Cranky, cranky, everybody is cranky  —  I'll try to explain this as simply as I can.  —  Before the game, Joe Girardi told us that Mariano Rivera went back to New York to get his standard end-of-the-season physical.  He wasn't going to pitch anyway, the manager said, because he had a “cranky body.”

Walk-off win helps Mets' playoff hopes  —  NEW YORK (AP)—With a desperate rally in the rain, Carlos Beltran and the New York Mets kept their playoff destiny in their own hands.  —  Beltran singled home the winning run with two outs in the ninth inning and New York beat the Chicago Cubs 7-6 …

Marlins relish spoiler role  —  WASHINGTON — The Marlins didn't plan on missing the playoffs again this season, but they're at least hoping their season ends like it did in 2007 - by going to New York and eliminating the Mets.  —  “Anytime you have a chance to knock a big team …

Giambi wants to re-sign with Yankees  —  TORONTO - Jason Giambi's seven seasons in pinstripes have run the gamut.  He had 40-homer, 100-RBI seasons his first two years before being diagnosed with an intestinal parasite and a benign tumor and testifying to a grand jury that he had used steroids.

Brace yourself for wild weekend in baseball's homestretch  —  IMAGINE THE drama.  Imagine the collective mass of several million lumps very high in several million throats.  —  Imagine the not-quite-final National League East standings showing that after 162 games the Phillies and Mets are tied for first place with 91-71 records.

Brackman Kicks Off HWB  —  2007 first-rounder makes pro debut, finally  —  Out in Hawaii Winter Baseball, Yankees' 2007 first-round draft pick Andrew Brackman already has his eyes on grabbing a surfboard and hanging 10.  —  Well, that and finally launching his pro career come Saturday night.

Ricciardi returning as Jays' GM  —  Godfrey explains decision on day Toronto keeps Gaston on  —  TORONTO — Paul Godfrey is a realist.  The Blue Jays president and CEO is well aware that his announcing that general manager J.P. Ricciardi will be back for the 2009 season won't go over well in all circles.

Twins take first on Casilla's walk-off hit  —  Second baseman singles in 10th to complete sweep of Sox  —  MINNEAPOLIS — The jubilant way that the Twins jumped into a pile following Alexi Casilla's game-winning single on Thursday night made them look like a team that had just clinched a playoff spot.

Nats Are in Danger of Losing More Than Just Games  —  It's hard to lose 100 games.  The St. Louis Cardinals haven't done it since 1908.  The lousy Montreal Expos, after their initial expansion season, only did it once in their remaining 35 years in Canada.

Ozzie fires back at Cabrera  —  MINNEAPOLIS — White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen wouldn't fault Orlando Cabrera for the shortstop's latest finger-pointing.  —  As Guillen said Thursday, that's what happens when a player “thinks he's better than what he really is.”

News: Mets announce Basic Plan for Farewell  —  The Mets today announced that Tom Seaver, Willie Mays and Mike Piazza, among 45 other former players, will be on hand for this Sunday's Shea Goodbye post-game, on-field ceremony following the team's 1 p.m. game against the Marlins.

Baseball's Luckiest Team  —  The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, the team with the best record in baseball, have much worth admiring.  A dominant bullpen.  A strong pitching rotation.  A first-rate farm system.  —  What they truly lead the league in, though, is luck.

To Pilots, Shea Is Less Ballpark Than Landmark  —  For 44 years, the procession of planes from nearby La Guardia Airport has contributed to an unusual ballpark soundtrack at Shea Stadium, the roar of jet engines a thousand feet above blending with the cracks of bats and the cries from hot dog vendors.