MLB managerial mix-ups

Free agency for skippers? That might be the case in what is shaping up to be a busy offseason of switcheroos for the men who write the lineups and make their home on that top dugout step.

“It looks that way,” said outgoing Dodgers manager Joe Torre, who announced Friday he will retire after the season. “There have been an awful lot of changes, and changes you really didn’t anticipate.”

There could be managerial openings on a third of the clubs this offseason.

Dusty Baker, Joe Girardi, Tony La Russa, Ozzie Guillen, Jerry Manuel and other big names are managing over the season’s final weeks with their futures uncertain – although some likely will stay put.

While 14 skippers were in the final year of their contracts this year, Oakland’s Bob Geren already had his club option exercised for 2011.

Ron Washington of the A.L. West-leading Rangers has been told by the Texas brass he’ll be back.

Lou Piniella retired from the Cubs last month, and Bobby Cox of the Braves and the Blue Jays’ Cito Gaston plan to do the same after the season. The 65-year-old La Russa’s contract is up.

Torre and Cox have talked repeatedly about moving on from managing – and how hard that choice is, or actually following through with it.

“It’s tough to get out of your system,” said Torre, who hasn’t ruled out managing again.

The Dodgers are replacing Torre with hitting coach Don Mattingly, giving him his first managerial job.

Many figure Cubs GM Jim Hendry will promote Triple-A Iowa manager Ryne Sandberg (North Central High) to big league skipper.

The 51-year-old former second baseman is a Hall of Famer loved during 15 seasons with the Cubs.

The Los Angeles Dodgers traded reliever Octavio Dotel and cash to the Colorado Rockies for a player to be named. Dotel is 3-3 with a 3.99 ERA in 60 appearances this season. … Takashi Saito is out with a sore right shoulder and the Atlanta Braves are uncertain if they’ll get their setup man back this season.