Haynesworth to miss tonight's game

Tennessee Titans' defensive tackle and potential Defensive Player of the Year candidate Albert Haynesworth will miss tonight's game against the Denver Broncos due to a hamstring injury. Haynesworth has 30 tackles and a team-high 5.5 sacks. Cornerback Nick Harper and guard Benji Olson are also nursing injuries for Tennessee.

MNF: Titans, Broncos jockey for playoff position

What's at stake:

The Tennessee Titans come into this game with a 6-3 record. They are currently a half-game in front of the Cleveland Browns for the sixth seed in the AFC and a half-game behind the Jacksonville Jaguars for the five-slot. Tennessee lost to Jacksonville, 28-13, last week.

The Denver Broncos, despite entering tonight's game with a 4-5 record, sit only a half-game behind the first-place San Diego Chargers in the AFC West. They are coming off a 27-11 win over division rival Kansas City. With a win, the Broncos would not only move into a tie with the Chargers, but they would move to within one game of the sixth and final playoff spot in the conference.

Key offensive players:

LenDale White, halfback, Tennessee- The big 22-year old back has rushed for over 100 yards in three of his past four games, although he was held to only 12 yards on eight carries in the team's loss to Jacksonville last weekend. However, tonight would seem to be an ideal game for White to regain his form, as Denver has the 30th ranked run defense in the league.

Brandon Marshall, wide receiver, Denver- Although he is not very well known, Marshall is slowly developing into one of the NFL's better receivers. He has compiled 694 yards of 51 catches this season, and he is only 23. At 6'4", 230 pounds, Marshall also has great size. Look for him to take advantage of Tennessee's smallish defensive backs tonight. He is Jay Cutler's number one target.

Key defensive players:

Chris Hope, strong safety, Tennessee- Because Marshall is such a tough matchup for the Titans' cornerbacks, Hope is going to have to play a big role in providing some help over the top. One of the best safeties in the NFL, the physical 27-year old is not having near the impact that he had last season (121 tackles, five interceptions, 15 passes defended). He has only defended three passes all-year long. That needs to change, starting tonight.

Ian Gold, outside linebacker, Denver- Gold is going to need to help contain Vince Young and keep him in the pocket. Young obviously likes to run (217 yards on the ground this year), and when he is not allowed to roll out, his effectiveness is reduced quite a bit. The Broncos have to make him throw the football, as he the 2006-07 Offensive Rookie of the Year has only a 62.2 quarterback rating this season. Should Denver be successful in cutting off Young's rushing attempts, Gold will be a big part of it.

Keys to the game:

Tennessee- Don't allow out-of-nowhere rookie sensation halfback Selvin Young to beat you. If the Titans can contain him, it will force Cutler to throw the ball. Outside of Marshall, Cutler does not have many targets to throw to.

Denver- As stated previously, keep Young in the pocket. If they do that, they should win the game. However, it's much easier said than done.

Alex Rodriguez named AL MVP

Alex Rodriguez has won his third Most Valuable Player award, it was announced on Monday. Rodriguez won unanimously, getting 28 first-place votes and 382 total points. The closest competitor was Detroit's Magglio Ordonez, who received two first-place votes and 258 points.

Rodriguez became only the ninth player in MLB history to win the MVP award three or more times. He won the award for the first time with Texas in 2003 and then added two more in 2005 and 2007, both years with the Yankees. The 32-year old third baseman opted out of his contract with New York when the off-season began, but is now in the process of negotiating a 10-year, $275 million deal that would most likely keep him in the Bronx for the rest of his career barring a trade.

A-Rod batted .314 with 56 homers and 154 RBI this season. However, his playoff struggles continued, as he batted only .267 (4-for-15) with one homer that accounted for his lone RBI against the Cleveland Indians in the ALDS and went hitless with runners on base. Rodriguez is 8 for his last 59 (.136) in the postseason and 0 for his last 18 with men in scoring position.

Red Sox, Lowell agree to deal

The Boston Red Sox have reportedly agreed to a three-year, $37.5 million deal with Mike Lowell. Lowell batted .324 with 21 homers and 120 RBI last season and was named the World Series MVP. The 33-year old third baseman batted .353 with two long balls and 15 RBI in the postseason.

Angels send Cabrera to ChiSox for Garland

The Los Angeles Angels traded shortstop Orlando Cabrera to the Chicago White Sox for starting pitcher Jon Garland on Monday. Cabrera, 33, batted .301 with eight homers and 86 RBI in 2007. The 28-year old Garland went 10-13 with a 4.23 ERA for the White Sox last year. He threw 208.1 innings.

Glavine to Braves; Red Sox, Lowell closing in

• The Braves have agreed to a one-year, $8 million deal with Tom Glavine. Glavine spent the first 16 seasons of his career in Atlanta, winning one World Series and two Cy Young awards. The 41-year old left-hander was a member of the Mets the past five years. In 2007, he went 13-8 with a 4.45 ERA.
• The Red Sox are reportedly closing in on a deal with Mike Lowell. The terms of the contract are not yet known. Boston may also try to trade for Johan Santana if he becomes available, but Minnesota's recent offer to the 29-year old left-hander says otherwise.
• Torii Hunter will have dinner with Texas Rangers' owner Tom Hicks tonight. Although the Rangers are considered the frontrunners for his services, Hunter is also considering the Dodgers.
  

Mets sign Castillo; Rivera, Yanks reach deal

• Luis Castillo has reportedly agreed to a four-year, $25 million deal with the Mets. Castillo came over to the Mets in a trade with the Twins last season. He batted .301 with one homer and 38 RBI in 2007 overall. With the Mets, Castillo hit .296 with the lone homer and 20 RBI.
• The Yankees and Mariano Rivera have agreed to a three-year contract worth $45 million.
  

Scutaro to Jays; Twins made offer to Santana?

• The Athletics traded utility infielder Marco Scutaro to the Blue Jays for Kristian Bell and Graham Godfrey, two minor-league pitchers. Scutaro batted .260 with seven homers and 41 RBI in 338 plate appearances last season.
  
• The Cubs have shown interest in free agent second-basemen Luis Castillo and Kaz Matsui. Matsui's name reportedly surfaced in the Mitchell Report, however.
  
• Reggie Sanders may retire if he does not sign with the Dodgers, Giants, or Padres.
• The Twins reportedly made Johan Santana a five-year, $93 million offer for a contract extension. The 29-year old Santana has been mentioned as a potential trade candidate this off-season.
• The Marlins may still pursue Yorvit Torrealba now that he is no longer talking to the Mets.
• Boston is reportedly interested in Kerry Wood of the Cubs. The Red Sox would want him to fill the role that Eric Gagne was supposed to in the second half of 2007. Gagne is drawing interest from the Tigers, as they will probably be without Joel Zumaya for a while. The Yankees, Rangers, and Reds are also examining Wood.
  
• Because their deal with Torrealba came apart at the seams, the Mets are still actively searching for a catcher. Ramon Hernandez appears to be their primary target, although don't discount the possibility of Paul Lo Duca coming back for at least one more year. New York may also take a look at Miguel Olivo or Gerald Laird in a potential trade, although the Marlins will most likely non-tender Olivo. Michael Barrett and Jason Kendall are two other candidates who could be on the radar.
  

MLB rumors, 11/17

• It seemed to be all but a done deal, but catcher Yorvit Torrealba will not be signing with the New York Mets. Supposedly, Torrealba had agreed to a three-year, $14.4 million deal with the Mets, but things fell apart right at the end. It is not known what caused the sudden break-off of negotiations, but some feel it may be that Torrealba failed a physical. The 29-year old had shoulder problems all of last season.
• Contrary to reports, the New York Yankees have not made an offer to Mike Lowell. It was rumored that the Yankees offered the third baseman a four-year, $60 million contract, but Hank Steinbrenner says that is not true.
• Tom Glavine is reportedly close to a deal with the Atlanta Braves. A deal may get done as soon as tomorrow.
• The Los Angeles Dodgers, along with at least nine other teams, are very interested in center-fiedler Aaron Rowand. Although there is a good chance that he re-signs with the Philadelphia Phillies, Rowand may very well wind up in a different uniform in 2008. The Chicago White Sox, Rowand's former team, are also rumored to have interest.
• The Texas Rangers are rumored to be deep into negotiations with Torii Hunter, and some say it's only a matter of time before a deal gets done. Hunter is seeking a six or seven-year deal worth somewhere around $90 million.
• The Dodgers appear to be falling out of the Miguel Cabrera sweepstakes, and their counterparts, the Los Angeles Angels, may not be too far behind. The Florida Marlins are asking for the world for the 24-year old superstar, and neither team is willing to part with what Florida is demanding. The Marlins were asking the Dodgers for Chad Billingsley, James Loney (a player the Dodgers absolutely love), and prospects. The Angels would have to give up Howie Kendrick and probably top prospect Brandon Wood.
  
• The Mets are looking at several options for second base, including David Eckstein. Eckstein, a life-time shortstop, is reportedly looking for a deal similar to the one Julio Lugo got from the Boston Red Sox last off-season (four years, $36 million). Don't count out the Mets turning back to Luis Castillo, either, as he did a very good job for them in 2007. However, the Houston Astros appear to be his most likely suitor right now. Another rumor is that New York may pursue Arizona Diamondbacks' second-baseman Orlando Hudson in a trade, but that is extremely unlikely.
  

Bonds indicted by federal grand jury

MLB slugger Barry Bonds was indicted for perjury and obstruction of justice by a federal grand jury on Thursday. The 43-year old Bonds lied to the jury in telling them that he did not knowingly take performance-enhancing drugs.

There is rumored to be a mountain of evidence against the outfielder, who has several times denied taking steroids or any type of performance-enhancer. In December 2003, Bonds testified that his trainer, Greg Anderson, did not give him any drugs because Anderson "knew (Bonds) was against that." The home run king is also being charged with lying that Anderson never injected him with steroids.

Bonds holds the all-time home run record with 762 long balls. He broke Henry Aaron's record of 755 back on Aug. 7th against the Washington Nationals. Now a free agent, Bonds batted .276 with 28 homers and 66 RBI in 340 at-bats with the San Francisco Giants last season. He has spent 15 of his 22 professional seasons with the Giants, but he will be wearing a different uniform in 2008 if another team is willing to take him.

Mets close to deal with Castro; Torrealba too?

The New York Mets are close to an agreement with free agent catcher Ramon Castro, who batted .285 with 11 home runs and 31 RBI with the Mets in 2007.

The Mets will also reportedly offer another free agent catcher, Yorvit Torrealba, a three-year deal worth $15 million. Torrealba, 29, batted .255 with eight homers and 47 RBI with the Colorado Rockies last season.

Yankees in discussions with A-Rod

Two weeks removed from opting out of his contract and testing free agent waters, Alex Rodriguez has turned back to the New York Yankees and wants to be a member of the team for a fifth year.

Rodriguez and his agent, Scott Boras, were reportedly looking for a 10-year deal worth in the neighborhood of $350 million. However, the 32-year old third baseman did not draw too much interest due to his astoundingly high price-tag, and now will most likely make even less money than he would have had he not opted out of his contract with the Yankees.

Still, for New York to officially get a deal done with A-Rod, they want Boras out of the picture, meaning Rodriguez would have to fire him. Either way, Yankees' radio announcer John Sterling said that on a scale of 1-to-100 on whether the MVP candidate would return to the Bronx, the answer is 101.

Because New York was preparing for Rodriguez to walk, they had talks with the Florida Marlins about Miguel Cabrera, but the discussions were not very serious and the Marlins were asking for much more than the Yankees were willing to play. New York was also reportedly showing interest in free agent Mike Lowell, although most fully expect Lowell to return to the Boston Red Sox. However, now that A-Rod is back in the picture, don't look for the Yankees to pursue either of those two avenues any longer due to the fact that Cabrera would cost way too much in return and Lowell is 34 years old.

Managers of the Year: Wedge, Melvin

Eric Wedge and Bob Melvin both won Manager of the Year for their respective leagues, Wedge for the American League and Melvin for the National League, it was announced on Wednesday.

Both managers took their teams to the league championship series in the postseason, Wedge with the Cleveland Indians and Melvin with the Arizona Diamondbacks. Wedge's Indians blew a 3-1 series lead against the Boston Red Sox in the ALCS and lost in seven games while Arizona was swept by the Colorado Rockies.

Wedge led Cleveland to a 96-win season and its first division title since 2001. Melvin managed the Diamondbacks to a 90-72 record and its first division title since 2002.

Cubs send Jones to Tigers for Infante

The Chicago Cubs sent outfielder Jacque Jones to the Detroit Tigers for utility player Omar Infante on Monday. The 32-year old Jones was almost dealt to the Florida Marlins in the middle of the season, but the deal fell apart at the last minute. He batted .285 with five homers and 66 RBI in 452 at-bats for the Cubs this year. In 2006, his first season in Chicago, Jones also batted .285, but with over five times as many home runs (27) and 81 RBI.

Infante, 25, recorded a .271 batting average with two homers and 17 RBI in 166 plate appearances this year. He spent all six years of his career in Detroit, where he posted lifetime numbers of a .253 average with 32 long balls and 154 RBI in 1,592 at-bats. As his statistics demonstrate, Infante is not known for his bat, but for his versatility in the field. In 2007, the utility man played 20 games at second base, 14 at shortstop, nine at third, and 19 in the outfield.

NFL midseason playoff predictions

AFC

1. New England Patriots (16-0)
This one is pretty self-explanitory. They have a pretty manageable schedule the rest of the way, although they do have a date with Pittsburgh in Foxborough on Dec. 9th and then a game at the Meadowlands against the Giants in the final week of the season. However, I cannot see anyone ruining New England's bid for an undefeated campaign. Tom Brady is simply playing at another level and is on pace to shatter Peyton Manning's single-season touchdown mark, and Randy Moss has a good shot at breaking Jerry Rice's single-season receiving touchdown record. The defense clamps down late in games, as we witnessed this past week against the Colts, and Brady will always come through in the clutch no matter what, also evidenced in their last game. To contrast this year's Patriots' team with last season's, take a look at this nugget: Reche Caldwell was the squad's number one receiver last year. This year? He was cut before the season started, and New England's number three receiver, Wes Welker, has as many receptions (61) and more touchdowns (seven) than Caldwell had all of last season. So, good luck to everyone in trying to beat this team in the playoffs. I just don't see it happening.

2. Pittsburgh Steelers (13-3)
The Steelers have proven that their 8-8 campaign last year was a mere anomaly. Pittsburgh is back, much due in part to the fact that Ben Roethlisberger is 100% and playing the way he did back in the 2005-06 season when he led his team to a Super Bowl title. He has thrown 20 touchdowns compared to six interceptions and has posted a quarterback rating of 111.9 through eight games. The running game has also been phenomenal, with Willie Parker among the league leaders in rushing yards. Most importantly, the Steeler defense is darn near impenetrable once again, and after the show it put on the other night against Baltimore, one must be inclined to say that this team will be a force to be reckoned with in the postseason. Pittsburgh has a very easy schedule the rest of the way and, unlike the Colts, does not have to deal with the rest of the AFC South, although they do play Jacksonville at home on Dec. 16th. The Steelers may be the only AFC team capable of beating the patriots.

3. Indianapolis Colts (11-5)
They may have cost themselves potential home-field advantage in the playoffs with that loss to New England, and now they have to worry about fending off the charging Titans for the division title. The schedule doesn't get much easier for Indianapolis, as they have to travel to San Diego to play a desperate Chargers' team this Sunday and have games remaining against the Jaguars and Tennessee at home and a game on the road against the Ravens. Each and every one of those teams will be fighting for their playoff lives, as even the 6-2 Titans are no sure thing for the postseason in the deep AFC. This will make things difficult for the Colts down the stretch, and I can see them finishing 4-4 in their final eight games. They key for them is to simply hold on and beat the teams they should (Kansas City, Oakland, Atlanta, Houston) and they should be okay. Their chances in the playoffs? I don't like them too much with the Patriots and Steelers in the same conference.

4. San Diego Chargers (10-6)
They were already lucky enough to be playing in the NFL's second-worst division (only the NFC West is worse). They get even luckier now that the Chiefs, the only team with a realistic shot at beating them out for the AFC West crown, may have lost Larry Johnson for the season. Still, San Diego has a lot to be worrying about right now. They just gave up 296 yards to a rookie in Adrian Peterson (I don't care how good he is; you just can't do that) and 35 points to his Vikings. If Minnesota nearly dropped 40 on them, how in the world are the Chargers going to fare against playoff teams? They have a big meeting with the Colts at home this week, and I do think they will win that one being that they really, really need it. They then have games at Jacksonville, Kansas City (always a tough place to win whether the Chiefs have Johnson or not), and Tennessee, and they have to play the Ravens and Lions at home. I think there is enough talent here for them to be able to pull it out, but don't expect much out of them in the postseason.

5. Tennessee Titans (10-6)
The Titans are going to be one of the more dangerous wild card teams in recent memory. They have a very stingy defense and an extremely versatile quarterback, not to mention a fine ground game, as LenDale White has come into his own. They have a huge meeting coming up at home with the Jaguars this week, but considering they beat the Jags in Jacksonville the first week of the season, I can't see Tennessee winning this one. I just don't see them sweeping a division rival that's that talented. However, things get a little easier for them after that, as they play Denver and Cincinnati, albeit on the road, two games they should win. They are then home for Houston, and that's when things get tougher, as they play the Chargers at home and then go to Kansas City. The Titans then finish the season at Indianapolis. All they need to do is go .500 in that span, and that should lock them up the fifth seed. Expect them to give their first-round opponent fits.

6. Jacksonville Jaguars (10-6)
The Jaguars are again going through another season with the potential to be foiled by injuries, as David Garrard is still out for another few weeks with a bad ankle. Quinn Gray has not been good (at all) filling in, posting a 57.4 quarterback rating and completing under 50% of his passes. However, the running game and the defense should be enough to carry Jacksonville to a playoff berth. When Garrard returns, the Jags will be that much more dangerous, and I think they just beat out the Browns for the sixth and final postseason spot in the AFC. How scary they will be in the playoffs completely depends on how healthy Garrard is. Losing Marcus Stroud for four games due to a steroid suspension shouldn't hurt this team that much as they still have big John Henderson in the middle, but it could spell the end of their season at the same time. They are so many ifs with this team it's ridiculous, and their schedule doesn't make things any easier for them. They are at Tennessee this weekend, and after home games against the Chargers and Bills (anything but a pushover team), they travel to Indianapolis and then to Pittsburgh two weeks later.

On the outside looking in: Cleveland Browns
The Browns have been the feel-good story of the AFC this year, as quarterback Derek Anderson is putting up MVP-type numbers and Braylon Edwards has developed into one of the best receivers in the league. However, the fact that they have to play at Pittsburgh and at Baltimore in the stretch run pretty much takes them out of the equation. The Steelers smoked them on opening day in Cleveland, and I don't see why things will be any different this time around, especially on the road. The Browns were able to top the Ravens earlier in the year, but Baltimore will be desperate and playing on their home field, so I think the Ravens will beat them as well. You can't deny the fact that Cleveland is no joke though, and as long as Anderson can maintain what he's doing, the Browns will be a contender in the AFC for many years.

NFC

1. Green Bay Packers (12-4)
Their week two win over the Giants gives them the tiebreaker if both teams go 12-4, which I think will happen, so Green Bay gets the one-seed. Brett Favre may very well be the MVP of the league, as he is doing it with much less talent around him than Tom Brady. Most importantly for the Packers, their defense has been very good, as they have arguably the best cornerback duo in the NFL with Charles Woodson and Al Harris. Green Bay has a pretty easy schedule from here on out, as they are home against Minnesota and Carolina the next two weeks and also play Oakland at home and St. Louis on the road. They do have to play the Lions twice, though, and have a date at Dallas on Nov. 29th. The Pack also has one game left against the Bears in Chicago, always a tough team to play on their home field. Despite the fact that I think they will get the number one seed, I don't think this is the best team in the conference.

2. New York Giants (12-4)
After looking like one of the worst teams in the NFL two weeks into the season, the Giants have rallied for six straight victories behind what is arguably the best defense in the league and now sit a game back of Dallas in the NFC East with a huge matchup looming against them this Sunday. A victory over the Cowboys would vault them to the top of the division and essentially assure them a playoff spot. The pass rush has been the key for New York, as they have recorded 28 sacks during their six-game winning streak. If the defensive line can keep applying that kind of pressure to opposing quarterbacks, this Giants' team is going to be very hard to beat. They have a fairly easy schedule after the Dallas game, their toughest games coming at Detroit, at Chicago, and at home against New England in week 17. If the Patriots have already lost a game by then, look for them to rest guys for the playoffs, making things much easier on the G-Men. New York is the best team in the NFC, and they will prove that this weekend.

3. New Orleans Saints (10-6)
The Saints looked absolutely awful in their first four games, getting embarrassed and shut down in each and every one of them. However, they have improved drastically the past four weeks and are finally starting to resemble the team that went to the NFC Championship Game last season. New Orleans has an extremely easy schedule over their last eight weeks, with games at home against St. Louis, Arizona, and Philadelphia and road games against Houston, Carolina, and Atlanta. Their two toughest games left are home against Tampa Bay and then at Chicago in the final week of the season. Drew Brees looks like an entirely different quarterback now, but the lack of a running game is going to hurt this team. If Deuce McAllister was here, they could very well be 5-3 and in sole possession of first place in the NFC South instead of 4-4 and in second. Either way, the Saints will be in the playoffs. How dangerous they will be remains to be seen.

4. Seattle Seahawks (10-6)
Seattle has been one of the most unimpressive teams in the league the past few weeks, losing three of their last four and seeing their once dominant ground game disappear into thin air. Shaun Alexander, two years removed from an 1,880-yard, 27-touchdown season, is putting up a mere 3.3 yards per carry and is again being hampered by injuries. Their defense, ranked 18th in the NFL, has also been getting torched, and it is coming off a game in which it gave up 33 points to Cleveland. However, luckily for the Seahawks, they have a very painless schedule the rest of the way, with games against the 49ers, Rams, Cardinals, Panthers, Eagles, and Falcons. Their toughest contests will be against Chicago and Baltimore at home, but neither of those teams are anything to write home about this season. The Seahawks can also thank the football gods for allowing them to be in the NFC West, a.k.a. the most pathetic division in the National Football League. So, how about their chances of a postseason run? Unless Alexander somehow regains his old magic, their is nothing to get excited about in January for the state of Washington.

5. Dallas Cowboys (10-6)
At 7-1, they can do no wrong right now, but things are about to get much tougher for the Cowboys. They play the Giants at the Meadowlands this weekend, and then have the Redskins twice, the Packers, and a game in Detroit, not to mention the fact that they have the Eagles at home (it's always tough to sweep a division rival) and a game at Carolina. Dallas' offense has been clicking on all cylinders through the first nine weeks, but they will now face several very good defenses, including New York on Sunday. The Cowboys will still be a top three team in the conference when all is said-and-done, but don't look for them to maintain what they're doing now. However, the talent they have should be enough for them to make a nice run in the playoffs. The key is their pass rush which, outside of DeMarcus Ware and Greg Ellis, has not been that effective. Cornerback Terence Newman also needs to step up his game in the secondary, as Dallas' defensive backs are vulnerable to the big play, and taller receivers like Plaxico Burress and Randy Moss had their way with the Cowboys this season.

6. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (10-6)
It will come down to Tampa Bay, Washington, and Detroit for the sixth and final playoff spot in the NFC, and I think the Buccaneers take it. First of all, they have the easiest schedule of the three, as they play Atlanta twice, San Francisco, and Carolina at home. They also play the Redskins at home, and that will probably be the game that decides which of the two teams goes to the postseason. Because the game will be at Tampa Bay, I'm going with the Bucs. Jeff Garcia is once again leading a team lacking in true talent to a potential playoff berth, as he has his team in first place in the NFC South. I don't expect that to last, however, with the Saints rolling and having many very winnable games on their schedule over the final eight weeks of the season. The Buccaneers' defense has been the key to their success, though, as linebacker Barrett Ruud is making a case for Defensive Player of the Year and third-year defensive tackle Jovan Haye has emerged into one of the conference's better interior linemen. And how about the play of halfback Earnest Graham in place of Carnell Williams? Despite all of this, I don't expect Tampa Bay to make much noise in the playoffs. They will be pesky, though.

On the outside looking in: Detroit Lions
They are the NFC's version of the Browns. The Lions are currently sitting at 6-2 and have won three straight. However, their second-half schedule is absolutely brutal. They have to play Green Bay twice, the Giants, Dallas, San Diego on the road, and Kansas City. Their game at Arizona this weekend won't be a cakewalk either, as the Cardinals desperately need this game to have any hope at making a run at the postseason. It also doesn't help that the Redskins pounded Detroit 34-3 earlier in the year, so if the Lions are fighting with them for the final playoff spot in the closing weeks of the season, Washington will own the tiebreaker. Plus, as I stated before, the Buccaneers have the much easier schedule down the stretch and have more experience. Either way, you have to give Jon Kitna props for backing up his talk with his play.

Pats top Colts behind two fourth quarter TDs

Tom Brady recovered from a rocky start to throw two touchdown passes in the fourth quarter to help his New England Patriots rally back from a 10-point deficit for a 24-20 over the Indianapolis Colts in a game that some viewed as one of the best matchups in decades.

The Colts had multiple opportunities in this game, but failed to score a touchdown in two of their three trips to the red-zone. They drove 52 yards down the field on their first drive of the game, but Adam Vinatieri missed a 50-yard field goal. The Patriots then went three-and-out, and Indianapolis marched 88 yards back down the field on seven plays only to come away with three points on a 21-yard field goal by Vinatieri.

New England then got into a rhythm offensively on their next set of downs. Laurence Maroney pounded the Colts' defense with short but effective bursts up the middle, and Brady capped off the drive with a four-yard touchdown toss to Randy Moss, giving the Patriots a 7-3 lead.

Indianapolis was once again able to get into the red-zone on their next possession, but, for the second time, was not able to get the ball into the end-zone and had to settle for three more points on a 25-yard boot by Vinatieri. It was only a few minutes later that Brady committed his first error of the game, and one of only a handful this season.

After moving the ball to the Colts' 38-yard line, a Brady throw intended for Donte Stallworth was intercepted at the two-yard line by Antoine Bethea, shifting the momentum toward Indianapolis' side as the first half winded down.

The Colts tried to play it conservatiely with under two minutes remaining until halftime, but were able to make a big play anyway. Peyton Manning threw a short screen pass to halfback Joseph Addai who then proceeded to take it 73 yards for a score, giving Indianapolis a 13-7 advantage at intermission.

After New England went three-and-out to start out the second half, Manning was intercepted by Rodney Harrison on the Colts' first possession of the third quarter. However, the Patriots could not do anything with the football and, after going backward 10 yards, were forced to punt.

The lack of offense continued on Indianapolis' next drive, as they ran Addai four times and then punted. New England then took the ball 75 yards down the field for a 34-yard field goal by Stephen Gostkowski to cut the deficit to three, 13-10. It appeared that the momentum was starting to swing toward the Patriots' side, as they again forced the Colts to punt on their next possession. However, Brady threw another interception on their ensuing drive, as Gary Brackett tipped it several times in the air before coming down with it and returning it 28 yards to the New England 47.

With good field position to work with, Indianapolis went back five yards on their first two plays, thanks to a sack by Mike Vrabel and a negative rush by Addai. That quickly changed after a 17-yard pass from Manning to tight end Dallas Clark on third-and-15, and after a few carries for short yardage by Addai, Manning pushed into the end-zone with a one-yard sneak to give the Colts a 20-10 lead with 14:04 to play in the fourth quarter.

The Patriots then began their fourth quarter rally, with Brady throwing passes of 15 and 55 yards to Moss and finishing the drive off with a three-yard toss to Wes Welker, making the score 20-17. Indianapolis then committed two penalties on their next possession, and Manning was then sacked to end the drive. He fumbled, but recovered.

Brady and New England then took over at their own 49-yard line with 3:58 to play. It took only three plays for the Patriots to get the ball in the end-zone, highlighted by a 33-yard pass to Stallworth which got them to the Colts' 13. Brady capped off the drive with a 13-yard touchdown throw to Kevin Faulk, handing New England their first lead since the second quarter, 24-20.

Indianapolis would have one more chance with just over three minutes to play, but on third-and-nine, Jarvis Green sacked Manning and jarred the ball loose, and Rosevelt Colvin proceeded to pick up the football and put the game away.

The Colts had won their last three meetings with the Patriots coming into this game, including the playoffs. With the win, New England kept their undefeated streak going and improved to 9-0 while Indianapolis fell to 7-1.

Torre to Dodgers

The Los Angeles Dodgers hired former New York Yankees' manager Joe Torre to a three-year deal worth $13 million on Thursday. The 67-year old Torre led the Yankees to the playoffs in each of his 14 years there, collecting four championships and nine division titles along the way.

Torre turned down an offer from the Yankees following their elimination from the postseason in the ALDS, losing to the Cleveland Indians in four games. New York failed to make it out of the first round of the playoffs in Torre's final three seasons with the team and hasn't made it to a World Series since 2003, where they lost to the Florida Marlins.

Torre will take over a Dodgers' team that won 82 games this year, performing well under expectations. Many had penciled them in to win the National League West at the beginning of the season.

Week 8 NFL scores

TITANS 38 TEXANS 35
TEN: Collins: 25/42, 280 yds White: 27 car, 104 yds, TD Henry: 11 car, 57 yds, TD Williams: 5 rec, 124 yds Bironas: 8 FG (NFL record)
HOU: Schaub: left game (ankle) Rosenfels: 22/35, 290 yds, 4 TD, 3 INT Walter: 6 rec, 97 yds Davis: 4 rec, 88 yds, TD

PATRIOTS 49 DOLPHINS 28
NE: Brady: 21/25, 354 yds, 6 TD (5 in 1st half) Welker: 9 rec, 138 yds, 2 TD Moss: 4 rec, 122 yds, 2 TD
MIA: Lemon: 24/37, 236 yds, INT Brown: 17 car, 76 yds Chatman: 7 car, 73 yds, TD Hagan: 4 rec, 56 yds

49ERS 15 GIANTS 33
SF: Dilfer: 23/38, 209 yds, 2 TD, 2 INT Gore: 14 car, 88 yds Battle: 6 rec, 57 yds, TD
NYG: Manning: 18/31, 146 yds, 2 TD, INT Jacobs: 18 car, 107 yds, TD Umenyiora: 75-yd fumble return for TD

FALCONS 16 SAINTS 22
ATL: Leftwich: 15/23, 145 yds, TD Harrington: 12/18, 128 yds White: 8 rec, 110 yds, TD Jenkins: 6 rec, 69 yds
NO: Brees: 22/34, 219 yds, 2 TD, INT Bush: 17 car, 54 yds, 5 rec, 19 yds, TD

BUCCANEERS 16 LIONS 23
TB: Garcia: 37/45, 316 yds, 2 TD Graham: 19 car, 92 yds, 13 rec, 99 yds Hilliard: 9 rec, 92 yds, TD
DET: Kitna: 16/20, 147 yds Jones: 15 car, 76 yds, TD

CARDINALS 19 REDSKINS 21
ARI: Warner: 27/41, 282 yds, 2 TD, 2 INT James: 27 car, 83 yds Fitzgerald: 6 rec, 97 yds Boldin: 8 rec, 29 yds, 2 TD

RAVENS 14 BILLS 19
BAL: Boller: 21/36, 191 yds, TD McGahee: 19 car, 114 yds, TD Mason: 7 rec, 78 yds, TD
BUF: Edwards: 11/21, 153 yds, INT Lynch: 27 car, 84 yds, TD Evans: 5 rec, 98 yds

CHIEFS 12 RAIDERS 10
KC: Huard: 16/31, 177 yds, INT Johnson: 24 car, 112 yds, TD Bowe: 3 rec, 84 yds Gonzalez: 4 rec, 66 yds
OAK: Culpepper: 18/29, 228 yds, TD, INT Curry: 4 rec, 45 yds, TD

JETS 31 BENGALS 38
NYJ: Pennington: 20/31, 272 yds, 3 TD, INT Jones: 19 car, 67 yds Coles: 8 rec, 133 yds, 2 TD Cotchery: 6 rec, 60 yds, TD
CIN: Palmer: 14/21, 226 yds, TD, INT Watson: 31 car, 130 yds, 3 TD Johnson: 3 rec, 102 yds

RAMS 6 SEAHAWKS 33
STL: Bulger: 21/40, 225 yds, 3 INT Leonard: 12 car, 44 yds Holt: 8 rec, 82 yds
SEA: Hasselbeck: 18/35, 195 yds, 2 TD, INT Alexander: 19 car, 47 yds Engram: 6 rec, 73 yds

VIKINGS 14 COWBOYS 24
MIN: Jackson: 6/19, 72 yds Peterson: 12 car, 63 yds, TD Griffin: 50-yd fumble return for TD
DAL: Romo: 31/39, 277 yds, TD Barber: 19 car, 96 yds, TD Owens: 7 rec, 103 yds, TD Witten: 10 rec, 86 yds

BEARS 19 EAGLES 16
CHI: Griese: 27/41, 322 yds, TD Benson: 17 car, 46 yds Muhammad: 5 rec, 79 yds, TD Berrian: 4 rec, 65 yds
PHI: McNabb: 21/34, 226 yds, TD Westbrook: 18 car, 79 yds, 6 rec, 40 yds Curtis: 5 rec, 62 yds

Week 6 NFL scores

Texans 17 Jaguars 37
HOU: Schaub: 19/31, 259 yds, INT Rosenfels: 11/12, 82 yds, TD Green: 16 car, 44 yds Walter: 12 rec, 160 yds
JAC: Garrard: 22/34, 221 yds, 2 TD Jones-Drew: 12 car, 125 yds, 2 TD, 4 rec, 59 yds Taylor: 6 car, 90 yds

Redskins 14 Packers 17
WAS: Campbell: 21/37, 217 yds, TD, INT Portis: 20 car, 64 yds Cooley: 9 rec, 105 yds, TD
GB: Favre: 19/37, 188 yds, 2 INT Wynn: 13 car, 37 yds, TD Lee: 3 rec, 75 yds

Dolphins 31 Browns 41
MIA: Lemon: 24/43, 256 yds, 2 TD, 2 INT Brown: 19 car, 101 yds, 9 rec, 69 yds Chambers: 6 rec, 73 yds
CLE: Anderson: 18/25, 245 yds, 3 TD Wright: 20 car, 59 yds, TD Harrison: 8 car, 57 yds Edwards: 5 rec, 67 yds, 3 TD

Vikings 34 Bears 31
MIN: Jackson: 9/23, 136 yds, TD Peterson: 20 car, 224 yds, 3 TD Taylor: 22 car, 83 yds Williamson: 2 rec, 69 yds, TD
CHI: Griese: 26/45, 381 yds, 3 TD, 2 INT Benson: 18 car, 67 yds Hester: 81-yd TD rec Berrian: 5 rec, 78 yds, TD

Rams 3 Ravens 22
STL: Frerotte: 19/36, 208 yds, 5 INT Minor: 7 car, 40 yds Hagans: 5 rec, 74 yds
BAL: Boller: 18/30, 184 yds, INT McGahee: 25 car, 61 yds, TD Mason: 5 rec, 79 yds

Titans 10 Buccaneers 13
TEN: Young: 11/14, 120 yds, INT; left game (quad) Collins: 10/20, 125 yds White: 25 car, 64 yds, TD Gage: 4 rec, 82 yds
TB: Garcia: 20/31, 274 yds, TD Galloway: 4 rec, 97 yds, TD

Eagles 16 Jets 9
PHI: McNabb: 22/35, 278 yds, TD, INT Westbrook: 20 car, 120 yds Curtis: 5 rec, 121 yds, TD Brown: 6 rec, 89 yds
NYJ: Pennington: 11/21, 128 yds, INT Jones: 24 car, 130 yds Cotchery: 5 rec, 71 yds

Bengals 20 Chiefs 27
CIN: Palmer: 26/43, 320 yds, 2 TD, 2 INT Watson: 13 car, 68 yds Houshmandzadeh: 8 rec, 145 yds, 2 TD
KC: Huard: 25/35, 264 yds, 2 TD Johnson: 31 car, 119 yds, TD Gonzalez: 9 rec, 102 yds, 2 TD Webb: 7 rec, 78 yds

Panthers 25 Cardinals 10
CAR: Testaverde: 20/33, 206 yds, TD Williams: 10 car, 121 yds, TD Smith: 10 rec, 136 yds, TD
ARI: Warner: left game (elbow) Rattay: 12/24, 159 yds, 3 INT James: 22 car, 80 yds, TD Fitzgerald: 6 rec, 97 yds

Raiders 14 Chargers 28
OAK: Culpepper: 24/37, 230 yds, TD, 2 INT Jordan: 18 car, 42 yds Curry: 6 rec, 73 yds
SD: Rivers: 14/21, 156 yds, INT Tomlinson: 24 car, 198 yds, 4 TD

Patriots 48 Cowboys 27
NE: Brady: 31/46, 388 yds, 5 TD Faulk: 13 car, 50 yds Stallworth: 7 rec, 136 yds, TD Welker: 11 rec, 124, 2 TD Moss: 6 rec, 59 yds, TD
DAL: Romo: 18/29, 199 yds, 2 TD, INT Jones: 6 car, 51 yds Barber: 8 car, 47 yds Owens: 6 rec, 66 yds, TD

Red Sox rock Sabathia, take game one

Cleveland Indians' Cy Young candidate C.C. Sabathia came into the American League Championship Series recovering from a poor outing way back in game one of the Division Series against the New York Yankees in which he walked six batters in five innings. It can't get much worse than six free passes, right? It certainly can, as the 290-pound left-hander was chased early by the Boston Red Sox after surrendering eight runs, walking five and allowing seven hits, in a 10-3 loss in game one of the ALCS on Friday night.

Travis Hafner homered in the top half of the first inning for Cleveland, putting the Indians out in front 1-0. However, Boston came right back in the bottom half of the frame, stringing together three consecutive hits capped off by an RBI-single by Manny Ramirez to tie the score.

The Red Sox then blew things open in the third, scoring four runs off two walks, one with the bases loaded, a hit-by-pitch, and two doubles. Julio Lugo doubled to lead off the inning, and after Dustin Pedroia laid down a sacrifice bunt to move Lugo over to second, Sabathia walked Kevin Youkilis and then hit David Ortiz to load the bases. He then proceeded to walk Ramirez, bringing in Lugo to give Boston a 2-1 lead. Mike Lowell followed with a two-run ground-rule double, and Jason Varitek added an RBI-ground-out to extend Boston's lead to 5-1.

The Red Sox would never look back, as staff ace Josh Beckett pitched six magnificent innings, striking out seven and allowing only two runs on four hits. Beckett is now 2-0 with a 1.20 ERA this postseason and has only allowed two runs in his past three postseason starts dating back to 2003 when he was part of the Florida Marlins' world championship team. He has also not walked a batter thus far in the playoffs.

Bobby Kielty knocked in two more runs with a bases-loaded single in the fifth and then scored on a double by Varitek later that inning to give Boston an 8-1 advantage. Ramirez then drew his second bases-loaded walk of the night in the sixth, and Lowell hit a sacrifice fly, extending Boston's lead to 10-1.

Week 5 NFL scores

Panthers 16 Saints 13
CAR: Carr: 10/17, 119 yds, TD, INT Foster: 19 car, 59 yds Colbert: 4 rec, 74 yds Smith: 4 rec, 47 yds, TD
NO: Brees: 29/47, 252 yds, 2 INT Bush: 21 car, 67 yds, 9 rec, 52 yds Henderson: 4 rec, 101 yds

Browns 17 Patriots 34
CLE: Anderson: 22/43, 287 yds, 2 TD, 3 INT Wright: 15 car, 59 yds Edwards: 6 rec, 110 yds Carter: 3 rec, 50 yds, TD
NE: Brady: 22/38, 265 yds, 3 TD Morris: 21 car, 102 yds Watson: 6 rec, 107 yds, 2 TD Stallworth: 4 rec, 65 yds, TD

Jaguars 17 Chiefs 7
JAC: Garrard: 20/27, 218 yds, TD Jones-Drew: 9 car, 82 yds, TD Taylor: 16 car, 51 yds Northcutt: 4 rec, 73 yds, TD
KC: Huard: 19/30, 196 yds, INT Croyle: 6/13, 83 yds, TD Gonzalez: 8 rec, 100 yds Bowe: 4 rec, 70 yds; KC: 10 yds rushing

Dolphins 19 Texans 22
MIA: Green: left game (concussion) Lemon: 15/27, 151 yds, INT Brown: 23 car, 114 yds, TD
HOU: Schaub: 20/34, 294 yds, INT Dayne: 16 car, 40 yds, TD Daniels: 6 rec, 96 yds Davis: 4 rec, 79 yds

Cardinals 34 Rams 31
ARI: Warner: 14/28, 190 yds, TD, INT Leinart: 7/13, 100 yds, INT; left game (broken collarbone) James: 26 car, 88 yds Fitzgerald: 9 rec, 136 yds, TD Johnson: 6 rec, 80 yds
STL: Frerotte: 24/43, 262 yds, 3 TD, 3 INT Leonard: 18 car, 102 yds Holt: 5 rec, 89 yds, TD

Lions 3 Redskins 34
DET: Kitna: 16/29, 106 yds, 2 INT Jones: 11 car, 48 yds
WAS: Campbell: 23/29, 248 yds, 2 TD Portis: 18 car, 72 yds Sellers: rush TD, rec TD Randle El: 7 rec, 100 yds

Falcons 13 Titans 20
ATL: Harrington: 16/31, 87 yds, INT Leftwich: 2/8, 28 yds, INT White: 3 rec, 55 yds
TEN: Young: 20/33, 157 yds, 3 INT Brown: 10 car, 27 yds, TD Fuller: 76-yd INT return for TD

Seahawks 0 Steelers 21
SEA: Hasselbeck: 13/27, 116 yds, INT
PIT: Roethlisberger: 18/22, 206 yds, TD Parker: 28 car, 102 yds Davenport: 7 car, 58 yds, 2 TD Wilson: 5 rec, 69 yds

Jets 24 Giants 35
NYJ: Pennington: 21/36, 229 yds, TD, 3 INT Jones: 13 car, 36 yds Coles: 8 rec, 89 yds
NYG: Manning: 13/25, 186 yds, 2 TD, INT Jacobs: 20 car, 100 yds, TD Ward: 13 car, 56 yds, TD Burress: 5 rec, 124 yds, TD Ross: 2 INT, one 43-yd INT return for TD

Buccaneers 14 Colts 33
TB: Garcia: 18/23, 143 yds, 2 TD Hilliard: 8 rec, 58 yds Smith: 2 rec TD
IND: Manning: 29/37, 253 yds, 2 TD, INT Keith: 28 car, 121 yds, 2 TD Wayne: 7 rec, 62 yds, TD

Ravens 9 49ers 7
BAL: McNair: 29/43, 214 yds McGahee: 22 car, 88 yds Mason: 11 rec, 85 yds
SF: Dilfer: 12/19, 126 yds, TD, INT Gore: 16 car, 52 yds

Chargers 41 Broncos 3
SD: Rivers: 13/18, 270 yds, 2 TD Turner: 10 car, 147 yds, TD Tomlinson: 21 car, 67 yds, 3 rec, 73 yds Gates: 7 rec, 113 yds, TD Jackson: 3 rec, 84 yds, TD
DEN: Cutler: 23/36, 232 yds, INT Henry: 16 car, 65 yds Marshall: 6 rec, 72 yds Martinez: 6 rec, 70 yds

Rockies top Phillies, take 1-0 series edge

The Colorado Rockies simply cannot lose. After winning 14 of their final 15 games to close out the season and take the National League Wild Card, Colorado beat the Philadelphia Phillies 4-2 in game one of their National League Division Series match-up.

Jeff Francis struck out eight in six innings for the Rockies, his only blemishes coming off back-to-back home runs by Aaron Rowand and Pat Burrell in the fifth inning. Colorado did most of their damage in the second, scoring three runs on three hits and three walks, one to Troy Tulowitzki with the bases loaded. Todd Helton led off the frame with a triple and then scored on Garrett Atkins' double. Yorvit Torrealba then knocked in a run with an RBI-single, and Tulowitzki drew a bases-loaded walk to bring yet another run across the plate in what turned out to be a 40-pitch inning for Philadelphia ace Cole Hamels. Hamels was lucky he only allowed three runs that inning, though, as Matt Holliday hit a blast that went just foul with the bases full in that same frame.

Rowand and Burrell led off the bottom of the fifth with homers to make it a 3-2 game, but Francis, who struck out the first four Phillies of the game, then settled down, retiring six of the next eight batters. LaTroy Hawkins entered the game in the seventh and, after walking Greg Dobbs with one out, got Carlos Ruiz to ground into an inning-ending double-play.

Tom Gordon relieved Hamels with two outs in the seventh and retired Kaz Matsui, but then gave up a home run to Holliday in the eighth, giving the Rockies a 4-2 advantage that they would keep the rest of the afternoon. Manuel Corpas closed the door for Colorado with a 1-2-3 ninth.

The 1-2-3-4 hitters should shoulder much of the blame for putting Philadelphia in an 0-1 hole in this best-of-five series, as they combined to go 0-for-15 with nine strikeouts. Chase Utley struck out four times, three against Francis. Ryan Howard struck out on three occasions, and Jimmy Rollins and Shane Victorino each went down on strikes once.

Game two of the series is tomorrow at 3 PM ET at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia.

NL playoff picture as murky as ever

The San Diego Padres took a 3-2 lead into the bottom of the ninth inning against the hapless Milwaukee Brewers yesterday afternoon. Milwaukee had nothing to play for, as they had already been eliminated from playoff contention after a miserable September, and with Trevor Hoffman, owner of 42 saves and a 2.53 ERA, coming into to close out the game, you'd figure the Padres had it all wrapped up right? Wrong. With two outs and Corey Hart on second, Tony Gwynn Jr. ripped a triple into right field to bring in Hart. Ironic that Tony Gwynn's son would do this to San Diego, huh? The Brewers would then proceed to win it in the 11th inning, setting the National League playoff race into a frenzy.

The Philadelphia Phillies also made things much more difficult for the final day of the season, as they dropped the second game of a three-game set to the Washington Nationals, 4-2, allowing the New York Mets, who defeated the Florida Marlins 13-0 behind a spectacular performance from John Maine, to pull even with the Phils in the NL East. However, things would not have been complete if the Colorado Rockies didn't do their part. Unfortunately for baseball analysts everywhere, they did, trumping the Arizona Diamondbacks 11-1 to bring themselves back within a game of the NL Wild Card-leading Padres.

So, what does all that mean? It means that we're in for a very confusing Sunday afternoon of baseball, that's what. Let's examine the most confusing scenario:

If the Mets and Phillies both win, the Padres lose and the Rockies win, the Mets and Phillies will play a one-game playoff tomorrow to decide the NL East division title. The loser of that game will be tossed into a three-game playoff with Colorado and San Diego. If that is the case, the Rockies, thanks to winning the season series' with each of the remaining squads, get to decide if they want to play two games at home or play the winner of the Padres/Phillies or Mets game on the road.

Is your head spinning yet? And the worst part is that this is only one of a possible 1,548 scenarios to determine which teams fill out the final two playoff spots in the National League. That's where the Diamondbacks come into play. They have already clinched the NL West title and home-field advantage throughout the NL playoffs, making life much easier on the Rockies today. Doug Davis was scheduled to pitch for Arizona, but he was scratched from his start and will be replaced by Yusmeiro Petit, owner of a 3-4 record and a 5.02 ERA in 13 appearances (nine starts) this season. Manager Bob Melvin also said that he will sit catcher Chris Snyder, second baseman Augie Ojeda, and center-fielder Chris Young. I'm sure that's not all of the Diamondbacks who will be benched today, and I'm also sure that there will be a few that see one at-bat and are replaced after a few innings.

In the case of the Padres, their fans have reason to take valumes before the game's 2:05 ET start against Milwaukee. Why? Because Brett Tomko (4-11, 5.39 ERA) will be taking the mound for their team, and he will be opposed by Jeff Suppan, a pitcher who thrives in late September and October. You can be sure that he will bring his best stuff today and that the young Brewers will fight until the finish. Even more scary for San Diego fans is the success that some of the Milwaukee players have experienced against Tomko. Geoff Jenkins is 10-for-28 (.357) with two homers versus the right-hander, Johnny Estrada is 4-for-10 with a long ball, and Prince Fielder has homered one against him in three at-bats. Bill Hall has also gone deep against Tomko and is 3-for-9 when facing him lifetime. Also take into account that the Brewers are 81-80, meaning that today's game will determine whether they finish with a winning season or end at .500, so this contest does mean something to Milwaukee.

I'm sure plenty of Met fans also have doubts, as they are facing their arch-nemesis in Florida's Dontrelle Willis today. Willis sports an 11-3 record and a 2.49 ERA in his career against the Mets. He also hit all three of his home runs against the Mets last year, two in one game in September and a grand slam in July. On the mound for New York is Tom Glavine, a pitcher whom these same Marlins rocked for 11 hits and four runs in five innings just a week-and-a-half ago down in Miami. The Phillies will send out 44-year old Jamie Moyer to try and take care of business versus Jason Bergmann and the Nationals, who have made life very tough on several contenders as of late, most notably the Mets.

So, what are my predictions for today?

1. The Marlins will take out the Mets behind an outstanding performance from Willis in what may be his final game as a Marlin.
2. The Phillies will beat the Nationals handily.
3. The Brewers will down the Padres thanks to a great effort from Suppan.
4. Colorado will blow out Arizona.

This will make things a lot less complicated, as Philadelphia will have won the NL East to avoid a one-game playoff with New York, meaning the only extra contest that would have to be played is an NL Wild Card-deciding game between the Rockies and San Diego, in which I think Colorado will win. The National League would then look like this heading into the postseason:

1. Diamondbacks
2. Phillies
3. Cubs
4. Rockies

Phew.

Mets continue tailspin, fall to Marlins

Things just keep getting worse for the defending National League East champion New York Mets. After getting swept by the lowly Washington Nationals and then getting shut-out by the St. Louis Cardinals in a make-up game yesterday, the Mets dropped the first game of a three-game set to the Florida Marlins tonight, 7-4. They have now fallen behind the Philadelphia Phillies in the NL East standings and are in second place in the division for the first time since May 15th. New York is on the verge of the biggest September collapse in MLB history. Never before has a team had a seven-game lead with 17 games left to play and lost it.

The Marlins busted out of the gates early as Jeremy Hermida blasted a two-run home run off the scoreboard in right field off Oliver Perez in the first inning. Perez then singled in a run in the bottom half of the frame to bring the Mets to within one run, but Florida added two runs in the third, both off hit-batsmen with the bases loaded. Perez loaded the bases with nobody out. Hermida then grounded out sharply to third baseman David Wright, who threw home to get the force out. Catcher Paul Lo Duca then threw back to Wright in an attempt to get the out at third, but Wright failed to remember to step on third base, leaving the bases juiced with one out. Perez then struck out Miguel Cabrera and emphatically pumped his fist into his glove, only to hit Cody Ross and Mike Jacobs in succession and give the Marlins a 4-1 advantage. He also hit Dan Uggla earlier in the inning.

Carlos Beltran made it a 4-3 game in the bottom of the third with a long two-run blast off of Byung-Hyun Kim. However, Florida answered right back in the top of the fourth. With two outs, the Marlins loaded the bases to set the stage for a two-run single by Cabrera, putting the Fish up 6-3. Matt Treanor then added to the lead with a solo homer in the top of the fifth. An RBI ground-out by Wright made it 7-4 in the bottom half of the inning, but neither team would score after that.

Kevin Gregg pitched the ninth to pick up his 32nd save for the Marlins, whose bullpen came up with another phenomenal collective effort after Kim left the game in the sixth with a blister on his throwing hand. Taylor Tankersley, Matt Lindstrom, Lee Gardner, and Gregg combined to throw four scoreless innings. Lindstrom pitched out of a first-and-third, one out jam in the seventh, striking out Beltran and Moises Alou to end the inning. Florida's bullpen has not allowed a run in the past four games.

Week 3 NFL scores

Dolphins 28 Jets 31
MIA: Green: 23/36, 318 yds, TD, INT Brown: 23 car, 112 yds, 2 TD, 6 rec, 99 yds, TD Chambers: 6 rec, 101 yds
NYJ: Pennington: 15/22, 124 yds, 2 TD Jones: 25 car, 110 yds Cotchery: 5 rec, 54 yds

Bills 7 Patriots 38
BUF: Edwards: 10/17, 97 yds, INT Losman: left game in 1st (knee) Lynch: 20 car, 74 yds, TD
NE: Brady: 23/29, 311 yds, 4 TD Maroney: 19 car, 103 yds Morris: 12 car, 46 yds, TD Moss: 5 car, 115 yds, 2 TD Welker: 6 rec, 69 yds

Vikings 10 Chiefs 13
MIN: Holcomb: 14/28, 165 yds Peterson: 25 car, 102 yds, TD, 3 rec, 48 yds Shiancoe: 3 rec, 51 yds
KC: Huard: 20/29, 206 yds, TD Johnson: 24 car, 42 yds Gonzalez: 7 rec, 96 yds Bowe: 5 rec, 71 yds, TD

Colts 30 Texans 24
IND: Manning: 20/29, 273 yds, TD Addai: 22 car, 72 yds, 2 TD Wayne: 4 rec, 84 yds Clark: 4 rec, 58 yds, TD
HOU: Schaub: 27/33, 236 yds, TD, 2 INT Davis: 4 rec, 70 yds

Chargers 24 Packers 31
SD: Rivers: 27/36, 306 yds, 3 TD, INT Tomlinson: 22 car, 62 yds, 3 rec, 33 ysd, TD Gates: 11 rec, 113 yds Jackson: 6 rec, 98 yds, TD
GB: Favre: 28/45, 369 yds, 3 TD (ties Dan Marino- 1st all-time) Driver: 6 rec, 126 yds, TD Jennings: 4 rec, 82 yds, TD Jones: 6 rec, 79 yds

Cardinals 23 Ravens 26
ARI: Warner: 15/20, 258 yds, 2 TD James: 10 car, 57 yds Boldin: 14 rec, 181 yds, 2 TD Fitzgerald: 5 rec, 85 yds
BAL: McNair: 20/27, 198 yds, TD McGahee: 21 car, 98 yds Mason: 8 rec, 79 yds, TD Heap: 4 rec, 60 yds

Rams 3 Buccaneers 24
STL: Bulger: 17/26, 116 yds, 3 INT Jackson: 30 car, 115 yds Holt: 5 rec, 63 yds
TB: Garcia: 14/22, 151 yds Graham: 8 car, 75 yds, 2 TD Williams: 12 car, 46 yds, TD

49ers 16 Steelers 37
SF: Smith: 17/35, 209 yds, TD, INT Gore: 14 car, 39 yds Jackson: 4 rec, 69 yds Davis; 4 rec, 56 yds
PIT: Roethlisberger: 13/20, 160 yds, TD Parker: 24 car, 133 yds Davenport: 5 rec, 47 yds, TD Miller: 4 rec, 82 yds

Lions 21 Eagles 56
DET: Kitna: 29/46, 446 yds, 2 TD, INT Williams: 9 rec, 204 yds, TD McDonald: 5 rec, 76 yds, TD
PHI: McNabb: 21/26, 381 yds, 4 TD Westbrook: 14 car, 110 yds, 2 TD, 5 rec, 111 yds, TD Curtis: 11 rec, 221 yds, 3 TD

Bengals 21 Seahawks 24
CIN: Palmer: 27/43, 342 yds, TD, 2 INT Watson: 9 car, 60 yds, TD Houshmandzadeh: 12 rec, 141 yds, TD Johnson: 9 rec, 138 yds
SEA: Hasselbeck: 24/37, 248 yds, 3 TD, 2 INT Alexander: 21 car, 100 yds Branch: 6 rec, 77 yds, TD Burleson: 6 rec, 76 yds, TD Engram: 5 rec, 62 yds, TD

Jaguars 23 Broncos 14
JAC: Garrard: 14/20, 154 yds, TD, 12 car, 52 yds Taylor: 17 car, 84 yds
DEN: Cutler: 16/23, 222 yds, TD, INT Henry: 11 car, 35 yds, TD Marshall: 7 rec, 133 yds

Browns 24 Raiders 26
CLE: Anderson: 18/37, 248 yds, TD, 2 INT Lewis: 15 car, 56 yds Winslow: 6 rec, 88 yds Edwards: 4 rec, 83 yds, TD
OAK: McCown: 6/12, 108 yds, TD Culpepper: 8/14, 118 yds Jordan: 29 car, 121 yds, TD Curry: 3 rec, 62 yds, TD

Giants 24 Redskins 17
NYG: Manning: 21/36, 236 yds, TD, 2 INT Ward: 26 car, 94 yds, 6 rec, 26 yds Droughns: 2 rush TD Burress: 5 rec, 86 yds, TD Shockey: 5 rec, 79 yds
WAS: Campbell: 16/34, 190 yds, TD Portis: 14 car, 60 yds, TD Moss: 3 rec, 82 yds

Panthers 27 Falcons 20
CAR: Delhomme: 10/18, 109 yds, 2 TD Foster: 20 car, 122 yds, TD King: 4 rec, 56 yds, TD
ATL: Harrington: 31/44, 361 yds, 2 TD Dunn: 11 car, 55 yds White: 7 rec, 127 yds, TD Jenkins: 6 rec, 76 yds Crumpler: 6 rec, 63 yds, TD

Bonds will not play for Giants in 2008

San Francisco Giants' outfielder Barry Bonds will not be in a Giants' uniform next season. Owner Peter Magowan broke the news to Bonds this past week.

The 43-year old Bonds has spent 15 of his 22 professional seasons in San Francisco, in which span he led the Giants to four postseason appearances and one World Series appearance in 2002. Bonds is batting .279 with 28 home runs and 66 RBI this year and broke Hank Aaron's all-time home run record by slamming his 756th career long ball against the Washington Nationals in August. He has hit six homers since, making his total 762.

However, the Home Run King will not retire. "There is more baseball in me and I plan on continuing my career," said Bonds. "My quest for a World Series ring continues." Bonds was also not too thrilled with San Francisco's decision to inform him on such short notice. "Although I am disappointed, I've always said baseball is a business, and I respect their decision. However, I am saddened and upset that I was not given an earlier opportunity to properly say goodbye to you, my fans, and celebrate with the city throughout the season as I truly believe this was not a last-minute decision by the Giants, but one that was made some time ago."

New York Giants: season preview

Projected record: 12-4, 1st in NFC East

Offensive MVP: Eli Manning. Manning showed a lot in the pre-season, but he is known for getting off to great starts and then tailing of late in the year. Still, I think this is one year Eli will really stand out, as he has no choice but to take charge of the offense now that Tiki Barber is gone. Also, Amani Toomer is healthy, which helps Manning a lot. His stats with and without Toomer last season were eye-poppingly different.

Defensive MVP: Michael Strahan. Seeing that this could be Strahan's last season, he is going to be as hungry as ever to get that elusive Super Bowl title. He is still the most dominant defensive end in the league when healthy and can easily record double-digits in sacks once again. Look for a big 15+ sack campaign out of the captain.

Offensive Rookie of the Year: Steve Smith. Smith turned heads in camp and even gave Toomer a run for his money as the number two receiver. He is explosive and runs great routes and, most importantly, has sure hands. He will have the impact on the Giants that most people expected Sinorice Moss to have on the team last season.

Defensive Rookie of the Year: Aaron Ross. Not really much of a surprise here, as Ross will be the only defensive rookie on New York that will see considerable playing time. He has struggled so far, but the extremely talented cornerback needs an adjustment period and needs to fully adapt to the style of play in the NFL. Once he does that, he will be something special.

Surprise rookie: Ahmad Bradshaw. Bradshaw, a seventh-round pick, was a very pleasant surprise for Tom Coughlin and company in training camp and the pre-season. He is a very intelligent back who knows how to hit the holes and get to the outside. He's blessed with good speed and great field awareness and will definitely see ample playing time this year.

Comeback Player of the Year: Osi Umenyiora. He missed a good portion of last season with a pesky hip injury, but Umenyiora is now 100% and should return to his 2005-06 form when he led the Giants with 14.5 sacks.

Best offensive lineman: Kareem McKenzie. One of the most under-appreciated tackles in the game, McKenzie is one of the best run-blockers in the league and did a superb job in pass protection last year as well. He is a wall.

Best receiver: Plaxico Burress. Expect Burress to have a much more productive year than last season now that Toomer is back at full strength to take some pressure off him. Not to say that Plax didn't have a good year last year (10 touchdowns), but Burress failed to reach 1,000 yards receiving and wasn't the same dominant wide-out that he was in his first season with the Giants when he accumulated over 1,200 yards.

Best defensive lineman: Strahan. See "Defensive MVP."

Best linebacker: Mathias Kiwanuka. Kiwanuka impressed the coaching staff so much last season as the team's second-string defensive end that they figured they had to start him this year no matter what position they put him at. Either way, linebacker might be Kiwanuka's best position after all. He will be a LaVar Arrington/Julian Peterson type of linebacker who will rack up sacks and force opposing quarterbacks into bad throws.

Best defensive back: Gibril Wilson. Wilson has quietly developed into one of the best safeties in the NFL. He is a tackling machine who was arguably the defense's MVP in the second half of last season. Look for a big year from the fourth-year star out of Tennessee.

Five predictions:
1. Strahan and Umenyiora will combine for the most sacks by a defensive end tandem in the NFL.
2. Brandon Jacobs will rush for over 1,200 yards and score 15 touchdowns.
3. Jeremy Shockey will have the best year of his career and will reach 900 yards receiving.
4. New free safety James Butler will record four interceptions this season.
5. The Giants will represent the NFC in the Super Bowl.

2007-08 NFL predictions

DIVISION WINNERS:

AFC East
1. Patriots (14-2)
2. Jets (11-5)
3. Dolphins (5-11)
4. Bills (5-11)

AFC North
1. Steelers (12-4)
2. Ravens (11-5)
3. Bengals (10-6)
4. Browns (5-11)

AFC South
1. Jaguars (12-4)
2. Colts (9-7)
3. Titans (6-10)
4. Texans (5-11)

AFC West
1. Chargers (11-5)
2. Broncos (10-6)
3. Chiefs (7-9)
4. Raiders (2-14)

NFC East
1. Giants (12-4)
2. Cowboys (7-9)
3. Eagles (6-10)
4. Redskins (6-10)

NFC North
1. Packers (10-6)
2. Bears (9-7)
3. Vikings (6-10)
4. Lions (5-11)

NFC South
1. Panthers (12-4)
2. Saints (10-6)
3. Falcons (5-11)
4. Buccaneers (4-12)

NFC West
1. Seahawks (10-6)
2. Rams (8-8)
3. 49ers (8-8)
4. Cardinals (5-11)

PLAYOFF TEAMS:

AFC
Patriots
Steelers
Jaguars
Chargers
Ravens
Jets

NFC
Giants
Packers
Panthers
Seahawks
Saints
Bears

AWARDS:

Most Valuable Player: Tom Brady, Patriots
Offensive Player of the Year: Steven Jackson, Rams
Defensive Player of the Year: Michael Strahan, Giants
Offensive Rookie of the Year: Marshawn Lynch, Bills
Defensive Rookie of the Year: Patrick Willis, 49ers
Comeback Player of the Year: Ben Roethlisberger, Steelers
Step-back player: Tony Romo, Cowboys
Step-back team: Chicago Bears
Team on the rise: New York Giants
Best off-season pickup: Randy Moss, Patriots
Coach of the year: Bill Belichick, Patriots
Super Bowl: Patriots over Giants

Jaguars name Garrard starting QB; Leftwich out

The Jacksonville Jaguars have named David Garrard the team's starting quarterback and have decided to part ways with four-year starter Byron Leftwich, whom the Jaguars drafted out of Marshall in 2003. The 27-year old Leftwich has yet to play a full season in the NFL due to nagging leg injuries. He missed 10 games last year because of a broken ankle. In the six games that he played, Leftwich tallied 1,159 passing yards, seven touchdowns, five interceptions, and a 79 quarterback rating. Leftwich also missed the final five games of the 2005-06 season and the team's first-round playoff game against the New England Patriots due to the same injury. He is expected to be traded or released.

Garrard, 29, has been with Jacksonville since 2002. In that time span, he has started 18 games, 10 last year, and has a career quarterback rating of 78.9. Last season, Garrard threw for 1,735 yards and 10 touchdowns while being picked off nine times. His quarterback rating was 80.5. The Jaguars went 8-8 and failed to make the playoffs.

Eddie Griffin dies in car accident

NBA player Eddie Griffin died in a car accident last week when his sport utility vehicle collided with a freight train. He was 25. His body was identified today.

Griffin's last stint with an NBA team was with the Minnesota Timberwolves in March before he was waived for under-performance and off the court issues. The 6'10" forward also spent time with the Houston Rockets and the New Jersey Nets. He was drafted seventh overall out of Seton Hall University by New Jersey in the 2001 NBA Draft but was traded to Houston for the draft rights to Richard Jefferson. He then signed back with the Nets in the 2003-04 season only to be released and then signed by Minnesota a year later.

Griffin posted career averages of 7.2 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 1.7 blocks per game. He was widely considered one of the best shot-blockers in the league but never maximized his potential. His best season probably came in the 2002-03 campaign where he averaged 8.6 points, six rebounds, and 1.4 blocks per game. He tallied more points and blocks per game in his rookie year but shot only 36.6% from the floor and did not compile as many rebounds.

Saturday's MLB scores

AMERICAN LEAGUE

Red Sox 6 Orioles 2
BOS: W: Beckett (15-5); 8.2 IP, 8 H, 2 ER, 8 K Drew: 3-5, 2 2B, 2 RBI Lugo: 2-3, 2 RBI
BAL: L: Olson (1-1)

Mariners 7 White Sox 6
SEA: W: Batista (12-8) Ibanez: 3-5, HR (11), 3 RBI Betancourt: 1-4, GS HR (8), 4 RBI
CHW: L: Floyd (1-2); 4 IP, 7 H, 7 ER Fields: 2-5, GS HR (12), 5 RBI Owens: 2-4, HR (7)

Yankees 11 Indians 2
NYY: W: Mussina (8-7); 7.2 IP, 8 H, 2 ER, 6 K Rodriguez: 2-5, 2 HR (39), 4 RBI Abreu: 2-5, 2 RBI Damon: 2-6, 2 RBI
CLE: L: Byrd (10-5); 2 IP, 7 H, 7 ER Martinez: 1-3, 2 RBI

Athletics 2 Tigers 5
OAK: L: Haren (13-4) Stewart: 2-4, RBI
DET: W: Verlander (12-4) Ordonez: 3-4, HR (19), 2 RBI Thames: 2-4, HR (12)

Blue Jays 1 Royals 4
TOR: L: McGowan (8-6) Zaun: 1-3, HR (6)
KC: W: Nunez (2-0); 6 IP, 2 H, ER, 3 BB Gordon: 3-3, HR (9), 2 RBI Gathright: 2-3, RBI

Devil Rays 3 Rangers 0
TB: W: Jackson (3-11); CG, 4 H, 8 K Young: 2-4, 2 2B, RBI
TEX: L: Rheinecker (1-1)

Twins 3 Angels 4
MIN: L: Neshek (6-2) Silva: 7 IP, 2 H Mauer: 3-4, RBI
LAA: W: Lackey (15-6); 8 IP, 10 H, 2 ER Izturis: 1-3, HR (5), 2 RBI

NATIONAL LEAGUE

Pirates 13 Giants 3
PIT: W: Armas (2-3) Sanchez: 4-5, HR (7), 5 RBI LaRoche: 2-5, HR (17), 3 RBI Castillo: 2-5, 2 RBI
SF: L: Lincecum (6-3); 6 IP, 9 H, 6 ER, 8 K Winn: 2-4, HR (7)

Dodgers 1 Cardinals 6
LAD: L: Lowe (8-11)
STL: W: Looper (10-9); 6 IP, 4 H, ER Ankiel: 3-4, 2 HR (3), 3 RBI, 3 R Edmonds: 2-4, 2 RBI

Padres 3 Reds 8
SD: L: Hampson (2-3) B. Giles: 2-4, 2 HR (5), 3 RBI
CIN: W: Livingston (3-2); 8.1 IP, 4 H, 3 ER Keppinger: 2-4, 3 RBI Gonzalez: 1-3, 2 RBI

Braves 7 Phillies 5
ATL: W: Mahay (3-0) Johnson: 2-3, HR (13), 3 RBI Francoeur: 2-4, HR (14)
PHI: L: Eaton (9-8); 3 IP, 8 H, 6 ER Iguchi: 1-5, 2 RBI

Brewers 7 Astros 4
MIL: W: Linebrink (4-3) Braun: 2-5, HR (22), 4 RBI Fielder: 3-5, HR (36)
HOU: L: Lidge (3-2) Rodriguez: 7 IP, 6 H, ER Lee: 2-5, 2 RBI

Marlins 7 Mets 5
FLA: W: Miller (4-0) Willingham: 3-5, GS HR (18), 5 RBI Cabrera: 2-3, 2 BB, 2 RBI
NYM: L: Heilman (7-4) Wright: 3-4, 2 HR (22), 3 RBI

Nationals 0 Diamondbacks 1
WAS: L: Lannan (1-1); 7 IP, 4 H, ER
ARI: W: Webb (12-8); CG, 5 H, 10 K Upton: 1-3, RBI

Cubs 2 Rockies 15
CHC: L: Hill (6-7); 5.2 IP, 9 H, 7 ER, 1-2, RBI
COL: W: Fogg (7-7) Tulowitzki: 4-5, 3 RBI Hawpe: 2-5, HR (21), 3 RBI Carroll: 1-2, GS HR (2), 5 RBI Torrealba: 2-3, RBI, 4 R

Friday's MLB round-up

AMERICAN LEAGUE

Red Sox 5 Orioles 6
BOS: L: Okajima (3-1) Matsuzaka: 7 IP, 4 H, ER, 4 BB, 7 K Ortiz: 1-4, 2 RBI
BAL: W: Hoey (1-0) Bedard: 7.2 IP, 4 H, 3 ER, 7 K Huff: 1-3, 2 RBI Markakis: 1-4, 2 RBI

Yankees 6 Indians 1
NYY: W: Hughes (2-1); 6 IP, 4 H, ER, 6 K Jeter: 3-4, RBI Abreu: 1-4, 2 RBI
CLE: L: Carmona (13-7) Barfield: 1-3, HR (3)

Athletics 16 Tigers 10
OAK: W: Lugo (3-0) Blanton: 4 IP, 7 H, 9 ER Cust: 2-5, GS HR (18), 7 RBI Buck: 4-5, 3 RBI Murphy: 2-5, HR (3), 3 RBI
DET: L: McBride (1-1) Tata: 2 IP, 5 H, 7 ER Thames: 1-3, GS HR (12), 4 RBI Ordonez: 3-5, 2 RBI Sheffield: 2-5, HR (24), 2 RBI

Blue Jays 2 Royals 1
TOR: W: Marcum (9-4); 6.2 IP, H, took no-hitter into 7th Wells: 2-4, 2 RBI
KC: L: Meche (7-10)

Mariners 3 White Sox 5
SEA: L: Washburn (8-9) Ibanez: 3-4, HR (10) Johjima: 2-4, HR (13)
CHW: W: Vazquez (10-6); 7 IP, 9 H, 3 ER Fields: 2-4, 2 HR (11) Dye: 2-3, HR (24)

Devil Rays 4 Rangers 7
TB: L: Sonnanstine (1-8) Navarro: 3-4
TEX: W: Wood (2-1) Catalanotto: 3-4, HR (8), 5 RBI Young: 1-4, 2 RBI

NATIONAL LEAGUE

Padres 12 Reds 7 (11 innings)
SD: W: K. Cameron (1-0) Gonzalez: 3-4, HR (19), 3 RBI Greene: 3-5, HR (19), 3 RBI Kouzmanoff: 2-5, HR (12), 2 RBI
CIN: L: Weathers (2-4) Hopper: 2-6, 2 RBI Griffey: 2-4, HR (27)

Marlins 4 Mets 3
FLA: W: Lindstrom (2-3) Ramirez: 2-4, 2 RBI, 3 SB, GW 2-R 2B Hermida: 2-3, RBI
NYM: L: Wagner (1-1); first blown save since June 7th (PHI) Beltran: 1-4, HR (20), 3 RBI

Braves 4 Phillies 5
ATL: L: James (9-9) McCann: 1-3, 2 RBI
PHI: W: Hamels (13-5) Helms: 1-3, HR (5), 2 RBI

Brewers 5 Astros 4
MIL: W: Spurling (2-1) Hall: 1-5, 2 RBI Fielder: 1-3, HR (35)
HOU: L: Moehler (1-4) Scott: 2-4, HR (14), 3 RBI

Dodgers 2 Cardinals 1
LAD: W: Beimel (3-1) Penny: 7 IP, 5 H, 6 K Loney: 1-4, GW 2-R HR (5), 2 RBI
STL: L: Wainwright (10-9); 9 IP, 6 H, 2 ER, 5 K Molina: 3-4, RBI

Tuesday's MLB news and notes

Diamondbacks re-sign Byrnes
The Arizona Diamondbacks have signed outfielder Eric Byrnes to a three-year contract extension worth $30 million. The 31-year old Byrnes is batting .303 with 17 home runs, 64 RBI, and 28 stolen bases this season.

Red Sox land Kielty
The Boston Red Sox have signed outfielder Bobby Kielty to a minor-league contract. Kielty, 31, was batting .200 this season with the Oakland Athletics before he was released on August 1st. He has spent a good portion of the year on the disabled list with a torn meniscus. Kielty is a career .255 hitter and is known for hitting very well against lefties (batted .325 against left-handers last season).

Padres to release Wells?
The San Diego Padres are reportedly considering releasing David Wells. The 44-year old left-hander is 5-8 with a 5.54 ERA this season and is coming off his worst outing of the year, giving up seven runs to the St. Louis Cardinals in a 10-5 loss on Monday.

J.O. to Lakers? Not so fast

Indiana Pacers' forward Jermaine O'Neal was quoted on Sports Illustrated's website on Monday as saying he would "welcome a trade to the Lakers." O'Neal, who has spent seven seasons with Indiana, does not want to be part of a rebuilding process and has expressed some interest in being dealt. However, O'Neal's agent, Arn Tellem, said in an e-mail to the Associated Press that the 28-year old "hasn't requested a trade to the Lakers." The 6'11" O'Neal averaged 19.4 points, 9.6 rebounds, and 2.4 blocks per game last year.

Bonds stuck at 755; Cardinals score 10 in 5th

AMERICAN LEAGUE

Yankees 5 Blue Jays 4
NYY: W: Pettitte (8-7) Cabrera: 3-4, RBI Damon: 2-5, RBI Cano: 1-4, 2 RBI
TOR: L: Downs (1-2) Thomas: 2-5, 2 RBI

Devil Rays 4 Tigers 6
TB: L: Glover (5-4) Upton: 1-3, HR (16), 3 RBI
DET: W: Miner (2-3) Guillen: 3-4, 2 RBI Raburn: 1-4, 2 RBI

Indians 4 Twins 0
CLE: W: Byrd (10-4); CG, 4 H Peralta: 3-4, RBI Blake: 1-4, 2 RBI
MIN: L: Silva (9-12); 7 IP, 6 H, 2 ER, 6 K

Athletics 9 Rangers 7 (13 innings)
OAK: W: Brown (2-0) Scutaro: 1-4, GS HR (5), 4 RBI Ellis: 2-6, 2 RBI Piazza: 3-7, RBI
TEX: L: Eyre (3-5) Young: 3-4, HR (5) Botts: 2-6, HR (1), 2 RBI Sosa: 2-6, 2 RBI

Red Sox 2 Angels 4
BOS: L: Schilling (6-5); 6 IP, 9 H, 4 ER, 5 K Youkilis: 2-4, HR (12), 2 RBI
LAA: W: Speier (1-2) Kotchman: 1-4, 2 RBI

NATIONAL LEAGUE

Padres 5 Cardinals 10
SD: L: Wells (5-8); 4 IP, 11 H, 7 ER Blum: 2-4, HR (2), 2 RBI Gonzalez: 2-4, HR (18) Greene: 2-4, HR (18)
STL: W: Looper (9-9) Rolen: 1-4, HR (7), 3 RBI Eckstein: 1-4, 2 RBI Ludwick: 2-4, HR (9)

Cubs 1 Astros 2 (10 innings)
CHC: L: Wuertz (2-3) Hill: 7 IP, 3 H, ER, 6 K
HOU: W: Lidge (3-1) Rodriguez: 8 IP, 4 H, ER, 9 K Lee: 2-3, HR (24)

Brewers 2 Rockies 6
MIL: L: Vargas (9-4); 7 IP, 12 H, 6 ER
COL: W: Fogg (6-7); 7 IP, 6 H, 2 ER Holliday: 3-4, HR (21), 2 RBI Hawpe: 2-3, HR (19), 3 RBI

Nationals 2 Giants 3 (11 innings)
WAS: L: King (1-1) Lannan: 7 IP, 8 H, ER, 5 BB Young: 1-4, HR (10), 2 RBI
SF: W: Hennessey (2-3) Lincecum: 7 IP, 5 H, ER, 8 K, 5 BB Winn: 4-5, RBI

Glavine joins 300-club

New York Mets' pitcher Tom Glavine won his 300th game Sunday night in the Mets' 8-3 victory over the Chicago Cubs. Glavine went 6.1 innings, giving up six hits and two earned runs. The 41-year old left-hander is now 10-6 with a 4.31 ERA this season and has a 3.49 career ERA. He became only the 23rd pitcher in major-league history to win 300 games and only the fifth lefty to accomplish such a feat.

Glavine wins 300th; Tigers fall again

AMERICAN LEAGUE

White Sox 3 Tigers 1
CHW: W: Floyd (1-1); 6 IP, 7 H, 6 K
DET: L: Tata (1-1) Ordonez: 1-4, HR (17)

Royals 5 Yankees 8
KC: L: Meche (7-9); 4 IP, 6 H, 6 ER, 5 BB Gload: 2-4, HR (4), 2 RBI Gathright: 4-4, RBI
NYY: W: Mussina (7-7); 6 IP, 9 H, 2 ER Cabrera: 2-5, HR (7), 2 RBI Matsui: 1-3, HR (22), 2 RBI Abreu: 3-4, 2 RBI

Rangers 1 Blue Jays 4
TEX: L: McCarthy (7-8) Catalanotto: 2-5, HR (7)
TOR: W: McGowan (8-5); 8 IP, 8 H, ER, 6 K Stairs: 3-3, 2 RBI

Orioles 11 Devil Rays 3
BAL: W: Bedard (12-4); 6.2 IP, 9 H, 3 ER, 11 K Huff: 3-5, HR (8) Patterson: 2-5, 3 RBI Gibbons: 4-5
TB: L: Sonnanstine (1-7); 3.2 IP, 8 H, 7 ER Crawford: 4-5, HR (9) Upton: 2-5, HR (15), 2 RBI

Indians 0 Twins 1
CLE: L: Carmona (13-6); 7 IP, 5 H, ER, 5 K, 5 BB
MIN: W: Baker (6-4); 8 IP, 4 H

Red Sox 9 Mariners 2
BOS: W: Beckett (14-5); 6.2 IP, 8 H, ER, 9 K Ramirez: 2-4, HR (19), 2 RBI
SEA: L: Bautista (11-8)

Angels 4 Athletics 3
LAA: W: Lackey (14-6) Anderson: 2-4, 3 RBI Kotchman: 3-4, RBI
OAK: L: Calero (1-5) Johnson: 1-3, HR (11), 2 RBI

NATIONAL LEAGUE

Astros 5 Marlins 6
HOU: L: Albers (2-5) Lee: 2-4, HR (23), 4 RBI
FLA: W: Olsen (9-9); 7.1 IP, 6 H, 3 ER, 8 K Ross: 2-2, 2 RBI Ramirez: 1-4, HR (19) Amezaga: 1-4, 2 RBI

Rockies 5 Braves 6
COL: L: Bucholz (5-4) Spilborghs: 2-3, 2 HR (9) Helton: 2-4, 2 RBI
ATL: W: Villarreal (2-1) C. Jones: 3-4, HR (19), 2 RBI Escobar: 2-4, 2 RBI

Phillies 8 Brewers 6
PHI: W: Myers (2-3) Werth: 2-5, HR (4), 2 RBI Rowand: 3-6, 3 RBI
MIL: L: Parra (0-1) Jenkins: 4-6, 3 RBI Braun: 2-6, HR (20) Mench: 2-4, 2 2B, RBI

Giants 4 Padres 5
SF: L: Chulk (4-3) Molina: 1-1, PH HR (11), 2 RBI
SD: W: Brocail (4-1) M. Giles: 1-3, 2 RBI

Diamondbacks 3 Dodgers 0
ARZ: W: Webb: (11-8); CG, 7 H Upton/Reynolds: 2-4, RBI
LAD: L: Penny (13-3); 7 IP, 6 H, 3 ER, 5 K

Mets 8 Cubs 3
NYM: W: Glavine (10-6); 300th career win Delgado: 2-4, 4 RBI Castillo: 4-5, 2 SB Reyes: 3-6, RBI
CHC: L: Marquis (8-7)

Yankees to call up Chamberlain

According to ESPN's Buster Olney, the New York Yankees will be calling up minor-league right-hander Joba Chamberlain within the next 48 hours. The 21-year old is 9-2 with a 2.45 ERA in the minors this season. He has also struck out 135 in 88.1 innings. Chamberlain will most likely assume a relief role with the Yankees. There is no word yet on who New York will be sending down. A potential candidate is right-hander Jeff Karstens.

Garnett to BOS; Jefferson, others to MIN

The Kevin Garnett era has officially come to an end in Minnesota. On Monday night, the Timberwolves agreed to trade the 31-year old Garnett to the Boston Celtics for Al Jefferson, Gerald Green, Ryan Gomes, Sebastian Telfair, Theo Ratliff, and two future first-round draft picks. The deal was finalized on Tuesday afternoon.

Garnett spent 12 years in Minnesota, the longest-tenured player with one team in the NBA. He averaged 22.4 points and 12.8 rebounds per game last season. Garnett led the Timberwolves to eight playoff appearances and helped them reach the Western Conference Finals in the 2003-04 campaign, the same year he won the MVP award. That year, Garnett averaged 24.2 points, 13.9 rebounds, 5 assists, and 2.2 blocks per game.

Boston has now made two big splashes this off-season, first acquiring Ray Allen from the Seattle Supersonics on draft day for the #5 pick overall, Delonte West, and Wally Szczerbiak and then making the trade for Garnett. Both Allen and Garnett will team up with Paul Pierce in hopes of bringing at least one more championship to the storied franchise that is the Celtics.

For Minnesota, they get four young players in return and one expiring contract in Ratliff. The 22-year old Jefferson averaged 16 points and 11 rebounds per game last year, while Green put up 10.4 points per contest. The versatile Gomes tallied 12.1 points and 5.6 rebounds per game. Telfair could not stay out of trouble in Boston and was simply a throw-in in this blockbuster trade.