A catch to Endy all discussion?

	Endy Chavez's catch in robbing Scott Rolen of a two-run home run is among the greatest postseason catches of all-time. AP

Endy Chavez's over-the-wall catch on Scott Rolen's bid for a two-run home run that inspired two curtain calls will go down as one of the greatest in postseason play.

Here is my quickie list of the greatest (with aid from am encyclopedic friend): Willie Mays robbing Vic Wertz (1954 World Series), Al Gionfriddo robbing Joe DiMaggio (1947 World Series), Chavez robbing Rolen (2006 LCS), Dwight Evans robbing Joe Morgan (1975 World Series), Kirby Puckett robbing Ron Gant (1991 World Series), Sandy Amoros robbing Yogi Berra (1965 World Series), Joe Rudi robbing Denis Menke (1972 World Series), Tommie Agee robbing Elrod Hendricks (1969 World Series) and Ron Swoboda robbing Brooks Robinson (1969 World Series).

Mookie's mixed feelings

Mets postseason hero Mookie Wilson was seen outside the Cardinals clubhouse after his stepson Preston's team made it to the World Series, and he wasn't exactly smiling. "My stomach is turning,'' Wilson said.

Wilson, who's treated like royalty around Shea Stadium, said he knows this wasn't the place to celebrate. "Not while I'm in the stadium,'' he said.

NLCS observations

Cardinals starter Suppan is proving to be a big-game pitcher. Suppan didn't allow a hit in innings two through seven in pitching his second superb game. He also beat Roger Clemens in Game 7 of the 2004 NLCS ... Rolen and La Russa would probably be better if they got back to speaking to each other. They can start with "I'm sorry.'' La Russa said he watched tape to determine whether Rolen was sound enough to play. He probably made the right call, as Rolen had a hit and very nearly a two-run home run. But that's no way to do things.

Lee Astro bound?

People around baseball all believe Carlos Lee will win up with the Astros, where he can take advantage of the short left-field wall -- a "joke'' one N.L. executive called it -- and his nearby cattle ranch. It's a little odd that so many people believe they know already where a free agent is going, as negotiations aren't allowed yet. The question with Houston would be the lack of a DH and Lee's expanding girth. "He's going to eat himself into a DH,'' one exec (not from Houston) said.

Marionette manager?

Bench coach Bob Geren appears to be the favorite to win the A's managing job, but he's viewed as being very close to brilliant GM Billy Beane, who doesn't exactly like to place the bulk of the power with the manager. As one competing GM put it, if they hire Geren, "They won't be able to hide the strings.''

Yankee problem: Bad publicity

With the Yankees' firing of P.R. director Rick Cerrone, they've now fired four, with pink slips previously going to the strength coach and two advance scouts. And if they think these four are the reason the team hasn't achieved its goals, they are mistaken. The plan to replace the advance scouts with regular regionalized major-league scouts is controversial in baseball circles and a decision one NL executive calls a "mistake'' since the Yankees presumably won't always see their opponents prior to playing them. That exec said, "Players change throughout the year. Look at Carlos Delgado, he was a pull guy earlier, now he's hitting everything away.''

In any case, these are some strange scapegoats. It's possible their bad press just had something to do with their bad play.