Braves, Wickman agree to one-year deal  —  Veteran closer set to return for 2007 season  —  WASHINGTON — Braves general manager John Schuerholz rolled the dice and entered this season without a proven closer.  He won't have to realize the damaging effects of such a gamble next season.

Willis a Met Next Season?  A Team Can Dream, Can't It?  —  Until the playoffs begin and games around here start to matter again, all there is left to do is wait.  A one-night-only reprieve came last night, when no one could have faulted the Mets' front office for putting aside …

Bonser faces off vs. Schilling  —  Minnesota (89-61) at Boston (81-70), 6:05 p.m .CT  —  When the Twins faced the Red Sox for the first time this season back in the middle of June, they looked at it as a critical series.  —  The Twins knew they had to start winning those types of series …

Rookie Perez Has Big Night For Nats  —  Reliever Breezes In His First Start: Nationals 9, Braves 2  —  It is very late in a long, unproductive season, Washington Nationals Manager Frank Robinson figured, and the starting pitchers have been getting belted on a routine basis.

Yanks win ninth straight AL East title  —  Bombers fall to Jays, but clinch division with Red Sox loss  —  TORONTO — Time to pop the corks.  The Yankees are American League East champions once again.  —  New York wrapped up its ninth consecutive division title on Wednesday night …

Howard learning other side of stardom  —  Ryan Howard has broken on through to the other side.  With 11 games to play, he is about to run out of reference points in the long history of sports in this town.  He is about to float in his own orbit.  —  Rhyno is one home run shy of the 58 …

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 …

Notes: Lind wins third Webster Award  —  Outfielder only third Jays player to be three-time recipient  —  TORONTO — Adam Lind figured a trip to Toronto might be in store for him this month.  The 23-year-old outfielder just didn't expect it to be as a September callup, though.

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 …

Clemens uncertain about future  —  Future Hall of Famer will use the winter to make decision  —  HOUSTON — As manager Phil Garner strode to the mound to ceremoniously remove Roger Clemens from Wednesday's game, Brad Ausmus had a brief exchange with Clemens, who was in the final moments …

Pedro remains key to Mets' hopes in October  —  NEW YORK — The party at Shea was still raging out on the field, with the Mets and family members celebrating the franchise's first Eastern Division title since 1988.  Hundreds of fans hung around to savor the moment on Monday night, too …

The Ledger Domain  —  Are the Marlins the Biggest Overachievers of All Time?  —  friendly  —  Contact  —  There's always a reason games aren't played on paper.  For one, it would make for pretty boring television.  But to my way of thinking, perhaps the biggest reason may be that it keeps …

These first-year players are, foremost, stars  —  In most other seasons, the Florida Marlins' roster by itself would spark a spirited debate on who merits selection as the National League Rookie of the Year.  —  Infielders Dan Uggla, Hanley Ramirez and Mike Jacobs all have put together strong first seasons …

Notes: GM marks seventh anniversary  —  Rockies putting up big numbers; Holliday joins century club  —  DENVER — Dan O'Dowd celebrated the seventh anniversary of his joining the Rockies as general manager Wednesday, though to call it a "celebration" is something of an overstatement.