Phillies show signs of panic in Game 4 loss  —  SAN FRANCISCO - The chinks in these impermeable Philadelphia Phillies keep emerging, and the latest Wednesday night revealed an ugly truth: Not only are the Phillies one game away from extinction by the San Francisco Giants, they are turning into an awfully panicky bunch.

Rangers exec thinks Phillies are role-model franchise  —  NEW YORK - Chuck Greenberg, managing partner and chief executive officer of the Texas Rangers, says the Phillies are one of the teams he hopes his franchise can emulate.  —  Greenberg's group, Rangers Baseball Express …

Redskins' DeAngelo Hall and Jim Haslett have heated disagreement over coverages  —  Cornerback DeAngelo Hall and defensive coordinator Jim Haslett got into a contentious exchange Tuesday over pass coverage instructions, a development Coach Mike Shanahan followed by meeting privately with Hall …

There's a fourth finalist for the Blue Jays' job: Brian Butterfield  —  According to an industry source, Blue Jays' third base coach Brian Butterfield is one of the four finalists for the Toronto managerial opening.  Butterfield, 52, a native of Maine who still lives in the state …

Bryce Harper's first Arizona Fall League hit, a near-miss  —  And there it is in video form: Bryce Harper's first professional hit in the Arizona Fall League last night — almost a grand slam — a two-run, ground rule double.  —  Sounds like the guy holding the video camera got a little excited - almost a double-rainbow moment!

Tigers Agree to Terms With Brandon Inge  —  The Detroit Tigers today announced the club has agreed to terms with third baseman Brandon Inge on a two-year contract with a club option for the 2013 season.  —  Inge saw action in 144 games with the Tigers during the 2010 season, batting .247 …

Pirates bide time on manager search  —  The Pirates might wait until the postseason ends before speeding up their hunt for a manager.  —  New York Yankees bench coach Tony Pena has been mentioned as a likely candidate for several openings.  But, Pena, a former Pirates catcher …

Central casting: Reds looking for a leading man  —  CINCINNATI — Finding a quality and lasting leadoff hitter has eluded the Reds for several years.  They have tried numerous players — including such free-agent busts as Corey Patterson and Willy Taveras, and others, including Ryan Freel and Norris Hopper.

I want Hahn, but Mets need Sandy  —  I want the Mets to hire White Sox assistant GM Rick Hahn, because he's highly regarded, he's young and progressive, he understands and uses new media and advanced statistics, and he'd likely bring a basket of new ideas to a stagnant team.

Where did the hitters go in October?  — The playoffs have followed the regular season trend back to pitching dominance.  Not that aces haven't done this in past postseasons, it's just that their supremacy this year stands out.  —  Roy Halladay's no-hitter, Tim Lincecum's 14 strikeouts …