Johan Secures 19th Win  —  Joe Nathan and the offense gave it an interesting spin, but in the end everyone got it done.  —  Esteban German looks like he's high.  All the time.  He did manage to collect one hit on the night, and it happened to be the only hit that scored damage to Johan and the Twins …

Rockies, fans pay in refusal to spend  —  All we heard all summer long, all the Rockies wanted, we were told, was for this franchise to play a meaningful baseball game in September and have a say in the pennant race.  —  Careful what you wish for.  —  Colorado got trampled by a team in the race, losing to Los Angeles Dodgers 11-4.

Long balls sink Birds  —  Cano, Abreu go yard as Lidle earns his 12th win  —  NEW YORK — The Yankees know full well they're embroiled in a fight with Detroit for the American League's best record and the chance for home-field advantage throughout the postseason — a race that remains tied following …

Rangers' Tejeda shows how it's done  —  ANAHEIM, Calif. - The Rangers have seen enough of Edinson Volquez, the prospect.  They decided to stage an intervention before he turns into another in a long line of Rangers pitching busts.  —  Manager Buck Showalter, pitching coach Mark Connor …

Lackey Wants Kennedy, Erstad to Stay  —  If the opinion of the pitcher who will be a rotation cornerstone for years to come carries any weight, the Angels should think long and hard before allowing two respected veterans, second baseman Adam Kennedy and first baseman Darin Erstad, to leave as free agents this winter.

Clement's Sox future in doubt  —  Matt Clement's Red Sox career in all likelihood ended on the operating table yesterday in Birmingham, Ala., after Dr. James Andrews discovered significant damage in the 32-year-old's right throwing shoulder.  —  There were strong indications that the unexpected damage …

Cardinals' free fall could lead to disaster  —  The 1964 Phillies, the gold standard for late-season collapses, soon could get a reprieve.  —  Yes, the 2006 Cardinals are flopping that badly.  —  The team's meltdown already might have cost first baseman Albert Pujols the National League MVP award …

No Longer His Heyday, Too Early for Mayday  —  Randy Johnson went 17-11 this season and exceeded 200 innings for the 14th time.  But he has not looked like the pitcher who has won four Cy Young awards.  —  When you have known Randy Johnson for a decade, and helped him rebuild his back and realize …

A pass/fail course  —  Attanasio gives himself a 'B' this year  —  dwalker@journalsentinel.com  —  As he nears the completion of his second year as principal owner of the Milwaukee Brewers, Mark Attanasio was direct in assessing his own performance in Milwaukee.

And the Hometown Heroes are ...  First 10 winners announced Tuesday on ESPN  —  After nearly 17 million votes were cast by fans this summer to help settle the arguments once and for all, the time has arrived this week to announce one all-time greatest player for every existing Major League Baseball franchise.

Hoffman, closers deserve more respect  —  Something really REALLY BIG happened in baseball on Sunday, something not quite akin to Barry Bonds breaking Hank Aaron's all-time home-run record, but not far off.  —  Padres right-hander Trevor Hoffman BROKE the all-time career saves record …

Shot at a starting job a relief for McCarthy  —  But he won't count on being in 2007 rotation  —  CLEVELAND — Brandon McCarthy doesn't assume he'll automatically be in the White Sox's rotation next season.  —  But he has embraced getting back into a routine as he prepares for Wednesday night's start …

Nationals' train derailed; no one injured  —  WASHINGTON - A chartered Amtrak train carrying the Washington Nationals derailed early Tuesday near Wilmington, Del., but no one was injured.  —  "It was a very minor derailment,'' Amtrak spokeswoman Tracy Connell said. "  The rear wheels of the locomotive went off the track.''