Nationals Could Try to Hire Girardi  —  Joe Girardi, fired yesterday as the manager of the Florida Marlins despite a season in which he became a leading candidate for the National League's manager of the year award, could become a prime target of the Washington Nationals, sources close to the situation said yesterday.

Wallace Matthews  —  An idea that never gets old: Stockpile pitching  —  This is what happens when you hire old men to do young men's jobs.  —  You pitch 132 innings, little more than half a season, and for no discernible reason, things start to break down.

5-star effort by Yankee captain  —  NEW YORK — Think David Ortiz would like to have some of those comments back?  You know . . . when he said Derek Jeter was not his idea of MVP material?  —  Ballots have already been cast (that's the rule with the Most Valuable Player award), but Jeter made his case once again last night.

He is gripped by an ex-Dodger fear factor  —  I Have a couple of concerns here, although I don't believe any of them are big enough to keep our guys from winning the World Series.  —  First, they have to get out of this dump still healthy.  Shea Stadium is two years younger than Dodger Stadium …

Look who's back in the playoffs  —  Grady Little and Pedro Martinez always will be linked, and that's fine with them.  They still are as close as they were on the night three years ago when Martinez pretty much cost Little his job.  —  "I love that kid like a brother," Little said yesterday …

Beimel's status in jeopardy  —  Left-handed reliever injured in freak accident in hotel room  —  NEW YORK — Reliever Joe Beimel suffered a bloody gash to his pitching hand in a freak hotel accident Tuesday morning, leaving him in stitches and the Dodgers bullpen roster spots in limbo …

Analysis: Creativity, confidence keys heading into 2007  —  By Dejan Kovacevic, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette  —  On the penultimate day of spring training, in the visitors' clubhouse at Fort Myers, Fla., shortstop Jack Wilson put forth the most accurate prediction of the year regarding the Pirates …

Yank spotter on auto-pilot  —  So here is another thing to blame on Dick Cheney.  Ever since the Vice President's unsolicited visit to the Stadium on June 29, 2004, Bleacher Creatures have been pushed a good 50 yards away from the VIP entrance where the Yankee players enter before the game.

No one talking after Rangers meeting  —  Management remains mum on the future of Showalter  —  The sound of silence was deafening again Tuesday as the Rangers' top management troika met at the estate of owner Tom Hicks to discuss the future of manager Buck Showalter.

GAME 1 IS A MUST WIN!  —  Billy Wagner, the Mets' fire-balling lefty closer, offers his exclusive insights to Post readers throughout the Amazin's post-season run.  —  AM I excited to be in New York on a winner?  Does a one-legged duck swim in circles?  —  This town is the greatest.

Phillies' organist, Paul Richardson, dies  —  Paul Richardson, 74, whose 36 years of organ music was as much a part of Philadelphia baseball as the Phanatic's antics or Harry Kalas' voice, died of prostate cancer Monday at home in Wilmington.  —  Starting in 1970, Mr. Richardson wowed …

It's Haren in Game 3, Harden in Game 4  —  Macha opts to give Harden extra time to work on mechanics  —  A's notebook  —  MINNEAPOLIS — Rich Harden was so excited watching Barry Zito's masterpiece Tuesday in Game 1 of the division series, he wished he could start today's Game 2.