Ron Washington's easy Game 2 choice  —  Let's be real clear about this ... David Murphy is not some raw scrub who's likely to wilt under the pressure of actually playing.  For most of the past three years, he's been playing when the other team starts a right-handed pitcher (which is most of the time).

Ex-Marine and Harvard Law School grad Sandy Alderson brings toughness to Mets' trenches  —  New Mets GM Sandy Alderson (r.) sits in the cockpit of a B-57 Canberra bomber while his father, former Air Force pilot John Alderson, sits on ledge in the summer of '67.  Both served in Vietnam.

Alderson is Mets' choice to be their GM  —  MLB exec, former GM expected to be introduced on Friday  —  SAN FRANCISCO — A little more than three weeks after the Omar Minaya era ended in Flushing, the Sandy Alderson era is about to begin.  —  A source with knowledge of the situation …

Mets' new GM has hands-on approach  —  Mets on Twitter  —  Tweet  —  Picking a new manager will almost certainly be Sandy Alderson's most immediate task as the Mets' new general manager, but that will be just the first step in what could be a vast overhaul of the organization.

Yankees, Girardi close to deal  —  Joe Girardi is headed back to the Bronx.  —  The Yankees and Girardi agreed to a three-year contract worth $9 million, the Daily News has learned.  The two sides are putting the finishing touches on the deal, which could be announced as early as today.

Wakefield wins 2010 Clemente Award  —  Red Sox knuckleballer's charitable actions earn recognition  —  Dependability and loyalty are two words as synonymous with Tim Wakefield as the knuckleball that has kept him going for all these years.  Whether it is on the field or in the community, Wakefield has always been there when needed.