MacPhail resigns as Cubs president  —  John McDonough will serve as interim president  —  Andy MacPhail resigned as president of the Cubs on Sunday.  —  MacPhail will remain with the team to ensure a smooth transition to a new president and to complete his assignment representing Major League Baseball …

Dodgers-Mets: Quick hits  —  Reasons the Dodgers will win:  —  1. Faith.  They believe in themselves after a season of comebacks, both in the standings and on some individual magical nights.  Just the right veteran core — Nomar Garciaparra, Jeff Kent, Rafael Furcal, Kenny Lofton — to show the way.

Clemens comes under steroid scrutiny  —  Somewhere, Barry Bonds is smirking.  —  Roger Clemens' late-career surge bears similarities to Bonds'.  But while Bonds' alleged use of performance-enhancing drugs has been well-documented, Clemens largely has escaped scrutiny …

Cabrera falls just shy of batting title  —  · Miguel Cabrera can now appreciate why former Marlins leadoff hitter Juan Pierre was in the dugout 30 minutes before most games.  —  In a last-ditch effort to bolster Cabrera's bid for a batting title, manager Joe Girardi moved his No. 3 hitter into the top spot Sunday.

One Quest Fails; a Bigger One Begins  —  Derek Jeter tapped his chest with his glove.  Why was Andy Cannizaro, a rookie wearing No. 63, jogging toward shortstop just before the top of the ninth inning yesterday?  —  "Me?"  Jeter said to Cannizaro, and then he understood.

Nats' Robinson Bids a Fond Farewell  —  Frank Robinson first donned a major league uniform on April 17, 1956, a skinny 20-year-old rookie outfielder for the Cincinnati Reds.  Among baseball men of a certain age and mien, the act of putting on that uniform is a cherished rite, never to be taken for granted.

Weeks staying at second  —  Improved defensive play provides hope for future  —  thaudricourt@journalsentinel.com  —  St. Louis - Milwaukee Brewers general manager Doug Melvin said Sunday that there were no plans to move Rickie Weeks off second base for the 2007 season.

Don't Be Surprised if 'Rocket' Escapes the Bonds Treatment  —  SAN FRANCISCO — The news that the drug hounds have finally been unleashed on Roger Clemens sent me to the guy who knows something about being chased.  —  So, I asked Barry Bonds, do you think Clemens will have his heels nipped …

Red Sox tab Papelbon as starter  —  BOSTON (AP) — Jonathan Papelbon will be a starter, Trot Nixon might be an opponent and Theo Epstein is a realist.  —  Injuries and poor play in the second half of the season kept the Boston Red Sox out of the playoffs for the first time in Epstein's four years as general manager.

Seven Reasons to Follow Baseball in Hawaii  —  Baseball prospects are returning to Hawaii this month.  The Hawaii Winter Baseball League has been inactive since a five-year stint in the 1990's brought together major league prospects like Jason Giambi and Derrek Lee with young Japanese players like Ichiro Suzuki and Tadahito Iguchi.

Yankees-Tigers: Position analysis  —  Jorge Posada is one of the longtime foundations of the Yankees' success.  —  But Ivan Rodriguez still sets the standard defensively, and his offensive skills, though not what they were five years ago, are still formidable and worthy of a No. 3 hitter.

Tough loss ends season … Chicago - For those whose attention might have wandered to pucks and pigskins, the Rockies provided a Cliffs Notes version of their season Sunday.  —  There was intrigue laced with disappointment.  Rookie Ubaldo Jimenez, once on the same career path as Jeff Francis …

Gonzo, Counsell overwhelmed by fans  —  Departing D-Backs cheered at every point in season finale  —  PHOENIX — They came and cheered.  And then they did it some more.  And when they were done with that, they cheered again.  —  A regular-season record paid crowd of 48,946 shoehorned their way into Chase Field on Sunday.

Coaching shuffle will start with Collins, Espy leaving  —  Chicago - A Rockies organization defined by stability is expected to have two coaching vacancies today.  —  Manager Clint Hurdle said he would issue a statement on his staff, but multiple sources said first-base coach Dave Collins …