He said, he said  —  Sitting in limbo somewhere near the Bay Area, Tony La Russa emphasized Tuesday that he won't commit to another term as Cardinals manager until chairman Bill DeWitt Jr. can at least provide direction where the club's general manager search might end.

Rodriguez's Agent Votes to Opt Out  —  A clubhouse attendant packed the belongings from Alex Rodriguez's locker into cardboard boxes yesterday, in what may have been a sign that Rodriguez did not plan to visit Yankee Stadium anytime soon.  He may never return as a member of the Yankees …

New York Yankees vs. Cleveland Indians  —  Game Four: 6-4, Indians — Cleveland wins series: 3-1  —  The Cleveland Indians celebrate on the Yankees' home turf after winning game four of the ALDS on the road.  Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images.  —  Scott Raab: Derek Jeter is a no-doubt future member …

Despite little fan-fare, Byrd leads Indians  —  LIKE THIS STORY?  —  Ladies and gentlemen, presenting the Rodney Dangerfield of baseball.  —  Indians right-hander Paul Byrd gets no respect.  —  "I'm not tall.  I'm right-handed.  I'm balding.  I don't throw hard.  And my breaking ball isn't that great," Byrd jokes.

Bell leaving Royals to become White Sox's minor-league field coordinator  —  Former Royals manager Buddy Bell sure didn't last long in his new job as a senior advisor to general manager Dayton Moore.  —  Bell plans to leave the Royals at the end of the month to become the minor-league field coordinator for the Chicago White Sox.

Suzyn Waldman Cries On-Air Following Yankees Defeat  —  I understand that Fans get upset when "their" team loses, and sometime cry.  But a broadcaster live on-air?  I think that's unprecedented.  Well that's exactly what Yankees radio announcer Suzyn Waldman did during the postgame show on WFAN last night.

NL Teams Can't Touch the Talent of the AL  —  There is probably one baseball fan, hidden safely away in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains of Colorado, who truly believes that everything — other than the right to play in an exhibition series — is at stake in the upcoming National League …

Giants part ways with hitting coach, first-base coach  —  SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — The San Francisco Giants fired hitting coach Joe Lefebvre and first-base coach Willie Upshaw on Tuesday.  —  Lefebvre just completed his sixth season on the Giants' staff, fifth as hitting coach, and worked closely with slugger Barry Bonds.

Tigers exercise option on Ivan Rodriguez for 2008  —  DETROIT — The Detroit Tigers today announced the club has exercised its option for the 2008 season on catcher Ivan Rodriguez.  —  "The Tigers are pleased to have Pudge back for the 2008 season," Tigers President, Chief Executive Officer and General Manager David Dombrowski said.

Pirates Manager Search — Don't look for Pirates to raid Cleveland  —  There might not be as large an influx of Cleveland Indians personnel into the Pirates' organization as was originally thought.  —  In fact, that influx could begin — and end — with general manager Neal Huntington.

Jeters never prosper ...  Hype is a funny thing.  It can rattle your nervous system even when you KNOW the hype is wrong.  Take Derek Jeter.  I know, intellectually, that the whole "Derek Jeter is Captain Clutch, Conqueror of Pressure, Count of Men on Base, Knight of the Round Ball …

King Kaufman's Sports Daily  —  Baseball playoffs: Sweeps week.  Off days abound thanks to first-round routs.  MLB needs a flexible schedule.  Plus: "Frank TV," more.  —  Thanks to the New York Yankees beating the Cleveland Indians in Game 3 Sunday, there will be at least one more baseball …

Playoff payoff: Phils give Manuel 2-year extension  —  PHILADELPHIA — The Philadelphia Phillies and manager Charlie Manuel agreed to a two-year extension with a club option for 2010 on Tuesday night, keeping around the folksy manager who led the franchise to their first NL East title since 1993.

Hamilton recovering from heart attack  —  Veteran Astros radio broadcaster undergoes angioplasty  —  HOUSTON — Longtime Astros radio broadcaster Milo Hamilton had a health scare on Sunday, experiencing chest pains that ultimately led to a heart attack.  —  Hamilton, who was scheduled …