Simulations say ... Rays likely to advance  —  Last week, we ran our Diamond Mind simulation on behalf of ESPN and predicted the Tampa Bay Rays would easily defeat the Chicago White Sox, most likely in three or four games, and the Los Angeles Angels would upend the defending world champion Boston Red Sox …

Torre's brother: What Yanks did to Joe ‘was not right’  —  PHILADELPHIA — Frank Torre, the 76-year-old brother of Los Angeles Dodgers manager Joe Torre, walked onto the field Thursday at Citizens Bank Park, and had one question:  —  “I wonder what the (New York) Yankees are thinking …

Manuel's mom dies; he'll manage Phils in Game 2  —  June Manuel, the mother of Philadelphia Phillies manager Charlie Manuel, died Friday morning, the Phillies announced.  —  Manuel, who watched batting practice from his usual spot behind the cage on Friday afternoon, will manage Game 2 …

Out of Left Field: The Errors In Counting Black Ballplayers  —  For 61 years, ever since Jackie Robinson broke Major League Baseball's color barrier and won the National League's Rookie of the Year Award in the same season, African-American players have starred in the majors.

A.J. Burnett in no hurry to talk to Blue Jays  —  A.J. Burnett, in possibly his last game as a Jay, salutes the home crowd.  “It was storybook,” Burnett said of the sendoff on Sept. 24, 2008.  —  CATHAL KELLY  —  The Toronto Blue Jays may have to wait well into November …

AA Interview With Curtis Granderson  —  I don't know what it is, but I'm kind of anti website interviews.  Don't get me wrong, I think other sites do it well, but there just aren't enough people that I like to do them on a regular basis.  I've of course interviewed Gus Johnson …

Conspicuous by absence  —  Viewers of baseball on television, sometimes for good reason, have complained over the years about having to watch so many national telecasts involving the New York Yankees.  —  Pinstripes here, pinstripes there, pinstripes everywhere, has been known to grind …

Burrell turning jeers to cheers  —  THERE IS a guy who sits 12 rows back in the leftfield bleachers who has, over the years, embraced Pat Burrell like a brother, kicked him around like a dog, and now loves him like an old army buddy again.  Anyone who has sat back there on Sunday afternoons has heard him …

Cuban: Financial crisis will slow Cubs sale  —  What, you expected the Cubs' sale to go smoothly?  —  After the club's torturous playoff loss to the Dodgers, which brought on a great depression?  —  While the U.S. financial system is in convulsions?  —  No.

Dallas Mavericks win, but baseball is the talk  —  CHICAGO — The Chicago Bulls opened their preseason Thursday night against the Dallas Mavericks so, of course, it was a perfect time to talk  ... baseball.  —  Cubs fans are still in mourning after their team was swept out of the playoffs …