Yanks faked Crawford interest to cost Red Sox  —  They really will do whatever it takes to win in this epic rivalry.  —  New York Yankees general manager Brian Cashman admitted on Thursday that he feigned interest in Carl Crawford this offseason to drive up the price for the Boston Red Sox to sign the free agent.

Martin: ‘I hate the Red Sox’  —  NEW YORK — Russell Martin's views on the American League Wild Card chase won't win him any buddies in Boston, but his sentiments should gather plenty of support in the Bronx.  —  Martin said on Thursday that he'd love to see the Yankees play spoiler …

Brewers win NL Central title  —  Ryan Braun snapped a tie with a three-run homer in the eighth inning as the Milwaukee Brewers clinched the National League Central title - their first division championship in 29 years - about 30 minutes after their 4-1 victory over the visiting Florida Marlins on Friday.

Morrow, Blue Jays Deal Blow to Rays' Playoff Hopes  —  ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Brandon Morrow pitched seven scoreless innings and the Toronto Blue Jays further dampened Tampa Bay's playoff hopes, beating David Price and the Rays 5-1 Friday night.  —  The Rays have lost four of five …

Martinez's Double in 11th Gives Tigers Win  —  DETROIT (AP) — Victor Martinez's run-scoring double in the 11th inning gave the Detroit Tigers a 4-3 victory over the Baltimore Orioles on Friday night.  —  Brandon Inge started the inning with a walk off Willie Eyre (2-2), and Miguel Cabrera …

Uggla, Braves beat Strasburg, Nationals 7-4  —  WASHINGTON—Dan Uggla and the Braves knocked around Stephen Strasburg a bit in a three-run first inning, and Atlanta helped its bid for a playoff berth by beating the Washington Nationals 7-4 Friday night.  —  Tim Hudson (16-10) …

MLB asks judge to order sale of Dodgers  —  Major League Baseball does not intend to approve any sale of television rights that would help Frank McCourt maintain ownership of the Dodgers, according to the request filed with a bankruptcy judge.  McCourt's plan to emerge from bankruptcy is ‘dead on arrival,’ MLB says.

2002 ‘Moneyball’ draft class in review  —  A's had some success stories, but they also had an unwitting victim — Jeremy Brown  —  If Oakland A's general manager Billy Beane is the engine that drives “Moneyball” — the book and movie versions — Jeremy Brown plays the role of the caboose.

Melvin won't let contract be a distraction  —  MILWAUKEE — One of Brewers general manager Doug Melvin's best friends earned some job security on Friday, when the Reds signed GM Walt Jocketty to a three-year contract extension through 2014.  If Melvin gets a similar vote of confidence, it would not come until after the season.

The Moneyball revolution from someone who helped it happen … Today, the movie version of the book Moneyball will be released.  I've seen the movie, and I enjoyed it.  You can read a thousand reviews by sportswriters on the movie itself, and I encourage you to not do that and just go see the darn thing for yourself.

Lincecum prefers short-term deals  —  Los Angeles — Contract talks with Tim Lincecum might be Job One for the Giants this winter, and though Lincecum said he would listen to whatever the team has to say, he told The Chronicle on Thursday he is not keen on locking himself into a long-term deal that would buy out future free-agent years.

Danny Litwhiler dies at 95  —  CLEARWATER, Fla. — Danny Litwhiler, who followed an 11-year major league career in the 1940s with a lifetime of coaching college players and work on inventions intended to improve the game he loved, died Friday at the age of 95.

Tigers Justin Verlander undoubtedly most ‘valuable’ player … Go on.  Get out your scale.  —  Forget that we are from Detroit.  Forget that we love the Tigers.  Put your guys on one side and Justin Verlander on the other.  —  And let's see who's MVP.  —  Forget that Verlander is the best theater in baseball right now.

THOME HONORED BY INDIANS, WHO PLAN STATUE FOR HIM  —  CLEVELAND - All the memories, some fresh and some forgotten, have been chasing Jim Thome around this season — maybe his final season.  —  And as it nears the end, Thome knows his career may be ending, too.  —  “You can't play forever,” he said.

Theo: 'There's no disconnect between me and Tito'  —  NEW YORK — Theo Epstein strongly refuted comments made yesterday on the radio by MLB Network and NESN analyst Peter Gammons that there is a “disconnect” between the Red Sox' GM and manager Terry Francona.

Rockies' Todd Helton done for season because of bad back  —  HOUSTON — Todd Helton's sense of humor returned Thursday, the pregame featuring his crooked smile and dry wit.  There will, however, be no more hits this season.  Bothered by a stiff back over the past two weeks, Helton is shut down for the season.