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 …

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 …

Wallace Matthews  —  The anti-Pedro waits on pins and needles  —  One is a "dead raccoon," the other a live guinea pig.  —  That sums up half of the Mets' starting rotation a week before the postseason begins.  The former is Pedro Martinez, who used that term to describe himself yesterday.

Crawford makes history in win  —  Ties league mark with 15 or more triples in three straight years  —  ST. PETERSBURG — Carl Crawford has set his share of records this season, just his fifth in the Major Leagues.  On Sunday, the speedy left fielder made history yet again.

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.

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.

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 …

Team Wins One for Nick  —  Johnson Undergoes Successful Surgery, Nats Down Mets: Nationals 5, Mets 1  —  Nick Johnson noticed the high socks, even on guys who normally pull their baseball pants down over the tops of their shoes.  It is, after all, how he wears his uniform, an old-school look for an old-school player.

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.

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.

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 …

South America round-up  —  RIO DE JANEIRO, Sept 25 (Reuters) - The presence of a female line official in a Bolivian championship match at the weekend angered The Strongest coach Rolando Chilavert who said that women did not belong in professional football.  —  Emelec beat neighbours Barcelona …

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.