A-Rod to opt out of contract  —  Boras notifies Yankees of client's free-agent wishes  —  DENVER — Alex Rodriguez notified the Yankees on Sunday that he's opting out of his record $252 million contract, SI.com has learned.  —  Rodriguez's decision means he will become a free agent and be able to negotiate with all clubs.

Sox are kings of diamond  —  Another Series title comes with sweep of Rockies  —  DENVER - When it happened the first time, in 2004, Terry Francona was stricken with temporary amnesia.  —  "I actually don't remember getting out to the field," the Red Sox manager said of a moment burnished deep in New England memory banks.

Yankees officially offer skipper job to Girardi  —  The Yankees officially offered their managerial job to Joe Girardi on Monday morning and he is expected to accept it, a source has told 1050 ESPN New York's Andrew Marchand.  —  "The Yankees have offered Joe the opportunity to become their next manager.

JOE HOLLYWOOD  —  L.A. HOPES TO SIGN TORRE  —  If divorce proceedings between Grady Little and the Dodgers go the distance, as many expect, The Post has learned Joe Torre has been targeted as the manager to heal a fractured Los Angeles clubhouse.  —  According to two people with knowledge …

Hawkins blasts O's as 'negative'  —  Rockies contributor calls experience 'bad'  —  DENVER - In one calendar year, reliever LaTroy Hawkins has gone from an Orioles club stuck in a losing spiral to being a contributor on a Colorado Rockies' World Series team.  —  The move, he said, probably saved his career.

Sox driving down 'Gone' box office?  —  Could Ben Affleck's beloved Red Sox be taking a bite out of the box office take for his directorial debut, "Gone Baby Gone," which pulled in a lackluster $3.9 million in its second weekend in theaters?  The film - starring Casey Affleck and Amy Ryan …

KRIEGER: It was still magic while it lasted  —  Naturally, it came down to the end.  Naturally, the kid Rocks still had the slimmest of chances as the last of the sand slipped through the hourglass.  —  They were the kings of procrastination.  They waited until the last possible moment to inject themselves into the pennant race.

In the NL, black and blues  —  DENVER - What have they done with the Senior Circuit?  —  The National League stinks.  It's been this way for some time, but never more evident than in the first three games of the 2007 World Series.  —  "It's been obvious for a while," …

INSIDE PITCH  —  The Marlins could plug one of their outfield vacancies by turning to a familiar face.  Cliff Floyd, a free agent, said he'd like to finish his career with Florida.  —  "I would love to come to the Marlins.  You know how far we go back," said Floyd, Florida's left fielder from 1997 until July 2002.