Win symbolizes amazing season  —  The Florida Marlins didn't win a wonderfully tense baseball game Saturday night as much as they slalomed on one ski in a panic through a treacherous field of land mines, bear traps and bottomless wells.  The only way this night could have been more difficult …

Padres-Giants Preview  —  The NL wild-card leading San Diego Padres will probably be glad to finish up their season series with the San Francisco Giants on Sunday.  —  The Giants look to further cut into the Padres lead and win seven straight games over San Diego for the first time in 19 years …

Foes Realize That Wang, With 17 Wins, Is That Good  —  Chien-Ming Wang threw two warm-up pitches after being hit by a liner in the fourth.  He stayed in the game, pitching seven and a third innings.  —  Kevin Millar, the famously gabby first baseman for the Baltimore Orioles …

Kaat's meow  —  Signing off after 25 memorable years behind mike  —  When the cameras are shut down and there is nothing left but silence Friday night, Jim Kaat will walk out of the Yankees' TV booth in the Bronx for the final time.  —  Kaat, who has spent 13 seasons as a Yankees analyst (WPIX, MSG, YES), will retire.

Going to a ballgame?  Expect tight security  —  Dale Lewis moved through the pregame swarm outside the entrance to the first-base field boxes at Yankee Stadium, the offending $30 backpack slung over his shoulder.  —  "We brought the bag to bring parkas and stuff to the game in case it rained …

Liriano passes final rehab test  —  A thunderstorm in eastern Pennsylvania delayed Francisco Liriano's rehabilitation start by more than 1½ hours Saturday night, but the Twins' rookie all-star eventually got in three powerful innings for Class AAA Rochester to set the stage for his return to the Twins' rotation on Wednesday.

Insider: What could the Cardinals buy with $26 million?  —  Last summer, the Cardinals played a 100-win season under the "Red Means Go" marketing slogan.  It fell to pitcher Jeff Suppan last week to summarize this year's campaign — "a different team playing a different season."

Catalanotto solves puzzle of Escobar  —  Jays outfielder doubles in winning run off longtime nemesis  —  ANAHEIM — Frank Catalanotto had some homework to do.  Prior to Saturday's game in Anaheim, the Toronto outfielder picked up his book on opposing pitchers and flipped to section "E."

White Sox add three players to active roster  —  CHICAGO — Prior to today's game vs. Cleveland, the Chicago White Sox purchased the contract of third baseman Josh Fields from Class AAA Charlotte, returned outfielder Jerry Owens from his rehabilitation assignment to Charlotte and reinstated …

The Big O  —  Minaya deserves top exec honors  —  From a private box in the farthest reaches of right field on the Shea Stadium mezzanine the other day, Atlanta Braves GM John Schuerholz watched stone-faced as the newest pieces to Omar Minaya's Mets masterwork, Shawn Green and Oliver Perez …

Credit Phillies for not dealing home run giant  —  SALAD DAYS: Orioles rookie Chris Britton (Plantation High) opened some eyes this year out of the bullpen, but co-GM Jim Duquette said the team would like him to drop some weight.  "He's a big boy," Duquette said.

Troy Smith 24 Greg Davis 7  —  Just a few quick thoughts tonight before we get into the nitty gritty of what went wrong tomorrow:  —  *The better team won.  Don't want to hear any USC bulls**t here.  —  *To all the Buckeye fans that are showing up to leave nasty comments - think before you post.

Bulls staff gets pink slips  —  ST. PETERSBURG - A disappointing and controversy-marred season cost Triple-A manager John Tamargo, coaches Joe Coleman and Richie Hebner and trainer Tom Tisdale their jobs.  —  The Devil Rays said Saturday none of the four would have his contract renewed …

Royals pound staggering Sox one more time  —  The Red Sox may have crossed into the garbage time portion of their season, but there are still evaluations to be made that will affect decisions made in the offseason.  And while owner John W. Henry responded to questions about the team's direction by saying …