NLCS Preview: Mets vs. Cardinals  —  Six years ago, the New York Mets and the St. Louis Cardinals met in the NLCS.  That year, too, one team swept the short NLDS, the other won in four games.  The Mets, of course, were on their way to the 2000 subway series and blew past the Cardinals in five games.

Torre Keeps Job, but Stays on the Hot Seat  —  The curtain has dropped on the annual fall passion play in the Bronx.  The roles were different this time, but the ending was the same as always.  Joe Torre is still the manager of the Yankees.  —  After last October's first-round playoff elimination …

Don Tony's Cards resist mob mentality  —  NEW YORK  —  Apparently the NLCS is over, even before it begins.  Here is the itinerary that's been planned for the Cardinals: Take the 7 Train to Shea Stadium, then get run over and flattened by the Mets Express.  Just go home, and save yourself some trouble.

ALCS Game 1: Tigers win, but will it be costly?  —  The Tigers got on Barry Zito early for five runs and knocked him out in the fourth inning.  Nate Robertson pitched five innings of shutout baseball.  They weren't the most uneventful of innings, but the runs column still read 0 when Fernando Rodney came into the game.

Piniella likes 'challenge' of Cubs job  —  North Siders top his list; Rangers, Giants interested  —  OAKLAND, Calif. — If the Cubs want veteran manager Lou Piniella, the feeling appears to be mutual — especially with the New York Yankees no longer an option for 2007.

Glavine's chance to be embraced  —  Tom Glavine sat in his news conference yesterday and said a lot of modest things about not feeling any additional responsibility once the Mets lost Pedro Martinez, then Orlando Hernandez on the eve of the playoffs.  But not a word of what he said was believable.

Red Sox Notebook: Arroyo's strategizing his return to the Red Sox  —  Bronson Arroyo may be in Cincinnati, but his heart is still in Boston.  —  In fact, he may already be planning his return.  —  "I still miss playing in that uniform, especially when I turn on the TV and they are 10 games …

Howard chosen player of the year by peers voting in TSN balloting  —  The writers might disagree, but Phillies first baseman Ryan Howard is the players' choice.  —  The Sporting News announced yesterday that Howard, in his first full season, won the publication's major league player of the year award as voted by players.

Reyes vs. Molina: A Game Within Games  —  If the National League Championship Series is reduced to a 90-foot race, the Mets should win by five-hundredths of a second.  —  This is the amount of time that José Reyes is working with when he tries to steal second base against Yadier Molina.

In Search of Clutch Pitching  —  IS TOM GLAVINE THE BEST IN BASEBALL WHEN THE CHIPS ARE DOWN?  —  The baseball playoffs can drive even the most sensible minds to hyperbole.  When you hear in the next few weeks that Albert Pujols is the best right-handed hitter ever, or that Jose Reyes …

White Sox Have New Start Time: 7-Eleven  —  It is not easy to conjure $500,000 out of the ether, but the Chicago White Sox have discovered a way.  Their financial trick was really quite simple.  —  They changed their evening game times at U.S. Cellular Field.

Chavez enjoying all the attention  —  People in Venezuela are very excited about Endy Chavez these days, which is understandable because that is home for him.  The upset is that people are more excited about him in New York, which has become more of a home than he had expected.

Time is now for Orioles to make bid for A-Rod  —  In case you haven't noticed, New York has soured on Alex Rodriguez, and I think it's probably fair to say that A-Rod isn't humming Frank Sinatra right now, either.  —  So, start spreading the news.  A-Rod might be available, and there is a team near you that could use his services.