RED SOX VERSUS ANGELS ALDS PREVIEW  —  The Angels host the Red Sox in the final American League Division Series starting Thursday.  The following table shows American League ranks for the teams in various offensive and pitching categories:  —  2009 Seasons (AL Ranks) Boston Red Sox Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim

Did Mr. October's magic finally rub off on Alex Rodriguez? (cont.)  —  A Twins tribute  —  The Twins are amazing.  To erase a seven-game deficit in September is incredible.  And to do it without injured slugger Justin Morneau is really incredible.  —  Michael Cuddyer, who replaced Morneau …

Kemp, bullpen pull through for Dodgers  —  Relievers pick up Wolf with 5 1/3 solid innings vs. Cards  —  LOS ANGELES — The Dodgers don't have leading candidates for Cy Young or MVP, but they do have something the Cardinals don't have.  —  A Game 1 victory in their National League Division Series.

Southern League Top 20 Prospects  —  To be eligible for a league's list, a pitcher must have thrown 1/3 inning for each team game or have made 20 appearances (10 in short-season and rookie-level leagues).  Hitters need one plate appearance for each team game.

Pitching on agenda for Brewers' offseason  —  GM Melvin not looking to part with Fielder, Braun  —  MILWAUKEE — Brewers general manager Doug Melvin said he may need to sacrifice some of the team's offense this winter to improve the pitching staff, so he was asked the obvious follow-up.

Nationals cut ties with Cardenal  —  Spent five seasons teaching Minor League outfielders  —  WASHINGTON — Jose Cardenal, a special advisor to the general manager since the 2005 season, was dismissed by the Nationals on Thursday.  He was given the news by assistant general manager Bob Boone.

‘Watching the fates unwind’  —  Theo Epstein was standing in the Red Sox clubhouse yesterday while the team he assembled finished up batting practice at Angels Stadium.  He is in a strange spot this time of year.  The work is done.  He has an incredible amount riding on what happens …

Dombrowski on Cabrera, Polanco, coaching staff, etc.  —  As expected, LOTS of stuff coming out of Thursday's year-end media availability (no, it's not a press conference) with GM Dave Dombrowski, first among them the Miguel Cabrera situation, which sounds like it's being taken care of.

Varitek may not be an automatic out  —  ANAHEIM, Calif. - His team is on the big stage, playing in the big games, and he is going to be on the bench.  —  This is new.  This has never happened before.  Not in the Little League World Series at Williamsport.  Not in the Cape Cod League with the Hyannis Mets.

Productive Base Stealing And The Mets  —  In the recent Athletics Nation interview with A's GM Billy Beane, interviewer Tyler Bleszinski asked about an often divisive topic in the realm of baseball discussion, the stolen base: … Emphasis mine.  It was Michael Lewis's book Moneyball …