Duncan to return as coach through 2012  —  The Cardinals and pitching coach Dave Duncan have agreed upon a two-year contract with a mutual option for 2013.  The deal represents a departure from the front office's initial sentiment to award only one-year deals to manager Tony La Russa's coaching staff.

Lee's stellar pitching lifts Texas, but free agency is looming  —  ARLINGTON, Texas — As the Texas Rangers convened behind closed clubhouse doors July 9, manager Ron Washington announced to his players the move that forever changed the franchise.  —  “We have traded,” Washington said, “for Cliff Lee.”

Baseball union head says players open to expanding playoffs  —  SAN FRANCISCO — Baseball's playoffs could be expanding in two years.  —  The new head of the players' union says his members are open to adding more wild-card teams for 2012 and possibly extending the division series to a best-of-seven.

After Lincecum, Giants tweak Series rotation  —  Cain moved up to Game 2, Sanchez back to Game 3  —  SAN FRANCISCO — The Giants announced their rotation for the World Series on Monday, flip-flopping Jonathan Sanchez and Matt Cain to give Cain the Game 2 start.

Jon Daniels out of Mets' plans for next GM, will decide between Sandy Alderson and Josh Byrnes  —  Texas Rangers general manager and Queens product Jon Daniels is no longer being considered to replace Omar Minaya as Mets' GM, and all indications are that the team expects to choose between Sandy Alderson …

John Farrell introduced as manager of Toronto Blue Jays  —  The Toronto Blue Jays have officially named Red Sox pitching coach John Farrell to be their new manager, robbing Boston of one of its best assets and potentially helping to create another talented team taking aim at Boston, New York and Tampa.

Inside the Phillies: Age is a consideration as Phillies GM Ruben Amaro builds his team for next season  —  Winning never gets old, but the players do and that has always been the tricky part for the men in charge of making sure the victories keep coming even as the names on the back of the uniforms change.

Tim Wallach out of Brewers mix  —  PHOENIX — Tim Wallach has been told by the Milwaukee Brewers that he is no longer a candidate for their managerial vacancy, a development that all but assures Wallach will be the third-base coach for the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2011.

Week 2 AFL Players of the Week  —  Scorpions' Culberson, Sox's Holt claim honors  —  PHOENIX, Ari.  — Scottsdale Scorpions IF Charlie Culberson (SF) and Mesa Solar Sox RHP Brad Holt (NYM) are the Arizona Fall League's week two player-of-the-week and pitcher-of-the-week, respectively.

Slighting Weaver  —  Jered Weaver was a top five starter in the 2010 AL.  —  If you accept the premise, you may expect a few Cy Young votes to come his way.  'Twas a fine season, worthy of recognition.  —  Alternatively, you reject the premise and would be surprised if many—if any—writers figured in him the top three.

No deal for De La Rosa  —  Colorado optimistic it can sign left-hander as he enters free agency.  —  The Denver Post  —  The Rockies will not be re-signing Jorge De La Rosa before he becomes a free agent.  But they remain poised to make an aggressive multiyear bid for the left-hander …

Ryan Howard, A-Rod and Carlos Beltran  —  The Phillies and Yankees were each eliminated from the post season this past weekend, each game ending with a called strike-three looking, bats on shoulders, and breaking balls breaking. … ~ Mike Vaccaro, New York Post

The Myth of the Small-Market Series  —  Even when the current World Series match-up of Giants versus Rangers was just a possibility, I began to hear chatter to the effect of “Bud Selig and Fox are going to hate having two small-market clubs in the World Series.”