Joe Girardi first to interview  —  Just got back from spending the day outside Legends Field.  Joe Girardi was in as the first candidate to interview for the managerial job.  He met with 10-12 people from the baseball side of the Yankees organization, then met for about an hour with George …

Sanity restored with La Russa's return  —  It's official.  Sanity has been restored at New Busch Stadium.  Tony La Russa, the most successful manager of his baseball era, will direct the Cardinals again in 2008.  —  La Russa's return will keep Dave Duncan in charge of the pitching staff …

Rockies Fans Overwhelm System, Ticket Sales Suspended  —  Rockies Spokesman Booed By Fans Outside Coors Field  —  DENVER — Like DIA in a huge snowstorm, Colorado's sales of World Series tickets were shut down Monday after fans overwhelmed the computer system with a blizzard of requests.

Red Sox roar into World Series  —  The game was played on the 32d anniversary of Carlton Fisk's World Series walkoff homer and though the score indicated little drama, the final play was no less spectacular.  —  At 11:56 last night, Casey Blake hit a towering shot toward the 420 (foot) …

Memo from me to Kevbo: GET OFF MY PLANE  —  Traitor.  —  The game's not over, but really I don't know how much I actually care who wins.  Boston's up 3-2 going into the 7th.  —  Kevin Millar threw out the first pitch.  Baltimore Oriole Kevin Millar went to Fenway Park to give the Red Sox mojo because he was a 2004 hero.

Three years later, Backman still trying to get to the bigs  —  "It seems like everywhere Wally goes, good things happen."  —  PRINEVILLE, Ore. — In this blue-collar town of 9,090 residents, two pizzerias, Boss Hogg's Smokes and the Dixon Saddle Shop ("Saddle Repairs While You Wait!") …

M's name Stottlemyre pitching coach  —  Mel Stottlemyre, a fixture on the New York Yankees' coaching staff for a decade, came out of retirement on Monday to join the Seattle Mariners as their pitching coach.  —  The hiring of Stottlemyre, a former pitching coach with both the Yankees and New York Mets …

It's a miracle ... '04 Red Sox, Joe D. top the list  —  What constitutes a miracle?  Leaving theology aside for the moment — or rather, forever, at least in this space — a baseball miracle is anything that would, if depicted in a movie, require a serious suspension of belief.

Rox and Sox 2007 World Series, it's on....  Congratulations to Josh Beckett, 2007 ALCS MVP.  I don't doubt for a second that we don't get here if he doesn't clutch up with arguably the most dominating post season start in my lifetime.  So many guys came up huge but the awesome part …

Rob Neyer Interview  —  Can you tell us a little about yourself?  —  I was born in 1966.  I grew up in the Midwest, mostly near Kansas City.  Today I live in Portland, Oregon, with my wife and stepson, who's almost 16.  —  Growing up, were you always a baseball fan?  Who was your favorite player as a kid?

Starting Ortiz at Coors a big question for Boston … The Boston Red Sox and the Colorado Rockies.  One team has one of the richest traditions in baseball history, and the other has been around for only 15 seasons.  One team made a terrific comeback to win the ALCS, while the other made a miracle comeback to make the playoffs.

We stuck together  —  It's unbelievable.  It's a great feeling to come out here in Game 7 and play so well.  I'll tell you what, it was unbelievable for us to win here at home, and a lot of people doubted us, but we didn't doubt ourselves.  That's the biggest thing.