SAN FRANCISCO -- Omar Vizquel, the 11-time Gold Glove shortstop who will be looking for work this winter, is recovering from laser surgery on his right eye.
"All went well," Vizquel said in an e-mail.
He had the procedure last week once the season ended, then had to wait several days as the eye healed before returning to his home in the Seattle area.
The 41-year-old Vizquel played the past four seasons for San Francisco but Giants general manager Brian Sabean said after the season ended there was "zero" chance of bringing him back. The Giants are committed to a youth movement and went with speedy rookie Emmanuel Burriss at shortstop most of the time in the season's second half. Vizquel handled himself well through the demotion and turned his attention on helping teach the young infielders.
But he's ready to get another shot, somewhere.
"There's no doubt in my mind that I can still play," he said. "I want to play, and that's what I'm going to do."
Vizquel got a late start to the year after needing arthroscopic left knee surgery during spring training. He was limited to 92 games -- his fewest since playing 64 in 2003 for the Cleveland Indians, the second-to-last year of his 11-season tenure there. Vizquel batted .222 with 23 RBI, 10 doubles and a triple in 2008.
He received a warm ovation in his final game for the Giants against the Los Angeles Dodgers on Sept. 28, and manager Bruce Bochy let him take his position on the field in the team's waterfront ballpark in the top of the sixth inning before replacing him with Ivan Ochoa. Full story
Playoff ratings down from last year
NEW YORK -- Television ratings for baseball's division series declined from last year.
The 15 games on TBS averaged a 2.8 rating, the network. That's down 26 percent from a 3.8 for 13 games in 2007.
The absence of the New York Yankees, with their large market and national appeal, hurt. Their four-game division series with the Cleveland Indians last year averaged a 5.2 rating.
But this season's matchups still featured several big-market teams: both clubs from Los Angeles and Chicago, as well as Boston and Philadelphia.
Thursday's Dodgers-Cubs game also went up against the much-watched vice presidential debate.
WBC to air on ESPN, MLB Network
NEW YORK -- ESPN and the new MLB Network will split television rights to the World Baseball Classic under agreements.
ESPN has U.S. English and Spanish television rights to 23 of the 39 games during the 16-team tournament, including the semifinals and the final on March 23. The remainder will be on the MLB Network, which launches Jan. 1.
ESPN International has rights to broadcast all 39 games outside of the United States.
The tournament opens March 5.
