New Agreement Includes Draft, Rule 5 Changes  —  ST. LOUIS — Overshadowed by more wide-ranging issues and the sheer euphoria of an agreement between Major League Baseball and the Players Association being reached with no rancor or threats of a work stoppage, the structure …

Delgado honored with Clemente Award  —  ST. LOUIS — Nine days earlier, Carlos Delgado was in the same interview room at Busch Stadium to talk about the two home runs he had just hit for the Mets to even the National League Championship Series at two wins apiece.  —  He was back there on Tuesday for a very different reason.

Twins' Liriano contemplating elbow surgery  —  The Twins pitcher, unhappy with his rehabilitation progress, left the team's Fort Myers facility to re-examine his options.  —  Still experiencing pain in his left elbow, Twins pitcher Francisco Liriano has left the team's year-round facility …

Bochy meets with Giants GM for chat  —  Candidates for manager include Angels' Black  —  As expected, Padres manager Bruce Bochy, one of four candidates for the San Francisco managerial job, recently chatted with the Giants.  According to multiple sources, Bochy and Giants General Manager Brian Sabean met in the Bay Area.

With hitting problems ended, Rolen's rockin' again  —  Ever since Scott Rolen and Tony La Russa couldn't agree on why he was struggling at the plate, one thing is for sure: Scott Rolen is no longer struggling at the plate.  —  Since Rolen was benched for Game 2 of the National League Championship Series …

Zumaya is his own worst critic  —  ST. LOUIS — We forget.  We see their loopy smiles and awkward fist pumps and awestruck embraces and we forget.  —  Not every rookie can step onto a World Series stage for the first time and own it.  —  Sometimes the throat dries and the lines disappear and the fear consumes.

Vote For Your Favorite White Guy!  —  The legend of the scrappy, hustling, get-yer-uniform-dirty utility player holds a special place in baseball lore, probably because no sport more values its ... well, no sport has more white people.  It's a sacred role on a team: White guy who's not that skilled but is popular because he's "gritty."

Bombers planning to pick up & ship out Sheff  —  ST. LOUIS - The biggest buzz among the few general managers attending the World Series is the silent auction the Yankees have apparently already begun for Gary Sheffield.  It turns out that Yankee GM Brian Cashman had always intended to pick …

Players Union to Yankees: No New Taxes  —  In the negotiations that culminated in a new labor agreement that was announced yesterday, the union had the best interests of George Steinbrenner's checkbook in mind.  Whereas the other clubs are out to get the Yankees' money and inhibit …

Rock bottom  —  Ex-Sox pitcher Stewart threw it all away when he succumbed to drugs  —  SALISBURY, N.C. — His life gone up in smoke, his eyes vacant, former major league pitcher Sammy Stewart remembers the beginning of the end.  —  "The first time I ever smoked crack was in Framingham …

GM wants Yount back  —  thaudricourt@journalsentinel.com  —  St. Louis - Milwaukee Brewers general manager Doug Melvin is still optimistic that bench coach Robin Yount will return to the club next season.  —  Melvin, attending the three World Series games here, spoke briefly with Yount …

A-Rod, Yanks stand united  —  Agent: Brian vows no trades  —  Speculation about the possibility of Alex Rodriguez getting traded will surely linger until he actually takes the field at the Stadium on Opening Day, but the embattled third baseman's agent said yesterday that he has received assurances …

Winds of change  —  Manager Lou Piniella should consider 4 key categories while deciding how to improve the Cubs  —  ST. LOUIS — During his introductory news conference last week, Lou Piniella vowed to pore over statistics sheets this winter in an effort to determine why the Cubs don't have more success at Wrigley Field.

Piniella picks Quade to coach third  —  ST. LOUIS — New Cubs manager Lou Piniella continues to fill out his coaching staff, with an announcement expected possibly by today that Class AAA Iowa manager Mike Quade will replace Chris Speier as the team's third-base coach.