SOURCE: BOSSES WANT BRIAN BACK  —  ST. PETERSBURG - Hal and Hank Steinbrenner agree they want Brian Cashman back as the Yankees' GM, The Post has learned.  —  According to a MLB source, the Steinbrenner family has decided Cashman is the man to lead the organization back from a nightmarish season …

Yankees Not Willing to Give in Just Yet  —  ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — So many emotions have washed over the Yankees this season, most of them negative.  They let August go by without much of a fight, but there is one last chance to make a push for the playoffs.  They are hopeful now, because there is no other choice.

Dustin Pedroia: ‘Jerry Remy stunk’  —  I'll lead this one off this way: I love me some Dustin Destroya.  —  It is for this reason that the following video clip concerns me greatly, considering Red Sox Nation's affinity for the mustachioed one, Jerry Remy.  Cue Dustin Pedroia signing autographs for a random admiring fan:

No Runs Over, So Nats' Run Is Over  —  Shutout Snaps Win Streak at 7; Flores Is Hurt: Phillies 4, Nationals 0  —  The Washington Nationals lost by four and lost one last night.  A streak snapped.  An ankle bent.  The old pattern of baseball from an earlier part of the summer …

Pedroia Has 5 RBI In Red Sox Win  —  BOSTON — The national anthem was about to start when Kevin Youkilis felt spasms in his lower back Tuesday night.  So Red Sox manager Terry Francona tore up his lineup card.  And Dustin Pedroia, penciled into the second spot in the original lineup, was shifted to cleanup.

Harper: Niese not ready for prime time  —  MILWAUKEE - Jon Niese showed plenty of guts and a world of potential.  He just didn't show that he's quite ready to pitch in the big leagues, particularly in a September pennant race.  —  So what do the Mets do now?

In a Perfect World, Lincecum Would Win Cy Young  —  Tim Lincecum of the San Francisco Giants is perhaps the most stylistically unique starter to debut since Orlando Hernandez.  Just as Jeff Bagwell's batting stance was something like the perfect inverse of everything you'd read in a book …

RUDI'S CRAZY DAY IN DETROIT  —  A strange thing happened to running back Rudi Johnson when he visited with the Detroit Lions on Monday.  —  Someone stole his stuff.  —  Seriously.  —  Specifically, and as we're told by a reliable source (i.e., not the person who told Mort that Joey Harrington …

Sabathia headlines deep free-agent market of pitchers  —  The Yankees are destined to miss the playoffs for the first time since 1993, but one veteran baseball man said this week that the Yankees' problems won't be that tough to solve this winter.  —  The reason is simple.

Funny.  Effen.  Signs.  —  The Major League Baseball countdown to the playoffs is here.  Which means the buzz about the Chicago Cubs and their possible date with destiny are intensifying.  So don't be surprised if plenty of brands start jumping on the Cubs bandwagon in hopes …

Big Z leaves game with arm soreness  —  Righty to be examined by orthopedist on Wednesday  —  CHICAGO — Cubs pitcher Carlos Zambrano will be examined on Wednesday after leaving his start because of soreness in his right arm.  —  Zambrano was pulled after giving up three runs on five hits …

Reds' Ballpark Worker Charged In Phone Theft  —  A man who works at Great American Ballpark has been charged with stealing a fan's cell phone while he was working.  —  Fifty-three-year-old Paul Pawkey is charged with theft after being arrested early Wednesday morning at the ballpark.

Indians add six September callups  —  Barfield, Aubrey, Mastny return; Meloan, Rundles get first look  —  CLEVELAND — The Indians' ongoing auditions for 2009 received a heavy dose of new participants Tuesday.  —  Six players were added to the Tribe's active roster from Triple-A Buffalo as part of September callups.

Blue Jays extend dominance of Twins, 7-5  —  TORONTO (AP)—Locked in a tight AL Central race, the Minnesota Twins can't afford too many nights like this.  —  Jose Bautista and Alex Rios had four hits each, hitting back-to-back homers Tuesday as the Toronto Blue Jays erased a four-run deficit …