Winter meetings wrap up with a New York look

Omar Minaya stepped out of a Las Vegas ballroom, bumped into Dave Dombrowski and received a hearty handshake from the Detroit Tigers general manager.

"Hey, Omar! Congratulations! You're knocking 'em over," Dombrowski said.

Helps to come in from the Big Apple carrying all those bucks.

As baseball's winter meetings broke up Thursday, the two New York teams went home big winners. Highlighting a hectic week, the Yankees landed pitching prize CC Sabathia, while Minaya and the Mets upgraded their maligned bullpen with All-Star relievers Francisco Rodriguez and J.J. Putz.

"There was no way that I thought I would be able to come here and get both those guys," said Minaya, the Mets' general manager. "I think our goals have been met."

Outside of New York, it seems almost everyone else is being cautious in a slow-moving market. With clubs concerned about the national recession and determined to keep inexpensive young talent, the winter meetings included a string of minor deals but few big ones.

"Most of it's just a big, old dance. You get some things done but not a lot," said manager Joe Maddon of the AL champion Tampa Bay Rays.

After the Yankees and Sabathia agreed Wednesday to the framework of a record $161 million, seven-year contract, A.J. Burnett and Derek Lowe are the top free-agent starters still searching for work.

Punto remains with Twins: Nick Punto is staying in Minnesota.

The versatile infielder agreed with the Twins on a two-year contract Thursday worth $8.5 million.

After an awful 2007 season at the plate, Punto bounced back to hit .284 and was the team's starting shortstop as they chased the White Sox in the AL Central over the final two months of the season.

He declared free agency at the end of the season and had several teams interested, including the defending World Series champion Philadelphia Phillies

Dodgers bide time on Ramirez: Ned Colletti is prepared to wait out Manny Ramirez.

"This is like watching the San Andreas Fault," the Dodgers general manager said Thursday on the final day of the winter meetings. "Some days you can see it move probably, and other days it's going to sit there. And in a week or two it may move a lot. It's a slow process. It speeds up and it slows back down."

The 36-year-old Ramirez, who came to the Dodgers from Boston at the July 31 trade deadline, batted .396 with 17 home runs and 53 RBI in 53 games for Los Angeles. ----.