Cardinals Paint Crown Red  —  The fans here are patient.  They are adoring and savvy and upbeat, too, but mostly patient.  They waited nearly a quarter-century for Friday night, through steamy summers and frustrating autumns.  They waited until a wind-whipped, frigid night in the heartland …

Agent says Bonds will file for free agency quickly  —  SAN FRANCISCO — Barry Bonds plans to file for free agency the first day he can, and no negotiations have taken place with the Giants about keeping the slugger in San Francisco.  —  With the St. Louis Cardinals winning the World Series on Friday …

With this title, La Russa changes his legacy  —  ST. LOUIS - It's about the players.  It's always about the players, except when it's about the manager, too.  —  The Cardinals' Tony La Russa, who is as controversial as he is successful, rarely avoids scrutiny.  But this time, he is the focus for all the right reasons.

Mookie's at home in sea of red  —  ST. LOUIS — That was a very familiar figure in the Cardinals' dugout before Game 4 in some very unfamiliar gear.  Mookie Wilson was wearing a Cardinals sweatshirt and ski cap, nearly 20 years to the day since he established himself as a Met forever.

Sox wait for Crede's surgery decision  —  Front office hopes for decision on his back surgery soon  —  Ken Williams spent most of October finalizing budgets for 2007.  Now the White Sox general manager and his staff are awaiting word on whether standout third baseman Joe Crede will undergo back surgery.

Pitchers rule day in Rising Stars Showcase  —  Heavy-hitting AFL quieted by some of game's top pitching prospects  —  SURPRISE, Ariz. — All it takes is a short memory to recall the days when the Arizona Fall League was considered a hitters' haven.  —  Last season comes to mind.

World Series Prospectus  —  Game Five  —  Statistical analysts like my colleagues at Baseball Prospectus tend to downplay the nature of streakiness in baseball.  A 95-win team on Tuesday is a 95-win team on Wednesday, and a .300 hitter today is a .300 hitter tomorrow.  Sure, any result is possible in a short series.

Cano wants to play  —  Robinson Cano caught Game 4 of the World Series on television the other night, but he wasn't exactly fascinated.  —  "I'm not interested," he said Friday.  "I'd rather spend time with my family than watch the games.  We should be playing in the World Series right now."

All-Star cast readies for Japan  —  Star-filled lineup heading to Tokyo on Monday  —  PHOENIX — Some of the best players in Major League Baseball put a halt to the offseason on Friday and began what essentially resembled the first day of Spring Training.  —  Only it is late October and not mid-February.

Joe Niekro passes away at 61  —  Brother of Hall of Famer Phil won 221 games in 22 seasons  —  Joe Niekro recognized the pitch as soon as it left his brother's hand.  After all, it was the pitch that their dad taught them when they were just kids growing up together in Ohio.

Sheff suitors just tune out Sheff  —  ST. LOUIS - Gary Sheffield's harsh comments about a potential trade apparently haven't dissuaded teams from inquiring about the Yankees slugger.  The Astros and Indians, according to sources, recently have made it known they would be interested …

David Eckstein: 'Cute little kid' or 'man of iron?'  —  In the World Series, no one may have stood out more for the Cardinals than their shortest player.  —  David Eckstein, the Cardinals 5-foot-7 shortstop who was playing with a sore shoulder he hurt in the National League Championship Series …

Give Eckstein credit where credit's due  —  St. Louis - David Eckstein is great for the Cardinals, but bad for baseball.  —  Because of Eckstein, too many teams believe every player like him - read "undersized" - will be the exception to the rule.  —  The Rockies felt that way about Aaron Miles …