Bonds among first to file for free agency  —  NEW YORK (Ticker) - Barry Bonds may not be wearing a San Francisco Giants uniform if and when he finally catches Hank Aaron.  —  Bonds headlined the list of 59 players that declared themselves free agents on Saturday, the first day of filing.

Joe Niekro, 61, a Master of the Knuckleball, Is Dead  —  Joe Niekro, the knuckleballing right-hander who won 221 major league games in 22 seasons and combined with his Hall of Fame brother Phil to win more games than any pair of brothers in major league history, died Friday in Tampa, Fla. He was 61.

World Series: Cardinals vs. Tigers: Cardinals Win the World Series  —  This may have been most difficult column for me to write.  Ever.  First off, congratulations to the St. Louis Cardinals on their first World Series championship since 1982.  —  Tonight, Jeff Weaver threw how Detroit Tigers fans …

Cardinals were better than their numbers indicated  —  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.

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.

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 beats Goliath  —  Little man Eckstein wins fabled at-bat with Zumaya  —  ST. LOUIS — Should you ever lose your faith in baseball, or simply the belief that what is possible is limited only by your imagination, just roll the tape of David Eckstein batting against Joel Zumaya …

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.

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.

Bench still hip to ways that baseball players bend rules  —  The smudge on Kenny Rogers' pitching hand will surely be one of the defining images of the 2006 World Series.  The Game 2 incident already has a nickname - Smudgegate.  —  "Like it's some big mystery, an episode of Lost or CSI.

Who's next in '07?  Maybe the Mets  —  Mets would be eighth different Series champion in eight years  —  Seven new, different World Series champions in a dizzying, dazzling row.  —  That's what the bold, new century has brought us, starting with the dynastic New York Yankees …

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."