Steinbrenner questions divisional setup  —  The Sporting News to publish Yanks' co-chairman's comments  —  TORONTO — The divisional setup in Major League Baseball is at the top of Hank Steinbrenner's concerns with the state of the game, according to a column written by the Yankees co-chairman that will appear on newsstands this week.

Lou Piniella cites ‘toll’ of managing  —  NEW YORK - Cubs manager Lou Piniella is only one victory shy of his 1,700th career triumph as manager, but he seems to be weary of the long grind that accompanies the season.  —  “It has been a tough year,” Piniella told the New York Daily News.

Tigers' Todd Jones to announce retirement  —  After 16 seasons, 319 saves and approximately 250 columns for Sporting News, Todd Jones is retiring from baseball.  —  Jones, who writes about his decision to call it quits in the latest issue of Sporting News magazine, is expected …

Francona: Drew will start tonight  —  When the Red Sox take the field against the Cleveland Indians tonight at Fenway Park, J.D. Drew will be in the lineup for the first time since Aug. 17.  —  Manager Terry Francona revealed this afternoon during his weekly interview with the …

Aaron recalls making call on Chipper  —  When Hank Aaron leaves you a message to call his southwest Atlanta home as soon as possible, you dial his number even faster than that.  Said the man who is baseball's legitimate home run king instead of that other guy, “Something has just been bothering me, really.

Alvarez in Pittsburgh, set to sign; MLB, union settle grievance  —  MILWAUKEE — Pedro Alvarez, the Pirates' first-round draft pick, is in Downtown Pittsburgh this morning and is expected to sign his contract this afternoon.  —  The parties agreed to terms on a four-year $6,355,000 contract Sunday night …

Rays have two ALDS sellouts  —  First playoff games at Tropicana Field prove hot tickets  —  BALTIMORE — The Rays have sold out the first two playoff games that will be played at Tropicana Field.  —  A limited number of tickets will still be available for fans who make deposits on 2009 season tickets.

Twins dig long ball, at least for one night  —  MINNEAPOLIS - Inside the Minnesota Twins dugout, they figured the roar was for Jason Kubel.  His teammates were telling him to take a curtain call after his second home run, and everybody was so busy patting Kubel on the back and slapping …

Your 2008 Playoff Roster  —  Here's a short story about a guy named Steve Green.  I shared it briefly in the comments section of the Happ post yesterday.  Steve Green has pitched six innings in his major league career.  He's currently a 30-year-old pitcher for Triple-A Lehigh Valley.

Rebuilding the Mariners |  M's puzzle tougher to reshape with big contracts  —  And a nervous Kenji Johjima seemed to be dying a little inside as he spoke...  It was the night the Mariners saw their 2008 season die for good.  —  And a nervous Kenji Johjima seemed to be dying a little inside …

Phillies' ballpark evacuated  —  Citizens Bank Park was evacuated briefly this afternoon after three suspicious packages were found just outside the ballpark, a Phillies official said.  —  The Philadelphia Police's bomb squad detonated the packages and sounded an “all clear” for fans to return to the park, the team official said.

Senators batting champ Vernon dies at age 90 … Mickey Vernon, who batted .286 over 20 big league seasons, including two batting titles for the Washington Senators, died Wednesday afternoon at Riddle Memorial Hospital in Media, Pa., six days after suffering a stroke.

Sadly, one play defined Merkle's career, life  —  WATERTOWN, Wis. — Fred Merkle was born in Watertown, Wis., in 1888, but he spent only one year there before his family moved to Toledo, Ohio.  —  Still, that didn't prevent Watertown resident David Stalker from claiming Merkle as the town's very own.

South Atlantic League Top 20 Prospects  —  Only 19, Bumgarner pitches like a vet  —  Youth was served throughout the South Atlantic League in 2008, a season in which teenage talent dominated the low Class A circuit more than at any time in recent memory.  League champion Augusta set the tone …

Revitalized Lidge ready to face postseason demons  —  This qualifies as supreme irony.  —  Because Brad Lidge flamed out in the 2005 postseason with Houston, Philadelphia could be a force in the 2008 postseason.  —  The Phillies go into tonight's game against Atlanta with a magic number …

The Tampa Bay Rays Are Still Adjusting To Success  —  The Rays have been a remarkable story all year and are headed to their first playoff appearance in the short history of the franchise, but they are still adjusting to the center stage of Octoberdom.  The biggest stumbling block for them right now?

Nationals On Pace to Set Attendance Low for New Ballpark  —  Nationals Park, sparsely attended … In sports, we've all heard this saying at the end of a season:  —  “They have a mathematical chance.”  —  And, while that chance is normally referring to teams straining to make the postseason …