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.

La Russa will return in 2007  —  Cards skipper announces intentions to manage 12th season  —  ST. LOUIS — Speculation turned into rumor turned into report on Friday night, but Cardinals manager Tony La Russa insists that whatever you call it, it's false.  On Saturday afternoon at Busch Stadium …

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.

Sox's leadoff spot may tempt Roberts  —  The White Sox might not have to look far for a seasoned leadoff hitter.  —  On the first day of free-agency filings, the agent for San Diego outfielder Dave Roberts said Saturday his client was an ideal match for the Sox in the team's quest for more production out of the top spot.

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.

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 …

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 …

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.

Tigers will seek new players aggressively  —  Team likely to try to bolster its offense and to add position depth for next season.  —  ST. LOUIS — Long before the final out of Game 5 of the World Series on Friday night, Tigers executives, advisers and scouts had their eye on 2007 — and beyond.