Odds And Ends: Yankees, Wagner, Byrd

Some links to start the week off…

• Joel Sherman of the New York Post argues that the Yankees were smart to spend on elite free agents last offseason. Mark Teixeira and C.C. Sabathia have contributed to the Yankees' dominance this year. 
• Johnny Damon repeated to Kristie Ackert of the New York Daily News that he wants to return to the Yankees next season.
• The Toronto Sun notes that Mike Hampton won't pitch again this year.
• Billy Wagner didn't expect his Red Sox debut to go as smoothly as it did, according to Julian Benbow of the Boston Globe.
• As Alex Speier of WEEI.com notes, Paul Byrd earns incentives for every start he makes with the Red Sox.
• Carl Steward of the San Jose Mercury News says Barry Zito and Edgar Renteria, whose contracts have often been criticized, have helped keep the Giants in the race.