Closer look at Game 3 of the ALCS, NLCS Game 4 … Rays at Red Sox  —  Series: ALCS, Game 3; Series tied 1-1  —  TV: TBS  —  Starters: Matt Garza (1-0, 3.18 ERA) vs. Jon Lester (1-0, 0.00)  —  The reason the Rays so desperately needed to pull out a win in Game 2 is this matchup, Garza versus Lester at Fenway Park.

Final Elias Rankings - American League Relief Pitchers … Kyle Farnsworth appears to be short of Type B Status.  To add insult to injury, he ends up behind the likes of Gary Glover.  Naturally, Casey Fossum was also well short of Type B. Among the free agents, who should the Tigers look at?

Maddon leading the cultural revolution … Dave Cassarella wants to avoid being part of that growing menace to American safety, worse on a daily basis than the threat of al-Qaida or even the increasingly Dust Bowl characteristics being adopted by the nation's financial system.

Victorino, Stairs lift Phillies over Dodgers  —  Philadelphia one win away from World Series  —  LOS ANGELES - The Philadelphia Phillies used their favorite staple, the long ball, to move within one win of the World Series.  —  Shane Victorino and much-traveled pinch-hitter Matt Stairs hit …

Final Yankee Stadium homer ball to be sold  —  CASPER, Wyo. (AP) — The last home run hit at Yankee Stadium will be sold at an auction this weekend in New York after the man who snagged it decided he could use the money to pay off some debt and send his kids to college.

Fan Forum  —  Dear Brewers Fans:  —  We did it!  After an absence of 26 years, the Milwaukee Brewers joined the elite group of eight Major League Baseball teams that qualified for the postseason playoffs.  This was the ultimate team effort, involving the 44 players who were on our roster during …

MET CLOSER, TORRE RELIEVERS, BASEBALL DVD  —  1. In the early editions of today's paper, I wrote a column about how the Phillies began last offseason hoping to add a starter, found the market unappetizing, and decided instead to trade for Brad Lidge and move Brett Myers from closing back into the rotation.

Indians slugger Hafner to have shoulder surgery  —  CLEVELAND — Indians designated hitter Travis Hafner will undergo arthroscopic surgery Tuesday on the strained right shoulder that kept him on the disabled list for more than three months.  —  Noted orthopedic specialist Dr. James Andrews examined Hafner …

Pujols has elbow surgery … ST. LOUIS (AP) — St. Louis Cardinals first baseman Albert Pujols has had surgery on his right elbow, and the team expects the 2005 NL MVP to be ready for spring training.  —  Pujols' operation, performed by Cardinals team physician Dr. George Paletta …

WHAT'S WITH ALL THE DUMB BASEBALL COMMENTARY ON TELEVISION?  —  During the baseball playoffs, the best place to see comprehensive highlights of all the games is ESPN's Baseball Tonight.  Just make sure to watch with the sound off, lest lead analyst John Kruk pulverize the parts of your brain responsible for logical reasoning.