General managers recommended for the first time Tuesday that instant replay be used to help umpires make difficult decisions.

The proposal, approved by a 25-5 vote, was limited to boundary calls - whether potential home runs are fair or foul, whether balls go over fences or hit the tops and bounce back, and whether fans interfere with possible homers.

''We've taken the first step. The question will be now, what do we do?'' said Jimmie Lee Solomon, executive vice president for baseball operations in the commissioner's office. ''We have glacier-like movement in baseball, so I'm hopeful that we can at least start meaningful discussions about it. I think that this will be something we'll have to go very deliberately on.''

Solomon said the next step will be to speak with commissioner Bud Selig, who opposes the use of replays but said last month he was willing to let GMs examine the issue. If Selig gives the go-ahead, Solomon and staff in the commissioner's office would draft a detailed replay proposal that GMs could vote on when they gather next month at the winter meetings in Nashville, Tenn.

Replay eventually would have to be approved by the unions for players and umpires, and possibly in a vote by owners.

''It's very important that we do get Bud's agreement on this,'' Solomon said. ''He seemed to be softer, at least, on the consideration of the subject lately. I would not consider him an advocate of instant replay. He will have to be convinced.''

Red Sox bring back Schilling

Curt Schilling and the Boston Red Sox finalized an $8 million, one-year contract Tuesday that keeps the star right-hander with the World Series champions.

The deal provides for him to make an additional $5 million in bonuses and match his 2007 salary. It contains $3 million in performance bonuses based on innings pitched and $2 million based on weight clauses.

''We need some protection in case he wasn't able to stay healthy,'' Red Sox general manager Theo Epstein said. ''If he can stay healthy, he's very affordable, protects our rotation. If he does recondition his body and stays healthy all year and has a great season, he'll be rewarded for it.''

Around the horn

Indians: Pitcher Paul Byrd, whose admitted use of human growth hormone served as a backdrop to the end of Cleveland's season, had his $7.5 million club option for 2008 picked up by the Indians.

Mariners: Sam Perlozzo returned to the Mariners as third base coach, completing manager John McLaren's revamped staff.

Nationals: Third baseman Ryan Zimmerman broke a bone in his left wrist while swinging a bat last weekend and is scheduled to have surgery today.

His recovery is expected to take from four to six weeks, which still would be long before spring training begins in February.

Orioles: Baltimore rounded out manager Dave Trembley's coaching staff for 2008, hiring Dave Jauss as bench coach. Jauss, 50, served as bench coach for the Los Angeles Dodgers from 2006-07.

Red Sox: David Ortiz had arthroscopic surgery on his right knee Tuesday and is expected to participate fully in spring training next February with the Boston Red Sox.