Scully Recalls the Daffy Days of Brooklyn  —  The play, in which two Los Angeles Dodgers were tagged out in succession yesterday by Mets catcher Paul Lo Duca after a single by Russell Martin, was perfectly set up for Vin Scully, working solo in the cramped visitors' radio booth at Shea Stadium.

Not a Blue-Plate Special  —  Dodgers come back to tie after a strange double play, but Mets take advantage of Penny in a rare relief role and win the series opener.  —  NEW YORK — The Dodgers have one starter they trust to pitch deep into the game, and he did not.

Cards Notebook: DeWitt gives nod to La Russa  —  SAN DIEGO — Cardinals chairman Bill DeWitt underscored the organization's satisfaction with manager Tony La Russa's performance this season, saying there was "never any thought given" to reviewing the skipper's status had the club not held on to win the National League Central title.

BOSS NOT IMPRESSED BY METS  —  An ornery George Steinbrenner stormed out of Yankee Stadium shortly after the Yankees game against the Tigers was postponed last night and promptly knocked the league and his team's crosstown rivals.  —  Steinbrenner was asked if he was happy the Mets won …

A-Rod goes 0-for-4 with 3 Ks as Yankees drop Game 2 to Tigers  —  NEW YORK (AP) — Alex Rodriguez strode to the plate and the Yankee Stadium fans cheered as one, imploring him to deliver that elusive clutch hit.  —  Strike one.  Strike two.  Strike three.  —  Another missed chance for baseball's $25 million man.

Judge: Anderson must be freed  —  SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - A federal judge ordered Barry Bonds' personal trainer released from prison Thursday, saying a legal "snafu" had arisen.  —  U.S. District Judge William Alsup said Greg Anderson must be freed, because a federal appeals court hadn't affirmed …

Eight Ugly Options  —  When attached to long-term contracts, club options are strange things.  In a sense, they are a way for a team to say, "Just in case you perform beyond our wildest dreams, we want to have the chance to pay you another 15 million bucks.  You know, when you're 38."

ESPN beyond 'Redemption'  —  The anxiety level was high.  Seventh inning.  Nomar Garciaparra at the plate facing Guillermo Mota.  Mets 4, Dodgers 2.  Two outs.  Bases loaded.  —  Gary Thorne, ESPN's play-by-play man, called it one of "those key" moments in a playoff game and perhaps the entire Dodgers-Mets division series.

New TBS comedy visits Wrigley Field  —  "My Boys" will feature a sports writer who covers the Cubs  —  CHICAGO — A new TV series about a sports reporter from Chicago shot its final show of the season at Wrigley Field on Wednesday, and the cast was thrilled to be able to step on the field.

Weis, Mora, Pratt and ???  —  Perhaps because they are so unexpected, surprise October performances by unlikely heroes seem even more prevalent than examples of the game's biggest stars shining on the postseason stage.  Mets history is littered with such unlikely icons, with the predictable …

Now comes the really hard part  —  MINNEAPOLIS - Here's an absolute certainty, one that's right there in the pecking order with death and taxes and lost fly balls in the White Bubble Dome: No team does postseason, inside-the-park home runs against a backdrop of homer hankies the way the A's do.

Abuse charge dropped against Phillies pitcher  —  BOSTON (AP) - An abuse charge against Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Brett Myers was dismissed Thursday after his wife said she did not want her husband prosecuted for hitting her in the face during an argument near Fenway Park.