Marlins' Girardi not coming back, source says  —  Joe Girardi, who guided the surprising Marlins into playoff contention despite baseball's lowest payroll, will soon be out as manager after just one season.  —  On a scale of 1 to 10, Girardi's chances of returning next year are "zero," …

Harden sharp as A's top Tribe  —  Right-hander strikes out seven over three innings  —  OAKLAND — When Mark Kotsay glanced up from the dugout to see Rich Harden walking around the mound, he noticed something he hadn't seen since the beginning of the season: a smile.

Series-ly - tix for $10G!  —  It's scalpers' going rate for a Game 7  —  Dreams of a Subway Series are driving postseason ticket prices to insane heights - with Yankees ticket holders already hawking World Series Game 7 ducats for $9,999.  —  Seems crazy, especially since the 10-grand tickets are far from home plate.

Will his fastball be ready?  —  Pedro fools hitters through four, but gets roughed up in the fifth  —  With his pitches and emotions under better control, Pedro Martinez left his tune-up against the Marlins last night feeling "extremely happy."  Happy is better than weepy …

GIAMBI PLAYING WITH TORN WRIST LIGAMENT  —  Jason Giambi has a torn ligament in his left wrist that may require surgery after the postseason if it doesn't improve.  —  Giambi flew to New York with Joe Torre from Toronto early yesterday and was examined by hand specialist Dr. Melvin Rosenwasser …

Pads tab Williams to work rubber game  —  Arizona (72-79) at San Diego (79-72), 7:05 p.m. PT  —  The rubber match between the Padres and Diamondbacks takes place Thursday night, when San Diego will try to hold its ground in a tight division race and take the three-game set from Arizona.

Notes: Attention doesn't faze Fuentes  —  Midseason stumble hasn't derailed Rockies closer  —  DENVER — Rockies closer Brian Fuentes shed his status as an unknown when he earned 31 saves last season.  All in all, the Rockies believe he has handled recognition well this season.

Bullpen Mechanics  —  The Complex Case of Oliver Perez  —  Oliver Perez, in a span of a few years, has gone from a guy who routinely pitched at 95 mph+ in '04 to a guy who rarely broke 90 mph early this year (watch the WBC if you have to) to a guy who is back at around the 93-96 mph range.

Pioner League Top 20 Prospects List  —  Subscribers can read scouting reports on all 20 players (Click here to subscribe)  —  The Rookie-level Pioneer League favors hitters, and they dominated pitchers on our Top 20 Prospects list this year, claiming seven of the 10 spots.

Robinson Getting the Silent Treatment  —  Unsure of His Future, Manager Says He'd Like to Return  —  It is getting on to the end of the baseball season, to autumn in the winter of Frank Robinson's career, and the manager of the Washington Nationals wants to know: Tonight …

From Arizona, to Columbus, to the Bronx  —  The first inning Brian Bruney pitched for the Yankees, he struck out the side.  The next night, in a game in which 25 runs scored, he allowed no runs in the heat of a pennant race at Fenway Park.  —  The third day, Bruney was on a plane to Ohio …

52 pickup  —  Record is in cards as Ortiz (2 HRs) blasts past Foxx  —  Do mythical creatures exist?  David Ortiz pondered as much yesterday afternoon as he sat in front of a laptop in the Red Sox clubhouse, reading an e-mail from a friend who had attached a photo taken in Boca Chica …

MLB INSIDER  —  Spin doctor is in, or is he?  —  At first, there was a look of recognition.  Akinori Otsuka was in the Rangers dugout before the game with Seattle on Wednesday, and when asked the question, he smiled, nodded his head and uttered an elongated: "Aahhhhhhh."  —  So this was it.