Notes: McPherson faces surgery options  —  Angels third baseman has been limited by several injuries  —  ANAHEIM — Dallas McPherson was supposed to help fill the power void, but the problem has been getting him on the field.  —  A bone spur in his left hip that required surgery a year ago took a sizable chunk out of last season.

Notes: Big Papi unhappy over comments  —  Slugger Ortiz says he has nothing but respect for Yanks' Jeter  —  BALTIMORE — Red Sox slugger David Ortiz made it known to Derek Jeter — perhaps through intermediaries — that he has nothing but respect for him as a player, and was not singling …

Coins flipped in case of ties  —  Home-field advantage decided for one-game playoffs  —  Twenty-two coin flips later, the only ones flipping for joy were the Los Angeles Dodgers.  —  According to results of a series of coin flips conducted by conference call Tuesday to determine sites …

MVP voters prefer run producers  —  Deductive reasoning will get you only so far with baseball writers.  I know.  I am one.  —  I have voted for baseball's top awards since 1984.  I can't say I've always seen the winners coming.  —  Juan Gonzalez over Alex Rodriguez for the American League MVP in 1996?

Padres begin key series with Reds  —  San Diego (74-68) at Cincinnati (71-72), 4:10 p.m. PT  —  In the middle of two races, for the National League West title and NL Wild Card berth, the Padres venture into Great American Ball Park for a three-game shootout with the Reds starting Tuesday night.

Gordon Wins Minor League Player Of The Year  —  WICHITA, Kan.—Kansas City Royals fans have salivated over the thought of watching Alex Gordon, the No. 2 overall pick in 2005, play at Kauffman Stadium.  They've dreamed of how he'll turn around the organization, become a mainstay at third base, lead the team to the playoffs.

Mets Crisis of the Week: They Can't Hit Lefties  —  One of the more entertaining things about a highly entertaining Mets season has been the constant manufacture of crises.  Be it the rotation, the bullpen, the outfield, David Wright's power stroke, or the gravitational pull of Mr. Met's enormous head …

Harold Reynolds Interview - First Since ESPN Firing  —  Today on Baseball Beat with Charley Steiner, Harold Reynolds made his first radio or TV appearance since being fired by ESPN.  He discussed the situation, his wife and family, getting his name back, and the upcoming mediation with ESPN.

Mark Teahen Steps Up  —  Mark Teahen was a marvelous young prospect who was already at Triple-A.  — Billy Beane  —  Athletics Nation (9/20/2004)  —  Tuesday night, when the Royals announced Mark Teahen would undergo shoulder surgery, ending his season, it marked the end of one of the more amazing seasons I can remember.

Waiting for Rivera & Martinez to pitch in  —  For the first time in history, the Mets and Yankees have double-digit leads at the same time.  In the middle of September, the Mets are about to clinch the NL East and the Yankees have pulled so far away from the Red Sox that this weekend's Yankee-Red Sox series …

Blue Jays expected to lose at least $22 million this season  —  TORONTO (AP) — The Toronto Blue Jays are expected to lose at least $22 million this year, according to a top executive with the team's parent company.  —  Rogers Media Inc. president and CEO Tony Vinor said Tuesday he regards the figure as …

KDKA out as Pirates flagship station  —  PITTSBURGH (AP) — The first radio station to broadcast a major league baseball game is losing the rights to Pittsburgh Pirates games after 51 years.  —  KDKA will cease to be the Pirates' flagship station in 2007 as the team's radio rights shift …

Cabrera blossomed as Matsui's replacement  —  NEW YORK — Yankees general manager Brian Cashman repeated the question, slightly shocked, just to make sure his ears weren't lying to him.  —  "Do we need [Hideki] Matsui back?"  —  It was only a curiosity, not an indictment.