmons. Simmons, 30, was signed by the Patriots on Sept. 6, and was active for just one game, Sept. 18 against Tennessee. The 6-foot-3, 315-pound Simmons was selected in the second round of the 2002 draft by Pittsburgh, but was released by the Steelers in the offseason before he joined New England. For more Patriots news, check out It Is What It Is.

ESPN NFL insider Adam Schefter appeared on the Dennis & Callahan show Friday morning to talk about the top stories around the league. With a number of current coaches coming under fire and a number of respected coaches (Bill Cowher, Mike Shanahan, Jon Gruden, Mike Holmgren) waiting in the wings, Schefter said to expect some movement soon.

"You may see some of these firings a little quicker this year than normal," Schefter said, noting that Thanksgiving normally marks the time when antsy owners start considering moves. "Maybe even this year it moves up a week or so."

Asked about Brett Favre, Schefter said the Vikings might have to consider putting the veteran quarterback on "some kind of pitch count." But Schefter likes the Vikes as a Super Bowl contender if Favre stays healthy. "They are, to me, the best team in the NFC. I think they're better and tougher than New Orleans," he said.

As for the AFC East, Schefter said the Dolphins are the second-best team. "The Jets have had a decent season, they've already beaten the Patriots, [but] those two killer losses to Miami really were a major seback for that organization right now."

To listen to the interview, visit the Dennis & Callahan audio on demand page. Check out our It Is What It Is blog later for a transcript.

Patriots tight end Ben Watson joined Dennis & Callahan Friday morning and talked about the Patriots' game Sunday against the Dolphins. Watson addressed the Patriots' style of not responding to negative comments from opposing players such as Miami linebacker Joey Porter.

"There's no reason for us to say anything," Watson said. "As they say, it's a free country, anybody can say what they want to say. We're not mad at Joey for expresing his feelings. He has a right to say what he wants to say. That's just not how we do it here. We just concentrate on what we can do. We concentrate on playing better, correcting our mistakes and performing."

The Patriots expect another tough game Sunday against a team that has created some problems for them in recent years.

"We know we're facing a very tough defense, a very experienced defense," Watson said. "We've had problems with them in the past. Miami's always a tough game for us, we know it's going to be a challenge."

To hear the interview, check out the Dennis & Callahan audio on demand page. Read the transcript later this morning at the It Is What It Is blog.

The Patriots are back in action this weekend, which will help take your mind off the offensively challenged Bruins. Check out Friday's Morning Mashup for links to the day's top stories, plus videos (animals delaying sporting events), trivia (an historic free agent signing by the Red Sox) and more.

Celtics co-owner Wyc Grousbeck told WEEI.com that recent suggestions that the NBA team is struggling financially were off base. A recent report said that Grousbeck wanted to suspend Glen "Big Baby" Davis in part to recoup money for a franchise that is starved for cash. But Grousbeck said that such an assessment was completely off base.

"We are on course to set a new record for revenues thanks to our fantastic fan support and support from our sponsors and broadcast partners," Grousbeck told WEEI.com.

For more, visit the Green Street blog.

Outfielder Jason Bay and reliever Billy Wagner were two of 79 Major League Baseball players to file for free agency Thursday. The Red Sox have an exclusive negotiating period of 15 days (starting Thursday) with both players.

The Bruins tied the game late but Montreal claimed a 2-1 win in a shootout at TD Garden. With just 51.7 seconds standing between the Bruins and a third straight shutout loss, Patrice Bergeron stuffed in a rebound to the right of Carey Price to force overtime. The goal ended a drought of 192 minutes, 6 seconds, going back to Vladimir Sobotka's goal in the third period of Saturday's game against Edmonton. The last time the Bruins were shut out in three straight was 1929. After Montreal claimed a 1-0 lead on former Bruin Glen Metropolit's first-period tally right in front of Tim Thomas, the Bruins appeared to have tied the game on Bergeron's putback goal with 2:28 remaining in the second. But a video replay showed the net had come off its moorings and the goal was disallowed. For more, visit the Big Bad Blog. 

Paul Pierce appeared on Dale & Holley this afternoon and talked about the Celtics' fast start. He also addressed Sunday's Rajon Rondo-Chris Paul incident, defending his teammate and nothing that players need to be able to play through the trash-talking on the court.

"Hey, it's up to you to be able to just concentrate and focus on the game and not get caught up in that, because people are going to say things some nights, and if it throws you off your game and gives us an advantage, so be it."

To hear the interview, check out the Dale & Holley audio on demand page.

Red Sox general manager Theo Epstein, speaking with reporters in a conference call, explained the team's decision to trade to for Marlins outfielder Jeremy Hermida Thursday. Here are some of the highlights:

"[Hermida] was very young for each level he was at and performed extremely well, especially at Double A, and things just never came together for him in the big leagues," Epstein said. "That's not uncommon for young players. He's about to turn 26 [and] move into his prime years. Sometimes talented young players who have struggled in the big league level put it all together and sometimes they don't. When you have a chance to acquire one for what we deem to be a very reasonable cost, we think that's the type of move that makes sense."

"When you acquire a player, sometimes you acquire them because you think there's a chance that with a change of scenery they might grow into their potential and into their promise. He's somebody who had and we feel may still have considerable promise."

"He's somebody who has positive indicators that his future performance might be better than his past performance. His minor league track record, his draft pedigree [and] our scouting reports over the years indicated there's a chance that he can turn into the player that he was once thought to be."

For more on Hermida, check out the Full Count Blog.

With the champagne from Yankees' World Series celebration barely dry, the Red Sox made their first move in an attempt to catch New York next season. Boston traded left-handed pitchers Hunter Jones and Jose Alvarez to the Marlins for 25-year-old outfielder Jeremy Hermida.

Hermida, a left-handed hitter, batted .259 with 13 home runs, 47 RBI and a career-high 56 walks in 129 games this season. Splitting time between left field and right field, Hermida made just one error in 205 total chances for a .995 fielding percentage, sixth among National League outfielders. He appeared in just three games after Aug. 31 due to an intercostal strain on his right side.

Check out our Full Count blog for more information as it develops.

ESPN's Peter Gammons joined the Big Show on Thursday afternoon to discuss the Yankees' World Series win and the Red Sox' offseason priorities. Here are some of the points Gammons made during his appearance:
 

• On the atmosphere in Yankee Stadium: "There really wasn't that wild feeling that there was in years' past."
• When asked about the biggest impact on the Yankees' success: "I think it was the pitching ... [CC Sabathia] made a huge difference."
• On the Yankees' offseason moves: "I think they sign [Hideki] Matsui and let [Johnny] Damon go. ... I get the impression from Hal Steinbrenner that the payroll is not going up."
• On the possibility of the Yankees pursuing Jason Bay: "I don't think the Yankees will become major players."
• On Josh Beckett's contract status: "I think Texas is a team in the free agent market that would go spend."
• On Jason Varitek's status: "I don't know if he can take coming back for $3 million and being a backup."
   

If you missed the interview,  visit The Big  Show audio on demand section.

Dolphins Injury Report
Limited Participation
LB Channing Crowder (shoulder)
DT Jason Ferguson (elbow)

Patriots Injury Report
Did Not Participate
WR Julian Edelman (forearm)
DE Jarvis Green (knee)
T Matt Light (knee)
RB Sammy Morris (knee)
RB Fred Taylor (ankle)
CB Jonathan Wilhite (illness)

Limited Participation
DE Ty Warren (ankle)
TE Benjamin Watson (back)

Full Participation
QB Tom Brady (right shoulder)
WR Randy Moss (shoulder)

FOXBORO -- Adalius Thomas, the Patriots' player rep for the NFL Players Association, on Thursday reiterated his stance that any rumors of a potential NFLPA strike of this year's playoffs are completely unfounded.

"When I heard that, it was like, 'Why would someone strike during the playoffs?' " Thomas said. "It's dumbfounded to me because it's stupid. I don't know any other way to put it. You've worked all this time to get somewhere and you get to there and then you're not going to play? I don't know who put it out there but it was a lie. Our focus right now is on Miami and that right there will take care of itself in due time."

For more on Thomas' comments, see our football blog It Is What It Is.

The Bruins signed backup goaltender Tuukka Rask to a two-year contract extension, according to a Boston Globe report by Kevin Paul Dupont. The new deal begins after this season. Rask, 22, has a 2-1-1 record and 2.41 goals-against average this fall as Tim Thomas' backup. Check the Big Bad Blog for more information as it becomes available.