Mets will interview Wally Backman, Chip Hale for manager after hiring J.P. Ricciardi in front office  —  New Mets general manager Sandy Alderson spent his first full day in his Citi Field office Tuesday beginning to schedule managerial interviews and announcing a high-profile front office acquisition in J.P. Ricciardi.

Hal Steinbrenner: Payroll staying “within the same level”  —  After attending the Yankees organizational meetings the past two days in Tampa, Hal Steinbrenner did a pair of radio interviews this afternoon — one on ESPN, one on WFAN — to discuss the state of the Yankees and what comes next.

Giants won World Series despite draft failures  —  The San Francisco Giants have their own stupidity to thank for their first World Series title.  —  It's true.  If the Giants didn't run their organization in such boneheaded fashion in the early part of this century, they wouldn't have pig-piled …

AFL set for Rising Stars Game on Saturday  —  Now's your chance to see them before they hit the big leagues.  The Arizona Fall League, haven to some of the best upper-level prospects in baseball, will hold its fifth annual Rising Stars Game at 9 p.m. ET (6 p.m. MT) on Saturday.

Braves exercise options on Gonzalez, Infante  —  Club inks Proctor, declines deals for Farnsworth, Ankiel  —  ATLANTA — After losing their tightly contested Division Series battle against the eventual world champion Giants, there wasn't any reason to wonder if the Braves …

Former Major League Manager Clyde King Dies  —  GOLDSBORO, N.C. (AP) — Clyde King, whose baseball career as a player, coach, manager and front-office man spanned six decades, has died in North Carolina.  He was 86.  —  Wayne Memorial Hospital spokeswoman Amy Cain said King died Tuesday in Goldsboro …

Rodriguez to remain Marlins manager  —  Official annoucement expected Wednesday  —  Florida Marlins interim manager Edwin Rodriguezwatches his team during batting practice before a baseball game against the San Diego Padres on Friday, June 25, 2010, in Miami.  (AP/ Photo/J Pat Carter) (J Pat Carter, AP / June 25, 2010)

Infection sidelines prospect Jackson for year  —  CHICAGO — Outfielder Brett Jackson, the Cubs' No. 1 Draft pick in 2009 who had been playing in the Arizona Fall League, is done for the year after being hospitalized with a bacterial infection in his right shin.

Francona on Young: ‘This was an important hire’  —  Red Sox manager Terry Francona knew in September that it was likely he'd be losing John Farrell from his coaching staff.  But before Farrell left his position as pitching coach to become manager of the Toronto Blue Jays, Francona asked for his advice on potential replacements.

Sparky Anderson is seriously ill  —  Tom Gage of the Detroit News tweets what is easily the saddest news I've heard in a while: Former Reds and Tigers manager Sparky Anderson is seriously ill, and is in hospice care.  According to his family he's suffering from “complications resulting from dementia.”

Coco Crisp's option is being picked up by the A's  —  Behold the future of baseball reporting: Coco Crisp tweets his own contract status, telling the world that the A's are picking up his option.  He says he's happy about it.  Of course, in the very next tweet he says he's happy …

Voters issue a resounding ‘Yes’ to keep the Cubs in Mesa  —  MESA, AZ — On Tuesday, Mesa voters overwhelmingly approved of the City of Mesa's $99 million investment in a new spring training facility for the Chicago Cubs.  The referendum passed with a “yes” vote of more than 63 percent.