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. ...

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.

Relying on Arms Pushed to Their Limits  —  MILWAUKEE — The last time the Chicago Cubs faced the Milwaukee Brewers at Miller Park, on July 31, the sellout crowd was so full of Cubs fans that Chicago center fielder Jim Edmonds received a standing ovation after his second home run of the day.

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 …

Mariners hint they may hire woman as next GM  —  SEATTLE (AP) — Mariners president Chuck Armstrong said his team is vetting a wide range of general manager candidates, pointedly leaving open the possibility of Seattle hiring the first female general manager in major league history.

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.

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 …

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.

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.

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 …

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.

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.”

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.

Percival impresses Rays, Maddon in return  —  DETROIT — The Rays liked what they saw in RHP Troy Percival's return to the mound Thursday, and if the veteran closer handles his next outing as well, they could be seeing a lot of him in the playoffs.  —  “It was better,” manager Joe Maddon said.