Nats' Soriano Files For Free Agency  —  Alfonso Soriano took what could be the first step in leaving the Washington Nationals yesterday, officially declaring free agency, opening the bidding among all 30 major league teams on perhaps the premier offensive player on the market.

White Sox exercise 2007 options of Mark Buehrle, Jermaine Dye and Tadahito Iguchi; Decline on Dustin Hermanson  —  CHICAGO — The Chicago White Sox have exercised the 2007 club options on the contracts of left-handed pitcher Mark Buehrle, outfielder Jermaine Dye and second baseman Tadahito Iguchi.

Soriano targeted; Pat's pact edible?  —  LIKE EVERYONE else in the Phillies family, president David Montgomery gnashes his teeth when he thinks of the St. Louis Cardinals hoisting the Commissioner's Trophy.  —  Maybe signing Alfonso Soriano, who filed for free agency yesterday …

Ignore the Win Total; Cards Are No Fluke  —  If ever you could feel bad for a team that just won the World Series, that time is now.  —  There wasn't much great about the St. Louis Cardinals this year, and there wasn't much about the way they won one of the least dramatic World Series …

Rangers set to talk to final candidates  —  The Rangers have scheduled face-to-face interviews with their final two managerial candidates: Nippon Ham Fighters (Japan) manager Trey Hillman on Tuesday and Rangers bench coach Don Wakamatsu on Wednesday.  —  There had been some uncertainty …

S.F., Texas show interest in Gonzo  —  Luis Gonzalez took over left field from Brent Brede after being acquired by the Diamondbacks in 1999.  Is Barry Bonds next?  —  Gonzalez was a free agent for only hours Saturday before San Francisco and Texas came calling, major league sources confirmed Sunday …

500,000 honor the champs  —  It sounded like one long stadium curtain call.  It looked like a horizonless sea of Cardinal red, as if every available Redbird shirt and hat had been pressed into service.  —  No more games to be played.  But the 2006 season for the World Series champion St. Louis Cardinals …

Ten Notable Arizona Fall League Performances  —  Today, I will break down five oustanding performances and five disappointing performances by top prospects in the Arizona Fall League.  It's difficult to generate any meaningful conclusions about a player's development only three weeks after opening day …

Reds Round Table: 2006 Postseason  —  A group of Reds bloggers got together this week to chat about the 2006 season and look ahead to the brilliant lights of 2007.  You know things are getting better: today I saw a Cincinnati Reds calendar for sale at the Muncie Mall.

How the Cardinals Shocked the World* and Won the World Series  —  Mike and Maria Schneider are an L.A. couple who run a blog called Franklin Avenue, which is more or less a cultural guide for local groups.  Over the past year Mike and Maria have been asking their infant son Evan to pick …

New revenue tax will benefit Marlins, Devil Rays  —  Leave it to Jim Leyland to cut through the spin and explain why baseball owners and players were able to unveil a new labor agreement last week at the World Series.  —  "I think you always have a better relationship when both sides are making money," the Tigers' manager said.

Brewers present "A Very Meat Trick-or-Treat"  —  MILWAUKEE — In a unique twist on the Brewers commitment to give back to the community, the Famous Klement's Racing Sausages are taking to area neighborhoods this Tuesday night with a not-so-scary surprise.  Two undisclosed neighborhoods …