McCarver outspoken about L.A.'s dread man  —  Be sure of this much: When Manny Ramirez walks to the plate for the first time tomorrow night for the Dodgers, Fox analyst and former Phillie Tim McCarver won't pull his punches.  Never has, never will.  —  “It's extraordinary …

Cubs pick up Harden's '09 option  —  Led Major League pitchers with .183 batting average against  —  CHICAGO — The Cubs took care of one offseason project Wednesday and picked up the $7 million option for pitcher Rich Harden for 2009.  —  If the Cubs had not picked up the option …

Mull it over, Skip: Rotation yet to be set  —  Francona debating who would be best to take ball in Game 1  —  BOSTON — Though this is the third time Terry Francona has been to the American League Championship Series in his five years as manager of the Red Sox, it's the first time he's …

Examining baseball's final four (cont.)  —  Philadelphia Phillies  —  This Phillies team has major stars, including the last two MVPs in Jimmy Rollins and Ryan Howard, and starting pitcher Cole Hamels, whose changeup has been devastating.  But the thing that stands out about these players …

Union may play role in where Sabathia goes  —  CC Sabathia told reporters this past week that his experience with the Brewers opened up his world.  That no longer was he married to the idea of using his impending free agency to relocate his job near his West Coast home.

Mariners to begin GM interviews  —  The Mariners, jump-starting the process of hiring a general manager, will interview five candidates this week, according to industry sources...  The Mariners, jump-starting the process of hiring a general manager, will interview five candidates this week, according to industry sources.

RENTAL CAR TROUBLE FOR BURRESS  —  The Giants shouldn't feel bad.  They weren't alone in having a hard time getting in touch with Plaxico Burress.  —  He also has dodged calls from Khoury Alternative Claims Management, a San Antonio-based third-party administrator trying to catch …

Yanks decide against a Stadium swan song  —  Yankee Stadium is officially closed for business.  —  A Nov. 9 concert was proposed as a final farewell for the House That Ruth Built, but the Yankees, fearing a less-than-memorable lineup, have bagged the celebration.

How the economy is affecting sports fans … If you're a typical sports fan — you know, the kind who worries about gas prices, tuition and the trade deadline — New York's new stadiums might look as if they belong behind a boutique window.  —  In the Bronx looms the skeleton of Yankee Stadium 2.0 …

Report: Japan to ban amateurs from going to MLB  —  Established Japanese professional players have been coming to Major League Baseball for several years.  However, Japan's 12 pro baseball teams are trying to make it so the country's amateur players don't follow suit.

Paul Sullivan's Cubs mailbag  —  After another disappointing ending, the Tribune's Cubs reporter files his last batch of answers to reader questions and heads into the offseason  —  Ask Paul returns from his post-collapse funk to present Cubs fans with his nine-step plan for recovery.

Pedroia snapped out of it at key time  —  If there was anyone left who didn't believe Dustin Pedroia would somehow, some way break out of his postseason slump, that person clearly hasn't been paying enough attention to the Red Sox second baseman.  On the heels of his 213-hit …