Game 160: Yankees at Red Sox  —  YANKEES (87-72)  —  RED SOX (94-65)  —  Alfredo Aceves (1-0, 1.38) has never faced any of the Boston hitters.  —  Daisuke Matsuzaka (18-2, 2.80) vs. the New York hitters.  —  Notes: The Yankees have won seven of eight and 10 of their last 12. ...

Marlins aim to reprise Mets KO  —  Situation similar for another finale series playoff coup de grace  —  WASHINGTON - A year later, the memories haven't faded for the Marlins.  Scott Olsen even recalled having pizza in the Shea Stadium visitors' clubhouse after that final regular-season win.

Manuel unhappy with Phils' recent slip  —  Skipper calls meeting to convey importance of final games  —  PHILADELPHIA — Charlie Manuel was angry.  He didn't say so, but words weren't necessary.  —  A lieutenant went to the message board in the players' den and scribbled: Meeting.  Friday.

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.

Tiebreakers loom after walk-off wins  —  Races in AL Central and NL Wild Card remain tight  —  The regular season is supposed to end on Sunday, but with the way things are going, it might take until Tuesday to determine the three remaining playoff spots.  —  Minnesota's walk-off win …

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.

Bedard: no labrum tear, could start season on-time  —  It looks like Erik Bedard is not as bad off as had initially been feared.  He underwent surgery today to remove a cyst in his shoulder area and also to have “a minor labral debridement.”  —  But a medical update issued by the team …

This is the Cubs year.  Really. … NEW YORK — These Cubs are not your father's Cubs.  Or your grandfather's.  Or even your great grandfather's.  —  This should finally be their year.  No, really.  —  Beyond having the most solid rotation in the National League …

Fans sue over seats for Cubs playoffs  —  A budding legal dispute over the divvying up of Cubs playoffs tickets reflects the tensions and possible treacheries that abound as fans who share season-ticket packages attempt to split their much-coveted seats for the upcoming postseason.

Sheets will toe mound for Brewers against Cubs  —  MILWAUKEE — Brewers pitcher Ben Sheets will start Saturday against the Cubs despite a sore elbow that forced him to leave his last appearance on Sept. 17 against Chicago.  —  Sheets says he's ready to pitch and he feels like his arm is ready to let him return to the mound.

M's respond to clubhouse anger toward Ichiro  —  Ichiro reached base on...  Another loss Thursday night for the Mariners at Safeco Field began the way so many other contests have this season.  —  Ichiro reached base on his 176th single of the season and the 1,800th hit of his career.

Hardy might have hand injury  —  As speculated by others on the Brewers Blog earlier today, shortstop J.J. Hardy might have injured a hand during the home-plate celebration when Ryan Braun hit his walk-off grand slam last night in the bottom of the 10th inning against Pittsburgh at Miller Park.

Does nobody want the bed of the Large Father? … A week back, I started some fuss after posting that David Ortiz has offered up his autographed bed for charity.  It seemed like a good enough idea, right?  Who can't use an autographed bed?  —  Apparently, the answer is, “just about anybody.”

Maine wants to pitch, but knows he may not  —  John Maine knows now that there is a big chasm between being “activated” and being active.  —  After long, tough rehabilitation work, Maine was taken off the disabled list Wednesday and activated.  But manager Jerry Manuel suggested …

Pedro tips his cap to Mets fans  —  In what could be his final Shea start, righty solid against Cubs  —  NEW YORK — If the Mets' season ends this weekend or in a tiebreaker game on Monday, Shea Stadium probably had its final glimpse of Pedro Martinez pitching in a home white uniform.