It's a no go for Trachsel  —  Willie puts him in pen, meaning he won't start possible Game 7  —  ST. LOUIS — Not that it's any big secret at this point, but manager Willie Randolph made it official yesterday: Steve Trachsel is in the bullpen now, as Randolph said, "like everyone else."

Lou won't clutch at Alex  —  New Cubs skipper short on Sweet talk  —  Lou Piniella arrived at Wrigley Field yesterday, and both he and the Cubs made a point of saying that Alex Rodriguez had nothing to do with Piniella becoming the North Side's newest manager.

Photo reveals double curse in '86  —  If you want to imbue a discussion with an air of gravitas, you start by identifying the main character by his full name: George Herman Ruth.  Dwight David Eisenhower.  Homer Jay Simpson.  —  So consider the case of one William Joseph Buckner …

Athletics coach first to interview for Rangers  —  Washington briefs Rangers on career filled with winning, defense  —  Ron Washington spent almost six hours interviewing with the Rangers hierarchy about the club's managerial opening Tuesday.  —  But it didn't take him nearly that long to get his message across.

Epstein's signature finally seals deal  —  Theo Epstein said it and Larry Lucchino seconded it — Epstein finally has a signed contract.  —  "We have an understanding that I guess was memorialized with a signature," said Epstein yesterday at a gathering at Fenway Park between print media …

Hawaii Winter Baseball Feature: Eric Campbell  —  HONOLULU—He has proven power and shown he can swipe a few bases.  But infielder Eric Campbell is looking to improve on another aspect of his game: his approach at the plate.  —  Campbell is among four players from the Braves' farm system playing …

Latest technology enhances playoffs  —  New Gameday features, pitch tracking a boon to fans  —  ST. LOUIS — When Tom Glavine threw a pitch to Albert Pujols in the fourth inning on Tuesday night in Game 5 of the National League Championship Series, it was hit over the wall in left and caused pandemonium at Busch Stadium.

To die for?  MLB fans can take team devotion to grave  —  PHILADELPHIA — In the heat of passion, many crazed baseball fans have said they would die for a championship.  But are they willing to take that devotion to the grave?  —  With a new venture that will put Major League Baseball team logos …

Birds of Pray  —  ON Oct. 3, the first day of baseball's playoffs, a columnist for The St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Bob Rybarczyk, wrote that he was looking forward to the St. Louis Cardinals' impending postseason "much like a green-legged Civil War soldier watches the guy walking around with the saw."

Brewers begin coaching search  —  Team looking to fill vacant first-base and hitting-coach spots  —  MILWAUKEE — The Brewers have begun interviewing candidates for the vacant hitting coach and first-base coach positions, but at least one prominent name from the organization's past was not on the list.

Tests show no elbow damage for Proctor  —  Right-hander had heard a clicking sound during September  —  NEW YORK — Scott Proctor visited a doctor in Tampa this week, concerned about a possible bone chip in his right elbow.  —  His fears were quelled Wednesday, as an MRI exam, X-rays and a CT scan revealed no damage to his arm.

Prospectus Today  —  Decisions  —  If the Mets let the Cardinals back into this series with one bad pitch last Friday night in New York, they gave up control of it with one bad decision last night.  —  With one out in the eighth inning of a 4-2 game, David Wright finally had a big hit …

Seven Springs resort drops its bid for casino  —  By Bill Toland, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette  —  You can forget about slots on the ski slopes.  Seven Springs Mountain Resort has dropped its bid to build a small slot machine casino at its facility in Somerset County.

Faith in Flushing (Fear Strikes Out)  —  Great news!  We've already done what we need to do tonight and tomorrow night 61* times in 2006.  —  1. April 6 and 7.  —  2. April 7 and 9.  —  3. April 9 and 11.  —  4. April 11 and 12.  —  5. April 12 and 13.  —  6. April 13 and 14.

Notes: Reynolds ahead of the game  —  Rockies' first-round pick in 2006 displaying flashes of potential  —  DENVER — Right-handed pitcher Greg Reynolds is back in school at Stanford these days, pushing toward an economics degree, but for the past few months, he was acing the introductory section of his professional career.

Eckstein goes to have tests  —  Cardinals shortstop David Eckstein was taken for an X-ray and a scan of his shoulder late Tuesday night before flying with the team to New York for tonight's Game 6 of the NL Championship Series.  —  Eckstein sprained his left shoulder while diving for a ground ball …