Notes: Floyd has a ball in clincher  —  Veteran outfielder has memento to remember Monday's win  —  NEW YORK — Cliff Floyd said his mother had predicted he would handle the final out in the Mets' clinching victory.  And, of course, he did, catching Josh Willingham's fly ball in left field for the 27th out on Monday night.

Giambi, Torre get tough with A-Rod  —  The Yankees' magic number to clinch the AL East is 1.  Fitting, because the defending AL MVP seems to be all alone in the Bronx Bombers' clubhouse.  —  In a story in this week's Sports Illustrated, Alex Rodriguez is portrayed as a loner on the AL's best team …

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.

Don't expect Pedro at 100%  —  Pedro Martinez threw a bullpen session on Monday in preparation for his start tomorrow night and said he felt no ill effects from his start Friday in Pittsburgh.  However for the first time, he sounded like he isn't sure what to expect from himself in the postseason.

Angels' Moreno: Expect Changes  —  Before team's 5-2 win over Kansas City, owner vows to do `something major' to improve the chances of making a serious run at a championship next season.  —  KANSAS CITY, Mo. — It won't rival Babe Ruth's Called Shot during the 1932 World Series …

A sparring session  —  Towers's remarks set off Mirabelli  —  Doug Mirabelli defended himself yesterday from what he termed an ``assassination directly at my character for unprovoked reasons" by Padres general manager Kevin Towers, who was quoted in Monday's San Diego Union-Tribune …

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.

WHAT WENT WRONG?  —  Teams that coulda been a contender...  In the Acadamy-Award-winning film, Terry was a prizefighter who felt his brother Charley kept him from being a contender.  This year in Major League Baseball, there are many teams that fit right into Terry's boxing boots.

Garcia excelling while Verlander struggling  —  Freddy Garcia's brilliance and Justin Verlander's struggles continued Tuesday as the White Sox kept their faint postseason hopes alive by shutting out the Tigers.  —  What you saw in this contest was the difference between a wily veteran and an inexperienced youngster.

Strain halts Johnson's year  —  · Starter Josh Johnson's fabulous rookie season likely is over.  —  Johnson returned to South Florida on Tuesday to have his right forearm examined.  An MRI revealed a strained ulnar collateral ligament but no tear.  The ulnar collateral is the ligament …

Peavy, Duncan have early spat  —  LOS ANGELES - Considering what came later, the verbal flare-up between Padres pitcher Jake Peavy and Los Angeles Dodgers first base coach Mariano Duncan was just the first of many incendiary moments.  It was a bit of gamesmanship, perhaps, in a game that certainly needed none.

Turnstiles have a good year, too  —  When Josh Willingham's lazy fly ball dropped into Cliff Floyd's glove in leftfield Monday night, ending the Mets' 18-year division title drought, the ecstatic crowd of 46,729 at Shea Stadium fittingly set an all-time season attendance record.

Need playoff tickets?  Go online, not on line  —  This fall signals the end of waiting in line for post-season baseball tickets and the dawn of going online for playoff seats.  —  As the Mets and Yankees move closer to a Subway Series, both organizations are switching to primarily Web-based lotteries …

System works for Minnesota  —  There are unlikely success stories in baseball this year, and the Detroit Tigers would rank near the top of the list.  But what about the Minnesota Twins?  How many of us saw this coming?  Yet again.  —  When will we learn?  The Twins have a system.