Cubs intent on keeping GM Hendry  —  Team declined Seattle's request to talk to GM  —  The Cubs are intent on keeping general manager Jim Hendry, despite the ongoing uncertainty of their franchise sale.  —  According to major league baseball sources, Cubs Chairman Crane Kenney recently declined …

Maddon's curve: Kazmir  —  It was an offday, so the story was 175,000 times more important than it would have been otherwise.  —  Bulletin: Tampa Bay Rays manager Joe Maddon announces that Scott Kazmir, not James Shields, will start tonight's Game 5.  Thanks, Joe, for giving us scribes …

Ramirez could be looking for six-year deal on open market … LOS ANGELES — There are some early signs that the Dodgers' negotiations involving Manny Ramirez, who almost single-handedly lifted the storied franchise to the postseason, will not necessarily go smoothly.

BOWA COULD RETURN AS YANKS' THIRD BASE COACH  —  BOSTON - Larry Bowa is the leading candidate to replace Yankees third base coach Bobby Meacham.  —  The Yankees are willing to wait until after the Dodgers' season ends to see if Bowa, who was the Yankees' third base coach in 2006 and 2007 …

Can the Reds be the 2009 Phillies?  —  There are defining moments in every baseball game, usually a defining moment.  —  As for the Philadelphia Phillies and Los Angeles Dodgers Wednesday night in the NLCS, it was the first batter of the game.  —  LA pitcher Chad Billingsley slipped two quick strikes past Jimmy Rollins.

Tom Tresh dead at 71  —  Tom Tresh, who burst onto the big-league scene in 1962 and won Rookie of the Year honors as a fill-in shortstop for the Yankees after Tony Kubek was called into military service, died Wednesday at his home in Venice, Fla., of a heart attack.  He was 71.

Nationals show interest in Willie Randolph  —  The Washington Nationals are interested in adding former Mets manager Willie Randolph to their coaching staff, Newsday has learned.  —  Washington, which fired five of its coaches following a 59-102 showing in 2008, would like Randolph to serve …

On Trading Peavy  —  Since I have been in Arizona all week, I haven't read the papers or listened to the radio, so I don't know what has been written or what has been said.  What I do know, though, is what actually is happening.  —  We are looking to get better.  —  It's really that simple.

Pierre seeks playing time via trade  —  Agent asks Dodgers to find ‘better fit’ for speedy outfielder  —  LOS ANGELES — Juan Pierre wants to play.  —  And if the Dodgers won't play him, he wants them to find a team that will.  —  With Pierre's second season in Los Angeles complete …

The true meaning of B.J. Upton  —  Be real: Evan Longoria, regardless of what happens to the Rays, is the new face and future of baseball.  He's everything the game needs, everything it's supposed to be about.  David Wright should be ticked.  —  Sitting 15 to 20 feet away from him in the dugout during …

Remembering the '93 Phillies and the early days of rap-rock  —  When Carlos Ruiz squeezed his mitt tight around Nomar Garciaparra's pop fly on Wednesday night, it did more than send the Phillies to their first World Series in 15 years.  It also marked the official start of what will be …

Mientkiewicz, Michaels among targets  —  Pirates' GM would like to retain versatile veteran leaders  —  PITTSBURGH — As general manager Neal Huntington prepares to shape the Pirates' 2009 roster, he said he plans to approach both outfielder Jason Michaels and utility man Doug Mientkiewicz …

Offseason Outlook: Milwaukee Brewers  —  By Tim Dierkes [October 16 at 5:00pm CST]  —  Next up in our Offseason Outlook series, the Brewers.  Their likely 2009 commitments:  —  C - Jason Kendall - $4.6MM  —  C - Mike Rivera - $400K  —  1B - Prince Fielder - $670K+  —  2B - Rickie Weeks - $1.057MM+