Staff at Arizona cryogenics lab Alcor used Ted Williams' frozen head for batting practice: book  —  Workers at an Arizona cryonics facility mutilated the frozen head of baseball legend Ted Williams - even using it for a bizarre batting practice, a new tell-all book claims.

Warrant issued for ballplayer Shawn Chacon over gambling markers  —  Onetime All-Star accused of failing to pay Caesars Palace $150,000  —  Shawn Chacon pitches for the Pittsburgh Pirates against the Atlanta Braves on Aug. 3, 2006, in Pittsburgh.  —  2 a.m.

The 30 best moves of this year (cont.)  —  Source: Reyes didn't tear hamstring completely, but surgery still looks likely  —  Star shortstop Jose Reyes, who personifies the Mets' disastrous and injury-wracked season, now has received an initial recommendation to have the hamstring tendon that's …

South Atlantic League Top 20 Prospects  —  The Sally League had a number of power arms in 2009  —  Most years, the best teams are led by the best players.  In the previous two years in the low Class A South Atlantic League, for example, No. 1 prospects Desmond Jennings (Columbus in 2007) …

Raissman: Ron not Darling of Yank fans  —  The Yankees Entertainment & Sports Network will shut down its play-by-play operation Sunday afternoon following the Bombers' regular-season finale in Tampa.  Depending on your cooking preferences, this is either good or bad news.

Weiner elected by Players Association  —  Fehr's successor has been a member of union for 21 years  —  Michael Weiner has been elected as the new executive director of the Major League Baseball Players Association, the union announced on Friday.  He replaces Don Fehr, who gave notice that he intended to retire earlier this year.

Getting called up to the bigs  —  Friends, it is will enormous pleasure that I can finally share the news that has had me on pins and needles for the last few weeks:  —  It's About The Money, Stupid has been selected by Rob Neyer and ESPN to be a charter member of what will be a new blog network …

Mariano Rivera: Another Appreciation  —  For my last post of the regular season I wanted to examine one of the most singular and interesting players in major league baseball, Marino Rivera.  I know I have written about him before but the amazing Sports Illustrated cover of him inspired me to look deeper into his pitchf/x numbers.

Several Chicago Cubs have wish lists  —  And they're not all so obvious  —  Reed Johnson turns after striking out during the second inning.  (Nam Y. Huh, Associated Press / October 1, 2009)  —  Cubs manager Lou Piniella said last week that adding an RBI guy in 2010 is No. 1 on his offseason wish list.

The Market For Jason Bay  —  Jason Bay admits that he had no idea what to expect from his first time in a free-agent walk year.  Now in the final season of a four-year, $18.25 million deal he signed while with the Pirates, he was curious whether he might start viewing his performance through …

Old Hat for the Yankees, but a First for Hairston  —  The first and last time a Jerry Hairston participated in a major league playoff game was in 1983, when Jerry Hairston Sr. played for the Chicago White Sox.  Twenty-six years later, after years of toiling on bad teams …

Mussina applauds CC's hunt for 20  —  Mike Mussina won 20 games in his final season as a Yankee.  CC Sabathia has an opportunity to reach that milestone in his first.  —  But the comparisons between Mussina and Sabathia go much deeper than win totals.  They are the only two free-agent pitchers …

The Smartest Man in Baseball Is an Idiot  —  At least come playoff time, when Tony La Russa — self-proclaimed sports intellectual, wearer of effeminate T-shirts, blight on the otherwise chaste St. Louis Cardinals — is anything but Dr. October.  A case study.

Future Shock  —  Trayvon Robinson  —  Dodgers outfielder prospect Trayvon Robinson isn't exactly living the high life yet—when I reached him on Wednesday afternoon he had just returned from Wal-Mart in Phoenix, and was in the middle of laundry cycles—but nonetheless, he's come a long way.

Friday Happy Hour at the Elysian Fields Bar & Grill  —  Welcome to the Elysian Fields Bar & Grill, where RangersHomer is always welcome as long as he buys a round!  —  * Angels manager Mike Scioscia on the Rangers: “They had an incredible season.  You could see it brewing.

Blalock's time with Rangers nearing end  —  Slugger prepared to move on after 10 years in organization  —  ANAHEIM — Hank Blalock has four days left, and then his time with the Rangers will be over.  He knows it, but isn't dwelling on it.  —  He has been in the Rangers organization …

Moving Home Plate Could Help Mets  —  As a disastrous 2009 season comes to a close for the Mets, it is time to review the performance of one of the team's more expensive rookies.  In other words, just how has Citi Field done this year?  —  By most accounts, the new park is fan friendly.

Playoff-bound Rox look to build on '07  —  In clinching berth, Colorado returns to October glory days  —  DENVER — Oct. 1 should be renamed Celebration Day at Coors Field.  —  The Rockies' 9-2 victory over the Brewers on Thursday afternoon at Coors Field clinched the third playoff berth in club history.