Wade Boggs

The New York Yankees on Saturday cut loose third baseman Wade Boggs and pitcher Dwight Gooden. The club announced it is passing on 1998 contract options for both. The moves saved $5 million in salaries at an expense of $400,000 in buyouts. Gooden was to receive a $3-million salary and got a $300,000 buyout. Boggs was given a $100,000 buyout instead of $2 million for 1998.

Wade Boggs 2, Steve Avery 0. The two players reprised their World Series showdown Tuesday night and Boggs won again, doubling to start a five-run sixth inning as the New York Yankees rallied to beat the Red Sox, 8-6, at Boston. "It sort of started feeling like deja vu," said Boggs, who drew a 10th-inning walk from Avery to force in the winning run in Game 4 of the 1996 Series. In his first relief appearance since then, the former Atlanta Brave failed to get an out.

Alert Scarlett O'Hara: The Yankees are marching through Georgia again. Taking no prisoners. Atlanta is burning once more. You know, World Series games have been decided by soul-stirring deeds--Babe Ruth's "called-shot" home run, Pepper Martin's baserunning, Sandy Koufax's fastball--but Game 4 of this one was won by Wade Boggs' eye. You select players for the big leagues for many things--their speed, their swing, their power. But what makes Boggs great is his patience.

The New York Yankees re-signed free agent third baseman Wade Boggs to a two-year contract worth about $4 million Tuesday. The Yankees can now continue in their attempt to acquire first baseman Tino Martinez from Seattle and might have already done so. A trade for Martinez was called off Sunday when New York withdrew third baseman Russ Davis from the package, which included pitcher Sterling Hitchcock.

Scott Cooper knew it wouldn't be easy. He knew his every move would be scrutinized and that constant comparisons were inevitable. In Boston, the guy who replaced Wade Boggs would be as popular as an actor who took over the role of Norm for George Wendt on "Cheers." But it was almost worse than Cooper envisioned when Boggs left for New York and he became the Red Sox's everyday third baseman last season.

Wade Boggs had indicated recently that, all things being equal, he would prefer to sign with the New York Yankees over the Dodgers and remain in the American League. But the Yankees didn't take a chance with offers to the free-agent third baseman being equal. They lured him with a three-year contract worth $11 million, including a $3-million signing bonus.

Benito Santiago, Harold Reynolds, Candy Maldonado and Juan Samuel agreed to terms with new teams as Wade Boggs got closer to making a deal. Santiago, an All-Star catcher for the San Diego Padres, agreed to terms with the Florida Marlins late Friday. The one-year deal is for $3.3 million, plus $500,000 in incentives. Second baseman Reynolds, a two-time All-Star, agreed on a $1.65-million, one-year contract with the Baltimore Orioles, who released Bill Ripken. Reynolds, 32, has a .

Trying to rectify perhaps the greatest blunder since their inception, the Kansas City Royals brought free-agent starting pitcher David Cone back home Tuesday. Cone received a three-year contract for $18 million, paying him a record $9-million salary bonus. Cone returns to the team that traded him away nearly six years ago in one of the most lopsided deals in history.