Shea boo birds should give these Mets a break  —  Luis Ayala of the Mets kneels on the mound after giving up a home run in the 10th inning.  (Newsday/David L. Pokress / September 24, 2008)  —  The challenge for the Mets in the next four games is to find a way to make the playoffs despite …

Pettitte pitched with bad shoulder, wants to return  —  TORONTO - Andy Pettitte said it makes him feel “sick” to know the Yankees will miss the playoffs.  He also stepped up to take blame for the team's failures, but Pettitte also admitted that he has been pitching with his left shoulder bothering …

Twins' pen shuts down White Sox as Twins shrink first place gap to ½ game  —  MINNEAPOLIS — The Minnesota Twins have been chasing the Chicago White Sox most of the season in a tight AL Central race.  —  Well, it's come down to the final week, and the young Twins are busy showing the White Sox how to thrive in the clutch.

FREE-AGENT PITCHERS ON BOMBERS' RADAR  —  TORONTO - Is this a six-month blip?  Or is this the beginning of a two- to three-year slide?  —  With the Yankees going home Sunday, the question is where are they headed.  —  Co-chairman Hank Steinbrenner and manager Joe Girardi have talked aggressively …

J.T. Snow will retire as a Giant  —  (09-24) 22:12 PDT San Francisco — Imagine J.T. Snow's emotions when he takes first base Saturday night as a member of the Giants' starting lineup.  Those who want to see him play against the Dodgers, however, will be disappointed.

Pouring salt on the wound  —  From BRIAN COSTELLO I had an interesting perspective for the end of the Mets-Cubs game tonight and thought Mets fans might find it interesting: I watched the end of the game in the Braves' clubhouse in Philadelphia....  I'm here covering the Phillies side …

Mets tied with Brewers in wild card after 9-6 loss to Cubs in 10 innings  —  Aramis Ramirez and Kosuke Fukudome score in the top of the 5th to tie the game at 5-5, erasing the Mets four-run lead ...  There were reminders of the 1980s all over Shea Wednesday night, from Darryl Strawberry strolling around …

Kasten committed to see job through  —  Team president refutes reports of rift with Lerner family  —  WASHINGTON — Nationals team president Stan Kasten denied reports on Wednesday that he is unhappy and wants to leave the organization.  —  Reports from the Washington Times …

Rest of MLB in awe of Rays' turnaround  —  Odds stacked against Tampa Bay, but it proved it could win big  —  ST PETERSBURG — When they set out this spring to put an end to their losing ways, the Rays didn't expect to be a role model for the rest of the league.

Baker denies rumors about kid  —  HOUSTON - Reds manager Dusty Baker took the unusual step of bringing up a rumor Wednesday to deny it.  —  There's been a persistent rumor floating around the Reds that Baker's 28-year-old daughter, Natosha, is dating and/or engaged to outfielder Corey Patterson.

Dodgers clinch tie for division title  —  Victory over Padres means they are one win, or one Arizona loss, from winning the West outright.  —  The closer the Dodgers move to the NL West title, the louder the ballpark becomes.  —  What started as scattered applause when the video scoreboard …

Yankees out, but Torre not spiteful  —  LOS ANGELES — There is no sense of satisfaction, and certainly no vindictiveness, says Los Angeles Dodgers manager Joe Torre, but the facts do the talking for him.  —  The New York Yankees, for the first time in 13 years, will be home for the playoffs.

Wrong Myers shows up as Phillies fall  —  Despite loss, Philadelphia doesn't lose ground in NL East  —  PHILADELPHIA — The Brett Myers of July and August was the one the Phillies needed on the mound Wednesday night.  —  That was the pitcher who seemed unhittable at times and was almost always determined to pitch a complete game.

Weather may upset baseball schedule  —  Much of the East Coast is expected to get heavy rain over the next few days, and that could complicate pivotal games involving the New York Mets and the Philadelphia Phillies, two teams that with the Milwaukee Brewers are in the National League playoff hunt.