Stitching the Red Sox together  —  GM Epstein points to deals, player development  —  His Red Sox are safely in the playoffs, but the ever-diligent Theo Epstein was still working the phone at Fenway Park yesterday.  (JIM DAVIS/GLOBE STAFF)  —  It's different now.

Braves make big mistake letting Andruw go  —  Commenting on this blog will re-open Wednesday morning.  —  Bad move.  —  Terrible move.  —  Actually, this is an atrocious move for the Braves, because manager Bobby Cox had it right for eternity when he said of Andruw Jones, who ranks 1a …

Why the Rockies will beat the Phillies  —  The simple explanation, of course, is that the Rockies cannot lose.  They are invincible.  Look it up, there is not one single person on their roster named Vince.  —  Lame jokes aside, the Rockies are playing out of their heads right now …

May be A-Rod's last shot to help Bombers opt into Series  —  Reggie Jackson told Alex Rodriguez the very first day he was in town, that first press conference at Yankee Stadium when A-Rod and Derek Jeter stood next to each other, these two big young guys who were going to put the Yankees back on top.

Angels CF Matthews, RHP Colon left off postseason roster  —  ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA (TICKER) — Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim center fielder Gary Matthews Jr. and righthander Bartolo Colon will be left off the team's postseason roster, the team announced on Tuesday.

Paul Lo Duca says he wants to keep playing at Shea  —  Paul Lo Duca returned to Shea Stadium yesterday to clean out his locker and made it clear he hoped to be back next season.  Problem is, he wants a multiyear deal that the Mets seem reluctant to give to him.

Pitch-f/x adds insight to watching games  —  Technology offers information on the machinations of pitching  —  The pitch to right-handed hitter Troy Tulowitzki was 88 mph with a four-inch break and an 11-inch "Pitch-f/x" value, and it was hit to the gap in left-center for an RBI double.

Barry Bonds' ex-mistress details star's steroid use, temper  —  In the days before he became violent, in the days before he threatened to chop off Kimberly Bell's head and leave her body in a ditch, Barry Bonds would stand in front of a mirror and fret about how steroids were changing his body.

Pena named AL Comeback Player  —  First baseman nearly didn't make squad in Spring Training  —  ST. PETERSBURG — Carlos Pena has enjoyed delivering his fair share of surprises this season, but Tuesday's announcement that he had won the American League's Comeback Player of the Year Award came as no surprise.

Tigers sign Leyland through 2009  —  Skipper has 183-141 record in two seasons at the helm  —  DETROIT — The Tigers followed through with the first task on their offseason to-do list on Tuesday and signed manager Jim Leyland to a one-year extension, putting him under contract through 2009.

MR. AUTUMN-ATIC  —  JETER NEVER FAILS TO SHINE WHEN CALENDAR TURNS TO FALL  —  THE night Derek Jeter reached the 200-hit level for the fourth straight season and the sixth time in his career, he was never asked about it, and, of course, he never brought it up.

Joba bridges gap to Mo like bullpens of '90s dynasty  —  No one moaned about the Yankees' bullpen back in the glory days of the late 1990s.  There was a simple plan - use Mike Stanton, Jeff Nelson or Ramiro Mendoza to deliver the ball to closer Mariano Rivera.  Games seemed to shrink, managing was less tense.