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SAN FRANCISCO - Barry Zito has known for months he would be leaving the Giants after seven up-and-down years in San Francisco. The sides formally parted ways Saturday, when the Giants declined to exercise Zitos $18 million contract option for next season and instead owe the left-hander a $7 million buyout. Also Saturday, San Francisco declined its $3 million mutual option for outfielder Andres Torres and must pay him a $500,000 buyout. The biggest decision still facing general manager Brian Sabean and assistant GM Bobby Evans is due by Monday: Whether to exercise right-hander Ryan Vogelsongs $6.5 million club option that includes a $300,000 buyout. Because the 35-year-old Zito realized this moment was coming, he recently took out a full-page newspaper ad to thank the fans for standing by him through a tough tenure on this side of San Francisco Bay. The 2002 AL Cy Young Award winner across the water for the Oakland Athletics, Zito just completed a $126 million, seven-year contract with the Giants. Zito pitched Game 5 of the NL championship series at St. Louis last year with his team facing elimination as the Giants rallied to win the series in seven games, then won Game 1 in a surprising World Series sweep of the Tigers — after he was left off the post-season roster for all three rounds in 2010. Sabean and manager Bruce Bochy each has credited Zito for his work to find his rhythm again despite the struggles, not to mention his class during difficult situations on and off the field. Both of his parents died in recent years, including his father, Joe, this past season. "On the field and off the field, a lot of things happened in these years," Zito said. "I got married and became a Christian, lost both my parents. Just so much. And on the field, obviously had some lows there for a while and also this year, and then the World Series in 2012 for me was such an incredible experience. Im so grateful I got to experience that and be a part of it and help bring it home for San Francisco. The way it worked, Zito was replaced in his final start and didnt get a curtain call or chance to tip his cap to the crowd at AT&T Park on Sept. 25. "Theres not a lot of chance for closure, I think, in sports," he said. "Guys sign contracts, they come to cities, theyre kind of like the citys own. And theres never really goodbyes. But thats National League baseball. Youve got to pinch hit." Zito had a 63-80 record with a 4.62 ERA in 197 starts and 208 appearances for the Giants. His buyout is payable in installments with 1 per cent interest each Jan. 15 from 2014 through 2020. "Theres lots of stuff that he could complain about. Ive never heard him say a negative word about anything," fellow lefty starter Madison Bumgarner said. "Hes a lot tougher than people realize. Hes a gentleman in the game and hes a competitor. Hes truly a good teammate, one of the best teammates Ive had in my short career so far. It would definitely be hard to top him." Zito and Torres, another member of the 2010 World Series team, now become free agents. Torres, 35, batted .250 with two homers and 21 RBIs in 103 games this past season. Zito has said he still wants to pitch next season somewhere. "Just going to go home this off-season, take a few weeks off and see what my heart tells me," he said. "My bodys still healthy and my minds fairly healthy. Its been injured here and there along the way, but I think I can manage." Cheap Chandler Parsons Jersey . Lynchs attorney, Ivan Golde, told The Associated Press on Thursday of the plea deal that was reached with the Alameda County District Attorney Office. The plea will be formally entered in court in Oakland, Calif. Cheap Grizzlies Jerseys . -- League scoring leader Anthony Mantha had two goals and two assists to lead the Val-dOr Foreurs over the Blainville-Boisbriand Phoenix 6-3 on Wednesay in Quebec Major Junior Hockey League play on Wednesday. http://www.cheapgrizzliesjerseys.com/?ta...l-martin-jersey. Solomon Elimimian did not make the trip with the team after suffering what appeared to be a right leg injury in the teams regular season finale against the Calgary Stampeders. Cheap Jevon Carter Jersey . And thats about it. After the Salukis 73-65 loss at Murray State on Tuesday night, Hinson called his players "uncoachable," "a bunch of mamas boys" and compared the disciplining of his young team to housebreaking a puppy. Cheap Jaren Jackson Jr. Jersey . -- ETwaun Moore had 14 points in 30 minutes, and the Orlando Magic defeated the Detroit Pistons 87-86 on Sunday night.CHICAGO -- The Chicago Cubs are set to hire San Diego Padres bench coach Rick Renteria as their manager, a person familiar with the situation told The Associated Press on Wednesday. The person spoke on the condition of anonymity because the hiring has not been announced. The team was expected to make it official on Thursday. The move ends a long search that began with the last-place Cubs targeting New York Yankees manager Joe Girardi, only to be denied a shot when he decided to stay put. Instead, the Cubs are hoping Renteria can help develop their young players and lead them to their first championship since 1908. He replaces Dale Sveum, who was fired after two seasons. The Cubs went 66-96 this season and finished at the bottom of the NL Central. A former major league infielder, Renteria spent the past six years on the Padres staff and had been their bench coach since 2011. Before that, he coached and managed in the San Diego and Florida Marlins organizations. Renteria also managed Mexico in the World Baseball Classic in March. The Cubs are counting on him to get the most out of young players such as shortstop Starlin Castro and first baaseman Anthony Rizzo, along with prospects such as Javier Baez, Jorge Soler, Albert Almora and Kris Bryant.dddddddddddd. The lack of development by young players on the roster was a major sticking point with Sveum. And with more young players on the way, the front office decided it was time for a change. The Cubs were 127-197 under Sveum and finished in last place for the first time in seven years. They had targeted Girardi, a Peoria, Ill., native and Northwestern product who played for them. But the former catcher signed a four-year contract worth up to $20 million to stay with New York through 2017. That forced the Cubs to look elsewhere. Besides Renteria, they interviewed former Mariners and Indians manager Eric Wedge, Rays bench coach Dave Martinez, former Nationals and Indians manager Manny Acta, former Diamond-backs manager A.J. Hinch, and Brad Ausmus, who was hired by the Tigers on Sunday. They were also interested in talking to Boston bench coach Torey Lovullo. But according to reports, the Red Sox invoked an agreement banning Cubs president Theo Epstein from hiring any of their employees over a three-year period. ' ' '