Let’s get right to it …

• Don’t rush out to get your Jake Peavy Yankee t-shirt just yet.  Following up on a story yesterday, the Times Michael Schmidt notes that Peavy would “consider” a trade to the Bombers, but not necessarily approve of one.  Schmidt also passes along a somewhat amusing quote from Peavy’s agent.

“Jake grew up dreaming of playing in pinstripes, but he has a strong preference to stay in the National League,” Axelrod said. “He’s a good hitter -– he was the most potent part of the Padres’ offense at times this year -– and he knows the hitters in the National League.”

• More Peavy news:  Mark Feinsand of the News reports a source stating that the Yanks could put together a package built around Phil Hughes and Austin Jackson, although they would likely have to include two or three more players, one of which could be Ian Kennedy. The Padres, according to the source, have no interest in Cano.
• A three-way Holliday?  Tim Brown of Yahoo! Sports quotes a source noting a potential three-way deal that would send Matsui to the Mariners for a pitching prospect, perhaps Ryan Rowland-Smith. The Yankees would package the prospect with Cano and another young player to the Rockies for Holliday.
• Four 2008 Bombers filed for free agency on Wednesday, reports MLB.com.  Pavano, Giambi, Marte and Mussina put their paperwork in.
• Joel Sherman of the Post reports that the Yankees have just about finalized their coaching staff for ’09, with Tony Pena shifting from first base to the bench, Rob Thomson moving from the bench to third base and Mick Kelleher being named the first base coach.
• In a separate blog entry, Sherman writes that any Bomber pursuit of Matt Holliday will probably include (but not be centered around) Ian Kennedy.  Also, he suggests the Yanks might find something to like (OBP, switch-hitting, 1B-capable) in the possibly-available Nick Swisher.
• DE-FENSE! That’s what Brian Cashman wants to improve in 2009, says Newsday’s Ken Davidoff.
• Clark Spencer of the Miami Herald suggests that the Marlins might be interested in reacquainting themselves with Carl Pavano.
• Happy 37th birthday to another player that suited up for both NY teams, Bubba Trammell.  Happy 40th to the hero of Game 3 of the 1999 World Series, Chad Curtis.  Happy 55th to the “Candy Man”, John Candelaria.

Alan Schwarz of the Times has a nice piece on the friendship between White Sox GM Kenny Williams and now President-elect Barack Obama:

“All 30 general managers at baseball’s annual executive meetings here at a Southern California resort spent Tuesday distracted by more than arbitration seminars and beckoning golf holes. Like many other citizens, they sat around televisions expecting to watch the national election returns deep into the night.

But Williams, general manager of the Chicago White Sox, followed the coverage with a keener sense of anticipation than any of his contemporaries. Not only is he one of just two African-American general managers — the Los Angeles Angels’ Tony Reagins is the other — but as a fellow prominent member of Chicago’s black community he has known Barack Obama for almost 10 years, and considers him a friend.

They have hung out at mutual friends’ barbecues, shot hoops at a local health club as recently as this summer, and — with Williams intrigued by public-policy issues and Obama a longtime White Sox fan — discussed each other’s jobs far more than their own.

“I’m interested in all these questions of foreign policy and national security,” Williams said. “In between his games, shooting a couple of baskets, he asks me, ‘What about your pitching?’ I said, ‘Excuse me, you worry about national security, I’ll worry about the pitching.’ ”

Congrats to President-elect Obama…here now the news:

• Bryan Hoch at MLB.com reports that Robinson Cano “could help anchor a trade package for Peavy if San Diego is willing to take on his deal, which has three years and $27 million remaining, plus two club option years.”   Another interesting quote from the article, “Cashman also told reporters that the Yankees have had interest from other clubs in outfielders Melky Cabrera, Brett Gardner and Austin Jackson.”
• Ken Davidoff of Newsday.com informs us that the Yankees had their first meeting with C.C. Sabathia’s representatives Monday at the GM meetings.  Nothing too substantive …. just preliminary.
• DailyNews.com’s Mark Feinsand has Brian Cashman stating that he is counting only on Chien-Ming Wang and Joba Chamberlain as starters next season at this point in time.  He’s not sure if the Yankees will bring Andy Pettitte back, though Pettitte wants to come back.  The biggest shock?  Cashman hasn’t shut the door totally on Carl Pavano returning.
• Jon Heyman at SI.com chimes in from the GM meetings in California with some tender morsels. The Bombers are exploring a possible bid for 2B Orlando Hudson, with the thought that he might displace Cano, or may even be capable of playing CF.  They may have interest in the Dodgers’ Matt Kemp or the Royals’ David DeJesus, but no teams appear anxious to trade a young center fielder.  As expected, they announced they were declining options on the contracts of Jason Giambi and Carl Pavano.
• Over at Newsday.com, Wallace Matthews makes the case for keeping Joba Chamberlain in the bullpen in 2009, reminding us of the recent domination shown by the Phillies bullpen in its ability to “shorten” games.
• Is Jason Giambi returning to the A’s?  Well, MLB.com notes that the A’s have re-hired Bob Alejo, who has ties to Giambi, as their strength and conditioning coach.  When Giambi signed with the Yankees after the ’01 season, he hired Alejo away from Oakland to serve as his personal trainer.
• NY Times blogger Michael Schmidt notes that Yankee hitting coach Kevin Long plans to travel to the Dominican Republic this winter to work with Robinson Cano.  Cano plans to play one month for a team in the Dominican Winter League as a designated hitter.
• At BP.com, they’ve started giving out their annual Internet Baseball Awards, as voted on by BP readers.  Dustin Pedroia took AL MVP honors (A-Rod finished 4th).  Cliff Lee took the Cy Young (Rivera finished 6th, Mussina 8th).  Evan Longoria ran away with the AL ROTY award (Joba finished 4th).  Joe Maddon won AL Manager of the Year (Girardi finished 9th).
• At AssociatedPress.com, Scott Boras is quoted as stating that his relationship with A-Rod has been repaired.
• Happy 35th to Johnny “not Matt” Damon.
• On this date in 1996, Derek Jeter is named the unanimous winner of the A.L. Rookie of the Year award. He becomes the eighth Yankees player to win the award and the fifth unanimous choice in AL history.

If you want to ruin a party, just bring up religion or politics. This isn’t a political blog, but I had to at least acknowledge the day.

Vote for your White House All-Star Team today … then read this:

• ESPN.COM’s Jerry Crasnick notes that a group of 15 GMs, assistant GMs and baseball operations people and scouts were surveyed by ESPN, and 12 believe Sabathia will end up signing with the Yankees.  On a separate issue, one out of the 15 believes the Yanks will sign Manny Ramirez.
• Jon Heyman of SI.COM has news that Jake Peavy has added the Yankees to the list of teams he would be willing to be traded to, but that NY is at the bottom of the list (along with the Angels, also a new addition).
• Tim Dierkes of MLBTradeRumors.COM makes an educated guess at where his top 50 free agents will land.  He sees the Bombers landing Sabathia and Lowe, with Pettitte re-signing and Mussina retiring.
• Times blogger Michael Schmidt chimes in from the GM meetings in California, having spotted Brian Cashman in a 30-minute conversation with the Reds Walt Jocketty.
• The Yankee beat reporter for MLB.COM (Bryan Hoch) answers readers’ questions.  Here’s some unconfirmed World Baseball Classic attendees: Damon said that he had already filed his paperwork to play again, while A-Rod and Jeter enjoyed their experiences in 2006 and said they’d play in the Classic again. Chamberlain, Abreu, Cano and I-Rod also showed interest.  As far as free agent compensation goes, Hoch mentions that Marte is a Type A free agent, so if the Yankees offered him arbitration, they would get two compensatory Draft picks if he signed elsewhere — same with Abreu. Pettitte and Mussina are also Type A players, but both say they’ll only pitch for the Yankees. Ivan Rodriguez is a Type B, which would entitle the Yanks to one Draft pick if he is offered arbitration.
• Tom Singer of MLB.COM examines the disappointing crop of free agent CFs, and has some interesting notes with regard to the Yankees’ supposed plans for the position.   “The Yankees reportedly have cooled on Melky Cabrera, and Johnny Damon is no longer an everyday option in center. Now that Cameron is off the table as a free agent, the Yankees may have to swing a trade to fill their need. One option might be Gary Matthews Jr., a high-priced No. 4 outfielder in Anaheim, or Cameron himself, should the Brewers be open to listening.”

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Joyce Kilmer Park in the Bronx doesn’t have a baseball field, but that didn’t stop the kids. They got a game going with four pieces of cardboard, a plastic jug, an old aluminum bat and a rubber ball.

Maria came out to enjoy the afternoon with her children – a seven-year-old girl and a nine-year-old boy – and they jumped right in the game.

Maria watched from a bench and waved when her daughter bounced a hit into centerfield.

“It’s a nice day for the kids,” she said. “They love to play out here.”

Maria kept talking about the baseball game and her daughter’s art project at school and her son’s basketball team. She even asked if CC Sabathia was really coming to the Yankees. It was easier than talking about what’s really on her mind these days.

“I’m scared,” she finally admitted. “People are losing their jobs everywhere and I’m afraid I’ll be next.”

She is most concerned about her full-time job as an office manager, but she’s also worried about her summer job at Yankee Stadium.

“I use the baseball money to payoff winter bills from Con Ed and Christmas for the kids and a lot of other stuff,” Maria explained. “The Yankees are doing something new with the concessions and I haven’t heard anything about my job. I’m behind the Union because they make sure we’re treated right, but I really need that job.”

Maria needs both of her jobs. She needs fair pay and health insurance. Her kids need all that, too.

“I don’t want any of this to hurt them,” Maria said. “They should just go to school and play ball and have fun.”

Maria is stuck worrying.

“I keep thinking about what I’ll do if I lose one of my jobs,” Maria said. “There’s no good answer so I try to put it out of my mind, but it won’t go away and that’s the worst part.”

Fear even ruins the good days.

You many not know who to vote for, but you KNOW you should read the latest news:

• John Perrotto of BP.COM has some analysis of the Yankees off-season needs, and thinks the pressing issue is starting pitching, particularly with Mike Mussina leaning toward retirement.  He notes there is some sentiment towards acquiring a center fielder, though many in the organization believe rookie Brett Gardner can ably fill that position. Ian Kennedy, Johnny Damon and Hideki Matsui are listed as top trade bait.
• SI.COM’s Jon Heyman has some educated guesses regarding the landing spots for various free agents.  He thinks C.C. will end up with the Yanks (7 years, $160 million), as well as A.J. Burnett (5 years, $80 million).
• At FOXSports.COM, Joel Sherman noted this amazing comment by one agent, made without any hint of a joke …  “(he) would not be surprised if the Yanks signed CC Sabathia, A.J. Burnett, Mark Teixeira and Manny Ramirez. Beyond having a conscious, there is no reason the Yanks cannot take their payroll to $250 million or more.”
• Over at the LoHud Yankees Blog, our buddy Peter Abraham thinks Pat Gillick might be useful in a consultant function for the Yankees.
• Ken Davidoff of Newsday suggests the Yanks hire Mick Kelleher for their coaching staff. Kelleher has “a long-standing relationship with Robinson Cano, and his easygoing demeanor would be a boon to a team that takes itself too seriously too often”.
• According to Boston.com, the Bombers have already tried to initiate trade talks with a few teams, such as Houston.  The Astros said that Roy Oswalt and Lance Berkman were not available.
• Happy 36th birthday to one of 51 players to have pitched for both the Mets (333 games) and Yankees (9 games) … Armando Benitez.  The big 4-0 for a guy who gave up 172 hits in only 127.7 innings over two seasons with the Bombers, Paul Quantrill.  Happy 63rd to a pitcher acquired in a 9-player trade with the Orioles in 1976, Ken Holtzman.
• On this date in 1934, Lou Gehrig clinched the A.L. Triple Crown after hitting  .363 with 49 homers and 165 RBI.

The 2 train jerked away from the 72nd Street station and an empty soda bottle rolled along the car. Everyone lifted their feet and it missed a half-eaten hotdog, a wadded up newspaper, two coffee cups and all four center poles. It banged against the conductors door and sat there as the train rumbled down the Westside of Manhattan.

The train braked hard going into Times Square and the bottle rolled back. About halfway through the car a man dropped into perfect fielding position, scooped it up and made a phantom throw to first base.

“Nice play,” someone said. “You’re as smooth as Robinson Cano.”

“Thanks,” the man said. “I’m just warming up.”

“So when does the game start?” someone asked.

The man shook his head and said:

“Not for about five months.”

Quit doing the Sunday crossword and read this:

• Katie Thomas of the NY Times has an article on the sad turn of events in the life of Jim Leyritz. Leyritz is awaiting trial in Florida on charges of manslaughter and driving under the influence of alcohol after a crash last December that killed 30-year-old Fredia Ann Veitch. If convicted, he faces up to 15 years in prison.
• The Bombers most likely will not pick up Damaso Marte’s $6 million option, but that doesn’t mean his time in pinstripes is done, writes George King of the Post.
• Although OF Bobby Abreu is among the players who have filed for free agency, the New York Post reports the Yankees plan to offer him arbitration. Even if he doesn’t accept arbitration, this step will enable the team to collect two draft picks if Abreu signs elsewhere as a free agent.
• Jack Curry of the NY Times examines some of the “lesser” free agents available. He suggests that if the Yanks can’t land Sabathia, they should pursue Derek Lowe.
• T.R. Sullivan of MLB.COM points to Ian Kennedy as one of the pitchers the Rangers may target in trade talks. Texas has a surplus of catchers to deal from, as well as Hank Blalock.
• Another NY Post story details the re-hiring of the scout that spotted Derek Jeter. Bill Livesey was the team’s scouting director in 1992. On the morning of the 1992 draft, the Yankees were sitting with the sixth pick. They never thought Jeter would be there. Then: Phil Nevin went to the Astros; a couple of pitchers, Paul Shuey and B.J. Wallace, were taken by the Indians and Expos. The Orioles took outfielder Jeffrey Hammonds. Cincinnati grabbed Chad Mottola, and Jeter fell into their laps.
• Here’s a quirky Daily News article relating the history of Presidential elections/administrations to the fortunes of the Yankees. According to the article, with a Democratic commander-in-chief, the Yankees have won several more pennants (22 compared to 17) and nearly three times as many championships (19 to 7). The team has a losing World Series record when the GOP controls the Executive Branch, going 7-10 for a .412 clip. Under Democrats, the Yanks are 19-3 in the Fall Classic.
• Happy 27th birthday to the utilitarian Wilson Betemit and a happy 32nd to the “futilitarian” Sidney Ponson. A Yankee prospect drafted in the first round and later traded straight-up for Bob Sykes turns 50 today …. Willie McGee.
• On this date in 1964, CBS becomes the first corporate owner of a major league team, buying 80% of the Yankees. The price tag? $11,200,000.
• On this date in 1995, Joe Torre was named manager of the Bombers, replacing Buck Showalter.

After family and baseball, my greatest love is horror, which puts Halloween near the top of my favorite times of the year. Frankly, there isn’t much of a connection between baseball and All Hallows’ Eve, at least until we start exploring the creative world of nicknames. With that in mind, let’s present our All-Halloween baseball team:

First Base:

Richie “The Gravedigger” Hebner—Always a favorite of this columnist, Hebner earned his nickname for obvious reasons; he toiled as a gravedigger during the off-season, when players actually worked in the winter. Proud of his unusual winter occupation, Hebner once bragged to a reporter about his high level of skill in digging graves. “I’m good at this,” Hebner said matter of factly. “In ten years, no one’s ever dug themselves out of one of my graves yet.” Hebner was also a pretty good hitter, at first for the Pirates and then the Phillies before his career took a downward turn with the Mets.

Second base:

Julian “The Phantom” Javier—A slick fielding second baseman for some great Cardinals teams of the 1960s, Javier earned this moniker because of his ghostlike quickness in completing the double play. He was usually overshadowed by Hall of Fame contemporary Bill Mazeroski, but was nearly his equal when it came to turning two with quickness, precision, and flair. To younger fans, Javier is better known as the father of former major leaguer Stan Javier, a onetime Yankee who became a decent fourth outfielder type for the A’s and Giants.

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Jimmy Blain was playing on the 2 train last night. He kept bouncing a rubber ball off the facing bench and snatching it with his glove. The other riders waited for a mistake, but he was perfect from Park Place to 14th Street.

“What did you expect?” he shot. “I’m Mariano Rivera.”

Blain shifted around in the seat to show off his T-shirt. It was white with hand drawn pinstripes, an NY on the front and a 42 on the back. He tugged on his Yankees cap and explained:

“I always go to the Halloween parade as Mariano because I met him once.”

That caught people’s attention.

“You met Mariano Rivera?” someone asked.

“Yeah,” Blain answered. “Well, a bunch of us did. He was stuck in traffic after a game and we ran up to his car. He put down the window and signed stuff and talked to us and I shook his hand. I definitely shook his hand.”

“That’s not really meeting him,” someone shot. “Quit trying to trick us.”

“I did meet him,” Blain shot back.

He fired the ball off the seat.

“Of course I met him,” Blain said snatching the ball with his glove.

“I shook his hand.”

Here’s some stuff to chew on now that you’ve finished gorging yourself on candy corn:

• Daily News blogger Jesse Spector reports that even though Bobby Abreu filed for free agency, his first choice is to come back to the Yankees.
• SI.COM mentions that Double-A RHP Eric Hacker and Class-A LHP Wilkin De La Rosa had their contracts purchased by the club Friday.
• Joe Ricciuti, President of the Staten Island Yankees, has been named Executive of the Year by Ballpark Digest. They noted that during his tenure he’s increased attendance via mini-plans, promotions and restructured sponsorships. Staten Island’s season-ticket accounts jumped from 350 in 2006 to 1,731 in 2008, leading to an 83 percent attendance rise, a 21 percent increase in attendance revenue in 2007 and 40 percent attendance revenue increase in 2008.
• MLB.COM has an article on Brett Gardner’s fight for the starting CF job in 2009.
• Yahoo Sports notes that BetOnline.com already has odds posted for the 2009 World Series. The Yankees and Phillies are each listed at 6-1, behind the BoSox (3-1), Angels (5-1) and Cubs (5-1). The Rays are next at 10-1.
• On this date in 1978, Ron Guidry was named as the unanimous choice for the A.L. Cy Young award. Gator led the league in wins (25), winning percentage (.893), shutouts (9), and ERA (1.74, in a season in which the league ERA was 3.63). His WHIP was a nasty 0.946, and he gave up only 13 dingers in 273.7 innings. Fun little trivia …. his 3 losses came against starting pitchers with the first name of Mike (Flanagan, Caldwell, Willis).
• On this date in 2001, the first major league game ever started in the month of November ends up with D’backs closer Byung-Hyun Kim once again serving up a dramatic homer in the ninth, this time by Scott Brosius. Brosius ties the game with two out, and Alfonso Soriano knocks an RBI single in the 12th to give the Yankees a 3 – 2 victory and 3-2 Series lead over Arizona.
• Joe Torre got hired by the Dodgers exactly one year ago today.

Aside from the fact that most of the Series wasn’t particularly competitive, and that it involved teams I can muster only very tepid enthusiasm for or against, I had a problem getting into the Fall Classic this year simply because I’m deeply distracted – not just with work, or personal stuff, but with the *#&@ing election, with which I’ve been unhealthily obsessed for well over a year now.

Don’t get me wrong: if the Yankees or Mets had been in the Series, I would absolutely not have been so focused on silly stuff like a global economic crisis, and I would most likely have been checking baseball sites eight times a day instead of FiveThirtyEight.com (Baseball Prospectus writers: is there anything they can’t do?). As it is, it seems my baseball obsession has finally, temporarily, met its match.

Don’t worry, I’m not going to talk politics here; it seems no comment section is safe these days, and I myself completely lost my sense of humor on this topic weeks ago. But that’s why baseball’s more important to my mental health than ever. At a time when it sometimes seems like an innocuous remark about the weather can provoke partisan shrieking, it feels like one of the last safe havens.

In the office where I’m currently working, there’s an older man, who I’ll call Pete, a very friendly and affable guy, with whom I happen to disagree on virtually every conceivable political point. It was clear from my first day on the job a couple months back that, issues-wise, we were each more or less the other’s worst nightmare. There was, however, exactly one thing we had in common … campaign-finance reform! No, I’m kidding, you were right the first time: baseball.

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Fat Paulie – who works as a super at a building on Gerard Avenue – can never decide how he feels about Halloween.

“I love the candy,” he admitted. “But I always eat too many of those little Snickers bars and get a gut ache. Then I swear not to make that mistake again.”

Fat Paulie made an even bigger mistake last year.

“I shoulda known better than to pour concrete on Halloween,” he said.

The sidewalk in front of his building was marked the next morning with: hand prints, initials, a “Joba Rules,” an “I love Derek Jeter,” and, of course, an “I (heart) Derek Jeter.”

“A little more concrete smoothed out most of that,” Fat Paulie said. “I left the Joba and Jeter stuff because I didn’t want the kids coming back and egging the windows.”

Fat Paulie knows the South Bronx.

“I started cleaning up and bagging trash at a building over on Jerome Avenue when I was a kid,” he explained. “They just called me Paulie back then, but that was a lot of Snickers bars ago.”

He patted his stomach and continued:

“I’m not pouring concrete this Halloween so the kids will probably paint something on the sidewalk. I’m betting on a big red heart with Derek Jeter in blue.

“That will be nice,” Fat Paulie went on. “Everyone knows how we feel about The Captain around here.”

Only 106 days till pitchers and catchers report!

Here is what’s going on:

• The Post’s George King and Bart Hubbuch state that several “industry sources” have the Yanks making a run at Manny Ramirez to fill the RF spot next season.
• Yankee free agent filers, day 1: Abreu, Moeller, Pudge and Ponson (as per MLB.COM).
• Take this trade rumor with a large grain of salt …. Ian Kennedy to the Rockies for Willy Taveras (from a site called bleacherreport.com, which doesn’t specify sources of the rumor)
• MLB.COM has an article on everyone’s favorite ambidextrous pitcher, Pat Venditte. Venditte earned a Minor League Baseball Yearly award for Best Class A Short-Season Reliever.
• Feel the desire to carve a Yankee pumpkin? Go here for the stencil.
• Yankee prospect Humberto Sanchez is the lead writer for an MLB.COM blog following the progress of the Baby Bombers in the Arizona Fall League.
• You may not be able to afford seats at the new stadium, but you can at least ogle the latest construction photos.
• Lots of Bomber Birthdays today. Happy 45th birthday to one the Yankees drafted and let get away, the “Crime Dog” … Fred McGriff, and to one the Yankees acquired and should have let get away sooner … Matt Nokes. Mike Gallego turns 48 today. The immortal Paul Zuvella (who went 10 for 82 over two seasons with the Bombers) turns 50. The always humorous Mick the Quick (aka Mickey Rivers) hits the big 6-0.
• On this date in 2001, a two-out, two-run home run by Tino Martinez in the bottom of the ninth ties Game 4 of the World Series, and Derek Jeter hits a home run in the bottom of the 10th, giving the Yanks a 3 – 2 victory over the D’backs.

My World Series coverage comes to an end today with one final piece for SI.com, in which I list five things I took away from the 2008 fall classic.

I was reading a baseball story on the 2 train last night.

It was something I’d printed out from SI.com. Jon Heyman had plenty of good information on: CC Sabathia, Matt Holliday, Brian Cashman and Ken Griffey Jr. But I stalled halfway through a sentence somewhere around 14th Street.

“Writers have marveled at the language of…”

I had to get to a dictionary and look up: erudite.

er●u●dite ‘er-ə-dīt, ‘er-yə- adj. – Characterized by great knowledge; learned or scholarly: an erudite professor; an erudite commentary.

I restarted from the beginning of Heyman’s sentence:

“Writers have marveled at the language of erudite Rays manager Joe Maddon, noting how he has used several multi-syllable college words correctly. His language does provide a nice contrast with Phillies manager Charlie Manuel, who hasn’t used many words correctly.”

I didn’t go to college. I guess that’s why I had to look up a multi-syllable word to understand that Heyman was taking a shot at me and a lot of other people, too.

He was clearly trying to embarrass Charlie Manuel, who is the manager of the World Series champion Philadelphia Phillies.

Heyman can look that up today.

I don’t like being talked down to. I’m guessing that Manuel doesn’t like it either because I don’t know anyone who does.

But FOX baseball broadcasters keep doing it and so do some baseball writers.

“You don’t need a college degree to love this game.”

That’s written on a wall in the Bronx. You can look it up.

Warming up the Hot Stove to deal with the chilly weather …

• The Post’s George King reports that Mike Mussina’s decision on retirement will probably come shortly, as his agent will be meeting with him at the end of this week.
• King also reports that Arn Tellem, the agent for both Mussina and Jason Giambi, has mentioned that Giambi would like to be a Yankee in ’09, if the club wants him back.
• Newsday’s Ken Davidoff opines that the Yankees are more concerned with landing a top-flight pitcher than securing Mark Teixeira. Davidoff also reports on some AFL reviews of Yankee prospects.
• SI.COM has a pretty light-hearted interview with Derek Jeter. A few questions on how it feels to be out of the playoffs and other baseball issues. A lot of questions regarding his love life, his political affiliation and his preference in video games.
• NY Post blogger Tim Bontemps gives us an update on how some of our guys are doing in the Arizona Fall League. Juan Miranda is tied for second in doubles (six), tied for third in triples (two), is seventh in slugging percentage (.643) and is seventh in OPS (1.071).
• BP.COM has heard that the Brewers are leaning towards Ken Macha as their new manager, and that Willie Randolph will probably be heading to Colorado as a bench coach.
• Happy 26th birthday to reliever Jonathan Albaladejo. A happy 46th birthday to Danny Tartabull and a happy 67th birthday to Jim Ray Hart.
• On this date in 2001, President Bush threw out the ceremonial first pitch at Game Three of the World Series. He was wearing a New York Fire Department windbreaker in honor of the heroes of the September 11th attacks.

Philadelphia fans had to figure something would go wrong Monday night, though I doubt even they could have anticipated the first suspended postseason game in major league history. The Phillies got within ten outs of their second world championship in Game 5, only to have the Rays tie the game with two outs in the top of the sixth and the umpires call for the tarp after the third out of that frame, after which it rained for 36 hours.

Prior to the 2007 season, Baseball adopted a rule stating that any tie game that is called after becoming official (five innings) would simply be suspended and resumed from the stopping point at a later date just as if it had experience any other extended rain delay. That is what the Rays and Phillies will do tonight, resuming Game 5 in the bottom of the sixth inning at 8:37pm. My preview of what I’m calling Game 5 1/2 is up on SI.com.

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