Ron Roenicke is hired as Brewers manager

The Milwaukee Brewers became the latest team to dip into the Angels’ deep reservoir of coaching talent when they offered their vacant managerial job to bench coach Ron Roenicke on Tuesday.

Sources in Milwaukee and Los Angeles confirmed that Roenicke has accepted the job, although a formal announcement won’t be made until a physical and the requisite paperwork, including background checks, are complete. That may not happen until Friday.

The Brewers, the Angels and Roenicke all declined to comment publically.

One of eight the Brewers considered for the job, Roenicke met with Brewers officials three times over the last month. The final interview reportedly took place Monday in Los Angeles when Roenicke, a former big-league outfielder, met with team President Mark Attanasio.

According to sources with knowledge of the interview process, Brewers officials grew more impressed with Roenicke’s character and baseball knowledge each time they spoke with him.

Roenicke, who had a 346-283 record and two first-place finishes in five years as a minor league manager in the 1990s, is the third member of Mike Scioscia’s staff to get a managing job in the majors since 2005. Former bench coach Joe Maddon jumped to the Tampa Bay Rays before the 2006 season and has won two division titles and an American League pennant . Former Angels pitching coach Bud Black was hired by the San Diego Padres a year later.

Roenicke joined the Angels coaching staff when Scoscia was named manager 11 years ago. In Milwaukee he will replace Ken Macha, whose contract was not renewed after the Brewers had losing records in each of the last two seasons.

— Kevin Baxter

Brewers buy out Hoffman

The Brewers declined their $7.5 million mutual option on Trevor Hoffman and will pay the career saves leader a $750,000 buyout.

Hoffman, 43, earned his 600th save Sept. 7 and finished the season with 10 to raise the total to 601. He had a 5.89 earned-run average this year.

Braves retain Gonzalez, Infante

The Atlanta Braves exercised their 2011 options on infielders Alex Gonzalez and Omar Infante and reached a one-year deal with right-hander Scott Proctor.

The Braves declined options on outfielder Rick Ankiel and right-hander Kyle Farnsworth. Both went to Atlanta in a July 31 trade with Kansas City.

Gonzalez and Infante each had a $2.5-million option for next season. Proctor gets a $750,000 contract, avoiding salary arbitration.

Atlanta turned down a $6-million mutual option on Ankiel, paying him a $500,000 buyout. The Braves declined a $5.25-million option on Farnsworth, who gets a $250,000 buyout. Both players became free agents.

Infante batted .321 and was selected to his first All-Star team. Gonzalez was traded from Toronto to Atlanta on July 14. He had 23 home runs and 88 runs batted in combined, and his 42 doubles led all major league shortstops.

Vizquel stays with White Sox

Veteran infielder Omar Vizquel, 43, and the Chicago White Sox agreed to a $1.75-million, one-year contract.

The 11-time Gold Glove winner batted .276 last season, his first with the White Sox.

Diamondbacks part ways with LaRoche

The Arizona Diamondbacks have declined to exercise a $7.5-million club option on Adam LaRoche, ending the first baseman’s stay in the desert after one season.

LaRoche, 30, signed a one-year deal with a mutual option after playing parts of six seasons with Atlanta, Pittsburgh and Boston. He hit .261 with 25 homers and 100 RBIs in 161 games, but struck out 172 times on a team that set the all-time strikeouts record.

Red Sox land Young

The Boston Red Sox hired Oakland pitching coach Curt Young for the same position.

Young helped the Athletics post the best ERA in the American League over the last seven seasons. They had a league-best 3.56 ERA in 2010, when they led the league with 17 shutouts and gave up the fewest hits (1,315) and runs (626).

Ricciardi hired by the Mets

J.P. Ricciardi has been hired as a special assistant to Sandy Alderson, the newly appointed New York Mets general manager.

Ricciardi was general manager of the Toronto Blue Jays from 2001 to 2009 before spending last season as a baseball analyst with ESPN.

TV ratings sink

Television ratings for this year’s World Series equaled the lowest ever.

The San Francisco Giants’ five-game victory over the Texas Rangers averaged an 8.4 rating and 14 share. That matches the record low of the 2008 Series between the Philadelphia Phillies and Tampa Bay Rays, which also lasted five games.