History suggests Tampa Bay Rays fans should temper their hopes  —  It begins quietly, just an inkling that all is not lost.  —  A few victories in a row, perhaps.  Maybe a key injury on another team, followed by a walkoff homer at a time when few people are paying attention.

MVP debate will have no clear winner  —  I understand why some sabermetricians freak out over the MVP voting every year, howling for the mainstream media to get a clue.  —  But you know what?  —  Those analysts need to get over it.  —  Ignoramuses in the MSM, including yours truly …

Source: Cubs to draw 3 million  —  The Chicago Cubs will draw 3 million fans for the eighth straight season, according to a team source, yet the team will lower prices on bleacher seats in 2012.  —  The Cubs have sold just over 2.8 million tickets, which is about 500 fewer per game than in 2010.

Carpenter clarifies  —  Chris Carpenter felt he needed to make a point this afternoon.  —  Shortly after the clubhouse opened, Chris Carpenter called a couple of reporters over to his locker to clarify his explanation of the events from Wednesday night.  It had been reported (including on MLB.com) …

Umpires show ethnic bias in ball/strike calls—unless they're feeling watched  —  There's a lot of behavioral literature that indicates we tend to like people who we think belong to the same group as us, and behave favorably towards them—even though we're not aware of doing so.

Twins go all in on Mauer, Morneau  —  Buster Olney writes that the Twins' offseason will consist of waiting for Joe Mauer and Justin Morneau to get fully healthy, then provides offseason blueprints for five other teams in need of improvements this winter.

Vogelsong's Emergence Plays Big Factor for Giants  —  SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Ryan Vogelsong revived his career this season in San Francisco.  The journeyman right-hander became an unlikely All-Star and among the most reliable pitchers for the reigning World Series champions.

SF Giants' roster - who won't be back in 2012?  — In modern baseball, the stability of the Giants' roster from 2010 to 2011 was unique.  Juan Uribe left for Los Angeles and Edgar Renteria for Cincinnati.  Aside from that, the bulk of the World Series championship team returned.

Miguel Tejada wants to play in 2012  —  Former MVP shortstop Miguel Tejada, who was recently released by the San Francisco Giants, said he hopes to keep playing baseball in 2012.  —  “I will not retire,” Tejada told ESPNdeportes.com Friday.  “I didn't have a good time in San Francisco, but there are always highs and lows in life.”

Market for closers well-stocked  —  Jonathan Papelbon, Heath Bell and Ryan Madson are among the top-shelf items  —  Maybe once upon a time, in 1905 or something, there was a generation of general managers who never knew the unique joys of bullpen shopping.

Frustrated Jim Crane ‘offended’ by speculation about delays in Astros sale process  —  After several months in the on-deck circle, the man who wants to buy the Astros is getting frustrated.  —  In an exclusive interview with the Chronicle on Thursday, Houston businessman Jim Crane …

Getting to bottom of why Phillies' LaMar Chucked it  —  Observations, insinuations, ruminations and unvarnished opinions . . .  WHEN A BASEBALL front-office man leaves on short notice or, in the case of Chuck LaMar, no notice, baseball's unwritten law of Omerta kicks in.  —  Shhhhhhhhhh . . .

Twins fire Class AAA Rochester manager Tom Nieto  —  DETROIT — The Twins have fired Class AAA Rochester manager Tom Nieto and hitting coach Floyd Rayford, Twins minor league director Jim Rantz confirmed today.  —  The news was first reported by Jim Mandelaro, of the Rochester Democrat & Chronicle.

Wang looks to secure up to US$1.5 million in incentives  —  Taipei, Sept. 9 (CNA) After his latest start Friday, Washington Nationals pitcher Chien-Ming Wang is moving closer to securing up to US$1.5 million in the reward incentives by staying in the rotation till the end of this regular season.