Arias will get his chance this week  —  ARLINGTON — Rangers manager Buck Showalter planned to start Joaquin Arias, the organization's top minor league prospect among non-pitchers, on Sunday, but delayed it for two reasons.  —  First, Showalter likes the matchup of the right-handed hitting Arias …

Nomar hurting, but delivers again in clutch  —  If this were July, Nomar Garciaparra probably wouldn't be playing because of a sore left quadriceps that has bothered him for more than a week.  —  Fortunately for the Los Angeles Dodgers, he's helping them battle for a playoff berth.

Thinking three helps Crawford to rare feat  —  ST. PETERSBURG - Carl Crawford didn't get caught up in theories about how the game has changed or reasons why he accomplished a feat no player has in 76 years.  —  With his sixth-inning triple, his AL-leading 15th, in Sunday's 11-4 win over New York …

Mussina thumped but OK  —  ST. PETERSBURG - Mike Mussina suffered a bruise near his left thumb when he was hit by a line drive yesterday, but said it wouldn't cause any problems in his final start of the season or the playoffs.  —  "My thumb's okay, just a little sore," Mussina said.

Hot free agent  —  Soon-to-be-ex-Marlins skipper Girardi has ties to Cubs, Chicago  —  Joe Girardi may be very available when the Cubs start the search for a successor to Dusty Baker, who won't be retained after his contract expires at the end of the season.

Pirates Notebook: Burnitz, Randa face uncertain futures  —  By Dejan Kovacevic, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette  —  SAN DIEGO — The Pirates' Jeromy Burnitz spent much of this six-game road trip in an unfamiliar place to see some unfamiliar faces.  —  A place he sometimes calls home.

Beltran's game to play tonight  —  It only rained briefly early in the game yesterday, but that threat was enough for Willie Randolph to hold Carlos Beltran out of the Mets' lineup for the sixth straight day yesterday.  —  Despite lamenting the possible need for a cortisone shot …

Case closed: Eyre says he prefers setup role  —  CINCINNATI — Scott Eyre is not interested in taking Ryan Dempster's place if the Cubs go looking for a new closer for next year.  —  "I like pitching the seventh and eighth [innings]," Eyre said.  "Bobby Howry and Demp can figure that out.

Wagner recognized for fantastic season  —  Closer a finalist for the DHL Delivery Man of the Year Award  —  NEW YORK — At the time, his preference was to run off a streak of scoreless appearances — 10, maybe 12 of them — and maybe 13, 14 scoreless innings.  That would make for a fine how-do-ya-do, Billy Wagner thought.

Notes: Johnson's leg surgery a success  —  Doctors say first baseman should be ready by Spring Training  —  NEW YORK — From his hospital bed, first baseman Nick Johnson, recovering from his right leg surgery, watched on TV as his teammates dedicated their 5-1 win against the Mets to him.

Cards Notebook: Rolen is back  —  Scott Rolen returned to the lineup Sunday, one day after he considered himself "benched" against Houston Astros ace Roy Oswalt.  Rolen, whose left shoulder has been a source of concern since he underwent surgery last year, made certain Sunday that reporters knew …

Dream a little dream of Sori  —  Randolph says all the right things about the pending free agent  —  In the fourth inning of the Mets' 5-1 loss yesterday, Alfonso Soriano unleashed a laser-like throw from the left-centerfield gap to catch Cliff Floyd trying to stretch a single.

Completing the job seems to be a problem for Oakland  —  The A's aren't helping reputation as a team that can't finish off a foe  —  OAKLAND - This isn't helping the A's reputation as a team unable to finish off an opponent.  —  True, those nine straight losses in potential clinching games came in the playoffs.

Gonzalez could be Girardi's successor  —  CINCINNATI — Joe Girardi's shaky status as manager of the Florida Marlins continues to play a key role in the Cubs' search for a new manager.  —  If Girardi is fired, sources say Atlanta Braves third-base coach Fredi Gonzalez …

Willie pitches in Trach talk  —  The games have grown so mundane that each passing day at Shea now is spent trying to read between the lines rather than dissecting what's actually happening between them.  —  Will Steve Trachsel or John Maine round out the playoff rotation?

Baker, Hawpe heat up right-field controversy … Next year's spring training battle between Jeff Baker and Brad Hawpe for the starting right-field job heated up Sunday on a glorious September afternoon.  —  Baker, a late-season call-up, got another start and hit his fifth homer of the season and the fourth in his past seven games.