Maine pushes NLCS to the limit  —  Rookie throws 5 1/3 scoreless innings to force decisive Game 7  —  NEW YORK — For Mets fans, there is nothing quite so romantic as a Game 6 in October.  —  That flame that reached so many hearts in 1986 with a double dose of Game 6 magic was ignited again …

A-ROD RUMOR MILL IS JUST GETTING STARTED  —  This is where the Cubs re-enter the discussion.  It is near impossible to see realistically how Chicago can blow the Yanks away.  The ESPN report indicated a deal for Rodriguez could include Cubs third baseman Aramis Ramirez.  Which would be one neat trick.

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."

Granderson in demand by family, Tigers fans  —  DETROIT — Detroit Tigers center fielder Curtis Granderson, walking downtown for lunch, can't take more than three full strides before his cellphone starts vibrating again.  —  He shuts it off, cringing at the volume of messages that'll be waiting.

Notes: Miller on the mound?  —  Detail-oriented Wednesday workout; Casey, Zumaya improve  —  DETROIT — The last time Andrew Miller was in the Tigers clubhouse, he was finishing out his first taste of the Major Leagues a few months after being drafted.  His fate on the postseason roster …

Not Easy Being Green  —  It's been a tough series for Shawn Green.  He hasn't done much at the plate, producing only one extra-base hit and one RBI in five games.  Last night, he failed to come through with a clutch hit with runners on second and third base in a 4-2 game in the eighth inning.

Notes: Red Sox mum on '07 plans  —  Team keeping quiet about what it plans to do to fill holes  —  BOSTON — Perhaps, as ace Curt Schilling predicted a month ago, the Red Sox will open the vault this winter and pay less attention to payroll and the collective bargaining tax.

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 …

Tigers closer Jones unique with pitches, personality  —  DETROIT — Todd Jones isn't a typical closer.  He has no knockout pitch and his 28 strikeouts are second fewest for closers with 30-plus saves in almost four decades.  —  Instead of blaring heavy metal or rap, Comerica Park plays Last One Standing …

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 …

Macha not a true believer  —  A's canned him because he wasn't a Moneyball guy  —  Oct. 18, 2006.  —  On Monday, Ken Macha became the sixth major-league manager fired since Oct. 1.  A's GM Billy Beane, in making the announcement, claimed there was a "disconnect on a lot of levels."