Phillies' Manuel keeps everyone guessing; more notes (cont.)

Game 2 hero Yorvit's inspiration is his son

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Yorvit Torrealba's two-run home run off Hamels gave the Rockies a 3-0 lead in Game 2. But no matter what happens in the NLCS, Torrealba will continue a daily tradition that began this summer.

"When I wake up every morning," Torrealba said, "I say 'Thank God.' "

Torrealba's son, Yorvit Jr., and two of the boy's uncles were in the hands of kidnappers for nearly two days in Venezuela in June after they were taken at gunpoint while Yorvit Jr. was on his way to school. The kidnappers originally requested $500,000. However, after some negotiation, the price came down to $50,000. The police were bringing the $50,000 to a drop-off location in Caracas when the kidnappers let the boy and his uncles go. Yorvit Jr. was found later on a street corner in Caracas. Two sleepless days after his boy was abducted, Torrealba's world was returned to order.

Speaking of the ordeal, Torrealba said, "It's definitely something I wouldn't wish on my worst enemy.

"It feels so good. I can't thank God enough for my son being with me," Torrealba said.

He talks to his baseball-crazed, 11-year-old son daily, happily providing daily scouting reports on the opposing team. Yorvit Jr. is happy to get them. His dad is just happy to hear his voice.

The Torrealbas have since moved from Venezuela to Hollywood, Fla., providing a Hollywood ending to this happy story.

Notes

• Bobby Valentine is the name most prominently mentioned as a candidate for the Indians job. But Indians people say they have a long list. Red Sox coach Brad Mills could be a candidate. Makes sense, his son, Beau Mills, was a high draft choice of theirs recently. Indians and Red Sox executives are close, and the Indians originally targeted Boston pitching coach John Farrell, who decided to remain in his current job.

• The Braves may consider going after Matt Holliday, who made a huge error in St. Louis' Game 2 loss but is the biggest star who'll hit the free-agent market. Cardinals owner Bill DeWitt has said they are going to try hard to re-sign Holliday, and other candidates appear to be the Mets, Yankees, Red Sox, Dodgers and Giants. Over the last four years, Holliday ranks second in doubles (172), fourth in batting average (.325), fifth in hits (767) and runs (440), sixth in slugging (.563) and OPS (.962) and seventh in RBIs (448).

• Jason Giambi said he wants to play another year, "But as a DH," he said. Giambi said he was expecting to only play first base one or two days a week in Oakland, and that the regular play there isn't what's best for him now. "I wasn't expecting to play that much first base," said Giambi, who's become a big contributor in Colorado.

• Rockies coach Don Baylor has surfaced as a candidate for the Astros managing job. Houston, which once hired off a list of one (Phil Garner) has a very long list. Baylor is a native of Austin, Texas.

• Whoever gets that job, good luck. The Astros are expected to cut payroll.

• The Rockies are still hoping Jorge De La Rosa will be available if they reach the NLCS. One Rockies person said he's had this groin issue before, and normally it only takes five-to-seven days to heal.

• The Mets are looking for coaches to fill minor-league jobs after firing a few. Wally Backman, hero of the 1986 team, is all but assured of getting one job. Warren Cromartie, a spirited fellow who was a terrific hitter with the Expos and in Japan (and is a friend of Jerry Manuel's), should be a serious candidate for another job.

• Several umps seem to be in a lather over the TV strike zone box. As it turns out, the umps aren't perfect. The box has made that plainly clear in a couple cases. If the box is gone by next year, we'll know why.

• The Angels aren't too confident they'll be able to retain John Lackey, who threw 7 1/3 scoreless innings in his Game 1 win and is on the cusp of free agency. One sign they aren't so confidence is the acquisition of Scott Kazmir, who makes a nice replacement. The Angels offered close to $60 million over four years. But word is, Lackey will seek at least the $82.5 million A.J. Burnett got. One scout said, "He's in a pretty good position as the best pitcher on the market."