Loss in Tampa Bay Not a Preview of Things to Come  —  The Yankees blew a five-run lead with a chance to clinch a playoff spot on Tuesday, and on its face, that is awful.  But consider that no more than three of those 10 innings were thrown by pitchers who will be on the postseason roster.

What to do about Andruw Jones?  —  After a run of 14 consecutive division titles, the Braves are in danger of missing the playoffs for the second year in a row.  In the second of a four-part series, the AJC will look at what went wrong this season and what Braves fans may expect for 2008.

Massive Tie Scenario  —  The Colorado Rockies held on to defeat the Dodgers last night 9-7.  Each team scored in each of the last four half innings, but the Rockies won that mini-game, too, 3-2.  Colorado gains on every team except the Padres, who won on a Giles home in the ninth inning.

Fielder hits 50th, Brewers 2 games out  —  MILWAUKEE (AP) — Prince Fielder didn't really want to keep his 50th home run ball as a souvenir.  —  The one he really wants is No. 52.  And while he's at it, he wouldn't mind winning an MVP award — all in the name of sticking it to his estranged father.

San Diego 6, San Francisco 4  —  SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Brian Giles broke out his slump with one powerful swing and stopped the San Diego Padres' late-season swoon for now.  —  Giles, who had four hits in his last 52 at-bats, hit a go-ahead three-run homer with two outs in the ninth …

Blue Jays bully Burres for seven runs  —  Each time a pitcher steps on the mound, whether it's to start a game or work in relief, Orioles manager Dave Trembley does a two-part evaluation.  Much of it keeps him in the present, the rest shifting his thoughts to next season.

Late & Great  —  Summer's over, but the heat's being turned up on some of the game's biggest stars as they take the October stage.  Jonathan Papelbon's reply: Bring It  —  Spring training is a good reason why starting pitchers tend to boast the lowest golf handicaps in baseball.

Cheered leaders  —  Sox (and Rays) give Fenway fans lots to shout about  —  Eric Gagné paused, with his head rocked backward toward the scoreboard.  Confused?  Quite likely.  While he had done nothing to cause it, a giant cheer had just gone up in Fenway Park last night …

Don't write Kemp's name in ink in the 2008 lineup  —  Dodgers might be willing to trade young slugger for a veteran in his prime.  —  The kid gloves are off.  —  After watching their youth movement crash and burn against a wall of reality last week, the Dodgers are quietly mulling a slight change of direction.

Wiley, Rosenthal in line for pitching coach  —  M IAMI GARDENS — Former pitching coaches Mark Wiley and Wayne Rosenthal are among the candidates the Marlins will likely consider to replace Rick Kranitz.  —  Wiley, a Boca Raton resident, was the Marlins' pitching coach in 2005 …

No. 756 going into Hall with an asterisk  —  Associated Press, Updated 14 minutes ago  —  LIKE THIS STORY?  —  NEW YORK (AP) - The ball Barry Bonds hit for his record-breaking 756th home run will be branded with an asterisk and sent to the Baseball Hall of Fame, its owner said Wednesday.

Tom Verducci: Top myths about postseason in wild-card era  —  Sure, the wild-card system works at keeping pennant hopes alive in more cities.  But if it's so great, why do we get the Yankees and Red Sox in the last week of the season in a "battle" for first place in which neither team will play very hard to win the division?

Willie Randolph, Omar Minaya show united front  —  Just as winning has a way of covering up the little fissures in any team, losing has a way of making them look worse.  This has been true of the Mets the past two weeks as their NL East lead over Philadelphia went from seven games to just two.

Mariners' hopes dashed  —  The New York Yankees couldn't extinguish the Mariners' flickering postseason hopes, so the Cleveland Indians did it for them.  —  The American League Central champion Indians blew a 3-1 lead in the ninth inning, but pulled out a 4-3 win in the 12th …

Clemens scratched from Tuesday's start  —  ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - Roger Clemens' sore left hamstring will keep him off the mound for at least three more days, as the Rocket was scratched from his start tonight against the Devil Rays.  —  Kei Igawa will start in Clemens' place …