Resilient Mets beat Marlins, 7-6; up NL East lead  —  MIAMI - It could come down to the final minute of this week before the Mets know their postseason fate for sure.  But regardless of what happens, their playoffs-or-bust attitude was evident yesterday at steamy Dolphin Stadium.

Bradley tears ACL during blowup with umpire  —  SAN DIEGO (AP) — Padres left fielder Milton Bradley will miss the rest of the season after he tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee when he was spun to the ground by his manager during a blowup with an umpire.

Principles Keep Father From Seeing Alou Play  —  The father thought about driving here to see the son play baseball for the Mets.  It would be a 45-minute trip from the father's home in Boynton Beach.  Add another 15 minutes if there was traffic, he said.  He could see a son …

Trying to get back in swing  —  Ramírez, Youkilis are slated for BP  —  ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - There is no game scheduled today for the Red Sox, but it won't be an offday for everyone.  Manager Terry Francona said Kevin Youkilis and Manny Ramírez will come out to Fenway Park today to take batting practice.

Hazing day: Yanks rookies off to see Wizard  —  Chamberlain, others dress in Wizard of Oz costumes  —  NEW YORK (AP) — Joba Chamberlain raised his oversized paws, shook his shaggy brown mane and let out a feeble roar.  —  Looking and acting every bit the Cowardly Lion, the big reliever was ready for a scrap Monday.

A's pick up options on Bob Geren and Mark Ellis  —  BOSTON — The Oakland Athletics announced today the club has picked up the options on the contracts of manager Bob Geren and second baseman Mark Ellis for the 2009 and 2008 seasons, respectively.  —  Geren, 46, was named the 28th manager …

MUSSINA: THE 'RULES' HAVE GOT TO GO  —  THE Joba Rules morphed closer toward the Joba Suggestions yesterday.  However, if they do not evolve further for the playoffs to allow the righty to work whenever needed, they just might unleash the Chamberlain Conflict within the Yankees' organization.

Notes: More power, but more strikeouts  —  Marlins have set team record for going deep and striking out  —  MIAMI — Sometimes strikeouts come as a byproduct of power.  —  So it isn't that startling that in a year when the Marlins have already established a team record for home runs in a season …

MLB shatters attendance mark with week to go  —  NEW YORK — Major League Baseball set a record for total attendance and is on track to break its mark for average attendance.  —  With one week left in the regular season, major league teams drew 76,215,082, the commissioner's office said Monday, topping last year's 76,042,787.

Cards' Mulder, Molina have surgery; Pujols starts  —  ST. LOUIS — On the same day that the Cardinals officially lost two key players to season-ending surgery, they did welcome Albert Pujols back to the starting lineup.  —  Catcher Yadier Molina and pitcher Mark Mulder had season-ending surgery on Monday.

Free-agent Feliz looks for multiyear contract  —  (09-23) 19:46 PDT San Francisco — With all due respect, if Pedro Feliz returns to the Giants in 2008, he'd like a multiyear contract.  Feliz was a free agent for the first time last winter and preferred a one-year deal …

Mets' Beltran again leaves game early  —  MIAMI - Carlos Beltran left early again yesterday for the third consecutive game after crashing into the wall in the sixth inning of the Mets' 7-6 victory over the Marlins.  —  Beltran's tendinitis-stricken knees are becoming more of a problem …

Appalachian League Top 20 Prospects List  —  Subscribers can read scouting reports on all 20 players (Click here to subscribe)  —  To no one's surprise, Danville and Elizabethton dominated the Rookie-level Appalachian League again.  They met for the third straight year in the championship series …

Cubs aim to wrap up playoff spot on trip  —  CHICAGO (AP) — Lou Piniella called upon decades of baseball knowledge when the Chicago Cubs were scuffling for the first two months.  He watched intently, took mental notes and then started swapping out the parts.  —  Finally, he used some theatrics to literally kick-start his team.

Whicker column: Can't pin failure on Dodgers' youth  —  It would be easier to dissect what Jeff Kent really thinks if it were possible to decipher exactly what he said.  —  Nevertheless, Kent's lament in Denver last Thursday seemed to indicate he felt the Dodgers weren't served well by their young players.

Reds should trade in sluggers for small ball  —  The Reds hot stove league will be buzzing over the next couple of months about trading either Ken Griffey Jr. or Adam Dunn.  Here's my solution: trade both.  —  It's not that these guys aren't prolific.  This year alone, they've combined for more than 70 home runs and 195 RBIs.