Pirates, Alvarez agree to revised contract  —  Deal is pending physical, could quash MLB union's grievance  —  In a stunning reversal of a summer-long drama, the Pirates and top draft pick Pedro Alvarez last night agreed to terms on a revised four-year, major league contract worth a guaranteed $6,355,000 …

Yanks prevail as Stadium goes dark  —  Rivera secures Pettitte's victory in historic venue's final game  —  NEW YORK — Eighty-five years of memorable moments and indelible baseball achievements at Yankee Stadium were book-ended by Babe Ruth's home run to christen the building and Mariano Rivera's final pitch to close it.

Playoff Pulse: Another Mets meltdown watch  —  To start anywhere else would be irresponsible, because the panic is back in New York.  There are close to a dozen great story lines to fill the final week of the season, and they'll get their due after considering the possibility of New York Mets Meltdown, Version 2.0.

Cesspool scheduled for demolition  —  So, you may have heard, they just finished playing the last game ever at Yankee Stadium — once the home to the greatest organization in sports, a symbol of American excellence.  Back then, there was nothing preening about calling it The House That Ruth Built …

Evaluating April MLB Predictions (2008)  —  We did this last year, in a couple parts.  It quickly became obvious that the computer projections are much more accurate than those of ESPN's analysts; not at all surprising, considering the various methods used.

Guillen challenges Vazquez: Go out and kick Twins' butts  —  WHITE SOX IN BRIEF  —  KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Considering what's at stake for the White Sox this week, why not throw down the gauntlet?  —  Manager Ozzie Guillen has done it before — too many times to count — so why change now?

No Fish Story in Tampa Bay  —  In their 11th season of play, after a decade of never winning 71 games, of never finishing above .500, and never coming close to contention in any year, the Tampa Bay Rays clinched a playoff spot yesterday with a 7-2 win over the Twins.

Rays to give Price first big-league start tonight  —  ST. PETERSBURG — LHP David Price, the Rays' minor-league pitcher of the year, will make his first major-league start tonight in Baltimore, completing the journey from Class A to the big leagues in one season.

Maddon's dream becomes a reality  —  Skipper leads Tampa Bay to an unlikely playoff berth  —  ST. PETERSBURG — Steering a ship that had gone a Major League-worst 66-96 in 2007, it would have been easy for Rays manager Joe Maddon to set sights on a .500 season.

Baseball Fans Angry With Comedy Program  —  A local comedy program took hits from baseball fans for its disturbance of an important pennant race game.  —  The “One night-two days” crew from the Korea Broadcasting System (KBS) visited a Lotte Giants-Doosan Bears game, a duel for No. 2 spot …