Guillen: Blame me for shortcomings  —  Manager takes heat for champs' second-half struggles  —  CHICAGO — When Ozzie Guillen unleashed his now famous verbal tirade in the direction of Magglio Ordonez late last April, there was no mistaking the intent of Guillen's venom or the point …

Notes: Johnson likely done for year  —  Rookie of the Year candidate has strain in his right forearm  —  NEW YORK — Marlins rookie Josh Johnson has a right forearm strain, and in all likelihood, the right-hander will not pitch again this season.  —  Johnson, who has the fourth-best ERA …

Notes: Soriano's top feat is off the field  —  Slugger grateful to have won over the Washington fans  —  WASHINGTON — Left fielder Alfonso Soriano finds himself in a 2-for-25 slump that has dropped his batting average to .285, but he's not worried about it.  He believes he will get out of it because he is comfortable at the plate.

Homer-happy Dodgers show anything's possible … LOS ANGELES — The Los Angeles Dodgers' clubhouse is typically as animated as one of those wooden local radio ads that manager Grady Little does for Jiffy Lube.  It's a businesslike place after victories, and so quiet after defeats you can hear the dirty laundry hit the floor.

'One of the luckiest people on the earth'  —  The first clue that my cell towers were intact came right around the trading deadline, approximately a month after my aneurysm.  By that time, I had been transferred from the Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston to the Rehabilitation Hospital of the Cape and the Islands.

Notes: Pavano likely out for season  —  Giambi's wrist an issue again; Torre congratulates Randolph  —  TORONTO — It looks like Carl Pavano's second season with the Yankees will officially come to an end on Wednesday without him throwing a single pitch.  —  Pavano, who fractured two ribs …

Syd Thrift, former baseball executive, dies at 77  —  BALTIMORE (AP) — Syd Thrift, a former general manger of the Pittsburgh Pirates who spent nearly a half century in baseball, died at 77.  —  He underwent knee replacement surgery Monday in Milford, Del., and died that night …

It's not all smooth sailing for Mets, Yankees  —  It's a good time to be a baseball fan in New York City.  —  FOX Bite  —  Videos  —  Mets clinch in style  —  On Tuesday night, the Mets clinched their first division title since 1988, and the Yankees, whose magic number stands at three …

Firing Buck would be folly  —  ARLINGTON - Dropped by The Ballpark on Tuesday night, probably for the last time this season.  Just to say goodbye to another year, to hopes dashed again...and to Buck Showalter.  —  You know, just in case.  —  I don't think Showalter will be fired, and I know he shouldn't be.

A-Rod Agonistes  —  Despite his extraordinary numbers, New York fans are quick to discount his contributions.  And when things go wrong for A-Rod, even his teammates find him hard to motivate and harder to understand  —  "Joe wants to see you."  —  Alex Rodriguez still was weak …

Towers: 'These guys don't miss (Mirabelli)'  —  LOS ANGELES - Doug Mirabelli won't be getting a Christmas card from Padres General Manager Kevin Towers, but maybe he should.  —  The cranky catcher who was traded to Boston on May 1 after a .182 April is one of the central characters of the Padres' season.

Rookie of year?  Marlins have flock  —  Dontrelle Willis rarely throws his weight around.  —  However, when it comes to National League Rookie of the Year balloting, he sounds ready to make an exception.  —  "I'm a pretty easygoing guy ... but it would be really hard for me not to see the Rookie …