White Sox trying lock up GM Williams  —  NEW YORK — White Sox general manager Ken Williams is discussing a new contract with club owner Jerry Reinsdorf, SI.com has learned.  —  Williams is said to be amenable to an extension, and people familiar with the talks expect a new deal to be consummated fairly soon.

Roy Halladay shuts down Yankees, Jays beat Bombers 8-2  —  TORONTO - Roy Halladay pitched his major league-leading ninth complete game to become the American League's second 20-game winner and the Toronto Blue Jays beat the Yankees 8-2 on Thursday night.  —  Vernon Wells homered and drove …

Unconventional Wisdom: Breaking down the Mets bullpen … If the Mets miss the playoffs this year, they'll remember Aug. 2 as the day their season irrevocably turned.  In the ninth inning of a game against the Astros, interim manager Jerry Manuel summoned Billy Wagner to protect a 4-2 lead.

Game 159: Yankees at Blue Jays  —  YANKEES (87-71)  —  Carl Pavano (4-1, 4.99) vs. the Toronto hitters.  —  Roy Halladay (19-11, 2.81) vs. the New York hitters.  —  Notes: The Yankees have won seven straight and 10 of 11. ...  The Yankees are four games ahead ofthe fourth-place Jays with four games to play. ...

Part 2: Winter moves may hit M's hard at plate  —  There is one distraction Raul Ibanez has been unable to block out as he puts together one of his finest seasons.  —  Ibanez compares himself to “a racehorse with blinders on” because of the way he can focus on nothing more than the task ahead.

Cakes on Moose  —  We debated last week, right here at The School of Roch, whether Mike Mussina belonged in the Hall of Fame.  —  Who better to ask than a Hall of Famer who's seen him pitch plenty of times?  —  I just got off the phone with Jim Palmer, not realizing that he's on the West Coast …

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.

Cabrera greases his exit by calling out teammates  —  MINNEAPOLIS — Give Orlando Cabrera credit: Between hands of Texas Hold 'Em, playing dominoes and mastering the art of the five-minute change, shower and dash after games, the White Sox shortstop has found time to set the stage for his exit from the South Side.

Ten thoughts about the free-agent market  —  For eight teams and more than 200 players, the season will go on past Sunday.  For 22 teams and some 600 players, the season ends on Sunday, which is why there is already lots of underground talk about the offseason to come.

The worst general managers in sports history  —  We may have a contender for best fan reaction to a sports event, ever.  From ESPN.com's story on Matt Millen's firing:  —  “I've been a season-ticket holder for 28 years and because they fired Matt Millen, I'm going to renew,” said Detroit Lions fan Eddie Gates.