Mets: Wagner probably out for season  —  NEW YORK (AP)—Billy Wagner is expected to miss the rest of the season, leaving the New York Mets without their All-Star closer as they try to maintain a slim lead in the NL East.  —  Wagner has been sidelined since Aug. 3 because of a tender pitching elbow.

A-Rod knows it's over  —  You could tell as soon as he said it that he would regret it.  But Alex Rodriguez, when asked about the Yankees being passed by the Blue Jays in the standings, said the following:  —  “Toronto's playing really well,” he said.  “I'll tell you what …

IIATMS Exclusive: Paul DePodesta  —  I've been lucky enough to be able to get a few minutes of San Diego Padres Assistant General Manager Paul DePodesta's time.  I had emailed Paul before I visited San Diego and while he was busy at the time (with things like trading Greg Maddux!), he was generous enough to take some questions from me.

Bernie Williams Goes to Washington  —  The Yankees know what it is like to wait for Bernie Williams.  So does President Bush.  —  On Sunday, Williams traveled to Washington to be a base coach for children playing T-ball on the White House lawn.  President Bush, the former owner of the Texas Rangers …

Young still has maturity issues  — What's this?  —  Went to a football game on Sunday and a soap opera broke out.  —  Welcome to Titans '08.  If the game is dull, just focus on the sideline.  That's where the real drama unfolds.  —  It took only one game — a victory over Jacksonville …

30 teams, 30 theme songs  —  Well, the season is winding down once again.  By this time, we have a good idea of what each team is capable, and what their hopes (if any) are for the rest of the regular season and beyond.  We know which teams have floundered, surprised, or merely trudged along.

Après George le Déluge  —  As the tyrant fades away and his team fades with him, it has now become all too apparent that the Boss was really the straw that stirred the drink.  —  For the Yankees, it might have been a celebration, or it might have been a wake.

Dodgers end turnaround with sweep  —  LA wins eighth straight, pushes Arizona 1 1/2 games back  —  LOS ANGELES — The Dodgers swept the Diamondbacks, completed a perfect homestand, ran their win streak to eight and extended their lead in the division to a season-best 1 1/2 games.

Postgame notes: “That's the best I've ever seen him.” … Some of the numbers are amazing, starting with the 94 pitches, 75 for strikes — “That's unbelievable,” manager Dave Miley said — but those numbers get even more impressive when you look at just the fastballs.

Pirates Tie Major Sport Record for Most Consecutive Losing Seasons  —  As with many historic events, this one resulted from a remarkable convergence of factors—spectacularly incompetent management; tight-fisted, complacent ownership; a generally pretty ambivalent fanbase …

1st choice: Millar eyes O's return  —  First baseman wants to stick around, but club may take awhile to decide his fate  —  His contributions to Boston's first World Series title team in 86 years will forever link him to Red Sox Nation.  He has spent more time with the Florida Marlins than with any other club.