Bonds has ‘gift,’ wants to be coach  —  SAN FRANCISCO - Barry Bonds broke Mark McGwire's single-season home run record.  Now he wants to follow Big Mac into the coaching profession some day.  —  Bonds spoke just outside the Giants' clubhouse before Game 1 of the World Series against the Rangers on Wednesday night.

Girardi to return to Yankees for 3 years, $9M  —  Tweet  —  The Yankees and Joe Girardi are closing in on a three-year contract that will pay him $9 million, The Post has learned.  —  Girardi would receive a bump from a contract that expires Saturday that paid him $7.5 million over three years.

It's time to say you're sorry, Sandy  —  Fans deserve a mea culpa from Alderson, who didn't speak up during steroids era  —  In a lot of ways, Sandy Alderson comes to the New York Mets out of central casting.  A Marine, Vietnam vet, Harvard Law grad, architect of a winner …

Lance Berkman, Kerry Wood out  —  NEW YORK — As expected, the Yankees declined to pick up the options of Lance Berkman ($15 million), Kerry Wood ($11 million) and Nick Johnson ($5.5 million with a $250,000 club buyout) on Wednesday.  —  But at least one of them, Wood …

Willie Mays sick, misses World Series 1st pitch honor  —  SAN FRANCISCO — Willie Mays was sick and missed throwing out the ceremonial first pitch before the World Series opener.  —  Mays was announced earlier Wednesday on a list of six Hall of Famers to throw out first pitches before Wednesday night's game against the Texas Rangers.

Manuel on Werth, Contract, and the World Series  —  If I had told you a year ago that you'd be watching Cliff Lee pitch in the World Series tonight, I'm sure you would have been ecstatic.  Well, as Charlie Manuel likes to say: Funny game, this baseball.  —  Manuel said a lot of other stuff today …

Postgame interview with Lincecum, Sanchez  —  Q. Could you talk about those first couple innings.  It looked pretty shaky there, particularly the play at third.  What were you thinking?  —  TIM LINCECUM: Yeah, a little bit of a brain fart there, not really knowing the situation.

Behind the Beard Is a Quirky Closer Who Keeps Things Interesting  —  Relief pitchers have tended to be odd, with closers typically occupying the far end of that spectrum.  Brian Wilson, the San Francisco Giants' closer, is one of the oddest.  —  Start with the easy stuff, like his physical appearance.