If Steinbrenner doesn't want to sell, word is he particularly doesn't want to sell to the Dolans, with whom he's had disputes in the past. The Dolans refused to carry Yankees games on Cablevision for the entire 2002 season, following Steinbrenner's launch of the highly successful YES Network, which replaced the Dolans' MSG Network as the Yankees' main station. The Dolans didn't carry the games, in fact, until after New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg interceded.

Experts think that it would be more feasible for the Dolans to simply buy the YES Network, which by some estimates could be worth almost as much as the team itself. The reasons are that Steinbrenner has less control over the network and is far less emotionally involved.

The Yankees were recently estimated by Forbes magazine to be baseball's most valuable franchise, at about $1.2 billion, but that guess may be short. Even so, that represents a 120-fold increase over the approximate $10 million Steinbrenner paid CBS for the team in January 1973.

Experts have estimated the team's TV network to be worth close to as much as the team, meaning possibly another $1.2 billion.

Announcer Socks it to 'em

	Curt Schilling's sock from Game 2 of the World Series is on display in the Hall of Fame. AP
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Sorry, but I believe TV announcer Gary Thorne's first story, the one where he said Doug Mirabelli told him Curt Schilling used paint to heighten the effect of heroism in the 2004 ALCS. Though it should be pointed out that no matter what substance was on Schilling's sock, it didn't help him pitch that day and he still deserves kudos for being a terrific big-game pitcher.

But I think Mirabelli must have told him. The new cover stories of Mirabelli and Thorne just don't add up.

Thorne's new story is that Mirabelli was kidding when he told him, while Mirabelli's story is that he said, "Yeah, we got a lot of publicity out of that." That doesn't sound like any sort of joke I know.

That comment alone also doesn't sound like anything that would lead Thorne to conclude, or certainly say aloud, that Schilling used paint.

It's possible Thorne got the story wrong. But I doubt that.

It's also possible Thorne knows he shouldn't have named Mirabelli, and just wants to get along. I think Mirabelli assumed that he was either speaking off the record or that Thorne wouldn't attribute the paint story to him.

In any case, there may be a way to clear it all up. Someone should get the sock out Cooperstown and analyze how much of it is blood and how much of it is bull.

Around the Majors

• John Smoltz didn't stay mad at the Braves for long. Smoltz was upset that Atlanta quickly gave Bob Wickman an extension last summer but waited until the last minute to pick up his bargain $8 million option. And yet, Smoltz, who knows he's signed under-market contracts before to star as a Brave, signed an extension that will pay him $14 million in 2008, plus a $12 million vesting option for '09 if he reaches 200 innings in '08 and a club option for $12 million or $13 million in '10 depending on whether he pitches 200 innings in '09.

• Braves GM John Schuerholz is making sure he gets his best players under contract before he tries to solve the toughest one, Andruw Jones, who's expected to seek $20 million-plus per year. Like Smoltz, Jones would have to take a major discount to stay at home. That's something he's said he will not do.

• Wilson Betemit's struggles are such that even the nice folks of L.A. are starting to complain. One solution could be to use James Loney at first base and move Nomar Garciaparra to third, but the Dodgers probably feel that moving Garciaparra could be a risk to his health.

• Magglio Ordonez is back in form. In the past three games, he is 9-for-11 with seven RBIs.

• The Yankees were right the first time. Phil Hughes isn't ready. Hughes was given decent reviews for his debut. But he faced a Toronto lineup in the 6-0 defeat that didn't include Troy Glaus or Reed Johnson, and as the New York Post's Joel Sherman pointed out on his blog, Hughes held Adam Lind, Jason Smith and Jason Phillips to 0-for-7 with all five strikeouts but allowed the more accomplished six hitters to go 7-for-13.

• And even when Hughes is ready, he's still no Homer Bailey.

• Mets top pitching prospect Mike Pelfrey (7.90 ERA in three starts) may not be ready, either.

• I hear Barry Bonds hasn't decided what hat to wear into the Hall of Fame, 7 1/4 or 7 5/8.