L.A. meets its match in NLCS Game 3

With Cliff Lee on the mound and Ryan Howard with a bat in his hands, the Phillies were an unstoppable force in their 11-0 rout of the Dodgers in NLCS Game 3.

Carpenter to start Game 4 if needed

Chris Carpenter will start on three days' rest if the St. Louis Cardinals make it to Game 4 of their division series against the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Dodgers head back to NLCS behind Ethier, Ramirez and Padilla

Vicente Padilla shut down Albert Pujols and the St. Louis Cardinals, putting the Los Angeles Dodgers back in the National League championship series with a 5-1 victory on Saturday night.

Getting pumped for the playoffs

Page 2 presents 77 reasons to spend October in front of your TV set.

Under-the-radar OFs who've emerged

Several under-the-radar outfielders have blossomed in 2009, and they've raised their stock considerably in the process.

Lost Pirates recharting their course

Guaranteed a losing season for the 17th straight year, the Pittsburgh Pirates are asking a perennially weather-beaten fan base to believe in the future.

Arrrgh! you ready for some Pirate facts?

DJ Gallo disputes the facts when it comes to nearly two decades of Pirate futility.

Sorry, but this slot machine is broken

The signing of Stephen Strasburg to whatever preposterous bonus he gets as the No. 1 pick should drive baseball toward making changes to the draft.

April 15, 2008: Los Angeles, CA, USA: Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher Matt Morris (35) walks back to the dugout after being relieved in the fifth inning at Dodger Stadium...

Wilson wants Pirates to compete

Now that it appears Jack Wilson will play the 2009 season for the Pirates, he says he wants to win -- and that the team needs more players to do that.

2002 'NEXT:' FEARLESS PREDICTIONS FOR THE UPCOMING YEAR

What will absolutely, definitely, positively happen after 2002?

The worst general managers in sports history

Matt Millen's firing in Detroit calls for a list of the worst general managers in sports history.

Pirates made the blueprint for consistency, history

The Pirates have etched their name in baseball history. Page 2 details the blueprint they used.

Pirates endure short-term groans to achieve long-term gains

The Pirates' deadline deals received a tepid response, but jaded Bucs fans are warming up to the team's devotion to long-term goals.