Ortiz to play 1B in Game 3 in Colorado  —  DENVER —David Ortiz banged his powerful paw into a stiff, black first baseman's mitt in the visitor's clubhouse at Coors Field.  So, how does it feel?  "Brand new."  The Red Sox designated hitter — make that former Red Sox designated hitter …

Lefthander Romero likely to test free agency  —  It looks as if lefthander J.C. Romero could be pitching elsewhere next season.  —  Romero, who played a major role this season in helping the Phillies win their first National League East championship since 1993, appears far apart from the Phillies in early contract negotiations.

Dodgers hope to play one game at Coliseum in '08  —  LOS ANGELES — The Dodgers may return to the Los Angeles Coliseum, site of "Moon Shots," for one game next season.  —  If it works out, the game will be part of the team's 50th anniversary in Los Angeles.

Baseball bosses play on political field  —  WASHINGTON — As the Boston Red Sox and Colorado Rockies play for baseball's championship, a different kind of World Series is going on in the race for the White House.  —  Some of Major League Baseball's principal owners, front-office executives …

It's not major news, but for those who can't get enough  —  I don't want this entry to sound disrespectful to any other news outlet.  But reports have circulated in recent days regarding Carlos Silva and Torii Hunter, and after getting to the bottom of both stories, I couldn't even convince …

Where there's Schill, there's a way in October … BOSTON — He isn't even the ultimate October warrior in his own starting rotation anymore.  —  But October is still Curt Schilling's kind of month.  —  His socks are 100 percent blood-free these days.  —  But October is still Curt Schilling's kind of month.

Yankees won't make decision on manager until next week  —  BY MARK FEINSAND in New York and PETER BOTTE in Tampa  —  Don Mattingly, Joe Girardi and Tony Peña will have to wait until next week to find out who will win the Yankees' managerial sweepstakes, as the club adjourned its meetings for the weekend without a decision.

Baker keeping tabs on Cubs' Prior, Wood  —  Both could be free agents, and Reds need pitching  —  BOSTON — Whether it's simply to catch up on the past or plot for the future, new Cincinnati Reds manager Dusty Baker has been chatting with his former Cubs co-aces, Mark Prior and Kerry Wood.

Baseball close to catching NFL as top $ sport  —  Major League Baseball's sales will surpass $6 billion for the first time this year, double the amount from 2000, and putting the sport closer to passing the NFL.  —  NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) — When it comes to sales, the National Football League used …

Give it up ...  So here's how I found out about the Hall of Fame honoring Buck O'Neil: I was in the Tokyo Airport desperately trying to figure out how to get to Sapporo for the Japan Series.  I was beyond exhausted, of course, jet lagged out of my mind, and a certain airline had screwed up my ticket …

Roaring and soaring  —  Red Sox head to mountains with a 2-0 Series lead  —  He endeared himself to New England last spring when he modestly let it be known he was willing to be a "hero in the dark."  —  But last night, in the brightest lights that baseball can offer, the shadows fell away forever for Hideki Okajima.

The Welches on Joe Torre  —  Did the Yankees offer the star manager a raw deal?  No. A reasonable one is more like it  —  What is wrong with the Yankees?  How could they stick a manager as great as Joe Torre with such a raw deal?  —Stephen MacMillan, Boston