Resilient Rays remember key moment  —  Recovery in Boston in early September vital for Tampa Bay  —  BALTIMORE — Flash back to Boston in early September if you want to remember how the Rays won the American League East.  —  The vultures were circling overhead, waiting to pick the carcass …

Jays deliver pitch to A.J. Burnett  —  A.J. Burnett, in possibly his last game as a Jay, salutes the home crowd.  “It was storybook,” Burnett said of the sendoff on Sept. 24, 2008.  —  Team makes bold move with proposal to add two years, $30 million to righty's existing deal

Manuel pulls out ace in the hole  —  New York (88-72) vs. Florida (83-76), Saturday, 1:10 p.m. ET  —  NEW YORK — Jerry Manuel agonized over the decision for days, refusing to reveal his Saturday pitcher until after Friday's loss to the Marlins.  Little did anyone else know …

J.D. Drew backs out again  —  Pain leads to MGH visit  —  + Recent Articles + Recent Blog Entries + Email  —  The saga of J.D. Drew [stats]'s bad back isn't close to ending.  —  Drew knew after Thursday's series finale against Cleveland that soreness would prevent him from playing …

Hart, Weeks send Crew atop Wild Card  —  Mets lose to Fish; Brewers can clinch playoff spot Saturday  —  MILWAUKEE — At some point on Saturday morning, a local liquor store will deliver 20 cases of champagne and 20 cases of beer to Miller Park's home clubhouse.  —  Now it's up to the Brewers to pop the cork.

JETER CALLS BOMBERS' SEASON ‘A WASTED YEAR’  —  BOSTON - Derek Jeter sat at his locker as the rain came crashing down at Fenway last night and contemplated life without October baseball.  —  For the first time in his career, the man who always knows what to do on the baseball field does not know what to do with himself in October.

Phils trim NL East magic number to one  —  Howard's homer, Utley's double back Blanton's solid effort  —  PHILADELPHIA — The ball seared through the mist, rising quickly into the black sky as it went, illuminated only by stadium lights and thousands of white rally towels.

Pirates Notebook: Team to approach Mientkiewicz, Michaels about staying  —  SAN DIEGO — The Pirates have yet to approach key bench players Doug Mientkiewicz or Jason Michaels, each of whom can become a free agent this offseason, but general manager Neal Huntington said yesterday they plan to do so.

WFTS Baldelli report “erroneous”  —  A so-called “exclusive” report by WFTS- Ch. 28 that OF Rocco Baldelli has muscular dystrophy is “erroneous,” according to Dr. Allan Weiss, who has been treating Baldelli.  —  “The report is erroneous,” Weiss said in comments relayed through the team.

M's could hire MLB's first female general manager  —  SEATTLE — Seattle 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.