Manuel doubts Myers can be Phillies closer  —  Phillies manager Charlie Manuel made it clear he has serious doubts that Brett Myers will be able to help the club as a closer because the righthander is feeling the effects of his long layoff following hip surgery in early June.

Davis Would Return To D'Backs Or Brewers  —  Doug Davis has played his entire National League career with two teams: the D'Backs and Brewers.  Now that he's about to become a free agent, Davis tells Bob McManaman of the Arizona Republic that he'd return to either club.

Reassessing three underachievers and notes around the majors … For most teams, it is time to turn the page on this season.  In a few cases, it has been that way for months.  But one major advantage to being eliminated early is that there is plenty of extra time to assess one's needs …

Umpire on Brian Fuentes' ninth-inning pitch: ‘Could have been a strike’  —  Rick Reed, who made the call in Wednesday's loss to the Red Sox, puts part of the blame on Angels catcher Mike Napoli and rebukes Angels coaches for their reaction.  —  Before the ninth-inning pitch controversy …

Homer No. 20 a special one for Gomes  —  Cincinnati (68-79) vs. Florida (78-69), 7:10 p.m. ET  —  CINCINNATI — Home run No. 20 of the season was rife with meaning for Reds left fielder Jonny Gomes, and someone else, too.  —  Gomes went deep in the second inning of the Reds' win over the Astros on Wednesday.

Second baseman Akinori Iwamura hopes to stay with the Tampa Bay Rays  —  Rays second baseman Akinori Iwamura, 30, will be a free agent after the season if the Rays choose not to pick up his option.  —  Times]  —  BALTIMORE — 2B Akinori Iwamura would like to stay with the Rays.

Growing up a KC fan, Crow ready to go  —  Royals' first-round Draft pick to pitch in Arizona this fall  —  KANSAS CITY — It's probably premature to expect right-hander Aaron Crow to be pitching along with Zack Greinke and Gil Meche next summer at Kauffman Stadium but, no doubt about it, the Royals have big hopes for Crow.

Street takes big step toward return  —  PHOENIX — Huston Street's 2009 detour is about to end.  —  The Rockies' injured closer threw about 25 pitches in a simulated game today and emerged confident and pain-free.  Street said he's been told he will be activated for Sunday's game against the Diamondbacks.

September 17: Postgame notes  —  First things first, Juan Miranda (right) is going to New York.  —  I guess there could be more moves in the next few days, but for now, he's the only call-up from the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees clubhouse.  Austin Jackson said he hadn't heard anything definitive …

Can We Let the David Ortiz Injustice Die?  —  Michael Schmidt of The New York Times recounted how he set out to obtain names sealed by court order of 100-plus Major League Baseball players who tested positive for performance-enhancing drugs in 2003.  He wrote a story on David Ortiz and Manny Ramirez.

Chicago Cubs clubhouse bizarre after 7-4 loss to Milwaukee Brewers  —  Players, manager contribute to peculiar scene  —  Cubs starter Randy Wells reacts after giving up a grand slam to Milwaukee's Jody Gerut in the fourth inning.  (Brian Cassella, Chicago Tribune / September 17, 2009)

Texas Rangers can take a last thrill ride, if they stand tall  —  When you've scored one more run than a dead man in 37 innings and were nearly no-hit by a last-place team, in effect, playing the most lifeless baseball of an inspiring, improbable season at the worst possible time, it's safe to assume you must be dead men walking.

Mortgaging the Future to Pay for the Past: Was It Worth It?  —  More photos » by Jae C. Hong - AP  —  From Blez's February 2006 interview with John Sickels: … Opening with the caveat that it's rarely fair to judge past predictions (knowing that hindsight is 20/20) …

Mets can't bank on a better 2010  —  Mets manager Jerry Manuel's players are taking full advantage of this late-September vacation, if not the manager himself.  —  No one disputes the Mets are awful; their lineup is currently the worst in the major leagues.

Will MLB's Latest Tech Disserve Game?  —  As the end of the 2009 Major League Baseball (MLB) season approaches, technological advances, still in their infancy, were instituted in 2009, intended for the game's future progress; that according to MLB.  —  Most fans, however …

Win streak has Atlanta thinking big  —  Braves sweep Mets, welcome Phils for crucial weekend set  —  ATLANTA — While there might be some pessimists and realists who are simply looking at what might have been, the Braves have put their past behind them and provided hope for the immediate future …