Dan O Dowd

Rockies closer Manny Corpas came in to pitch the bottom of the ninth, retired the Phillies in order and that was that. Or was it? TBS cameras on Corpas warming up before coming into yesterday's 4-2 Colorado win in Game 1 of the National League Division Series at Citizens Bank Park clearly showed the righthander pour a cup of water or soda on the front of his shirt before leaving the bullpen and then rubbing dirt on the area. Then, when he went into the game, he appeared to go to that spot before several of his pitches in order to get a better grip on the baseball.

Joe Maddon had a good reason for interrupting his honeymoon. About an hour after he landed in Rome, Maddon easily won the American League Manager of the Year award yesterday for guiding Tampa Bay from baseball's basement to the World Series in one astonishing season. Lou Piniella took the NL honor after leading the Chicago Cubs to the league's best record. Maddon, who succeeded Piniella as Tampa Bay manager in 2006, was a runaway winner in balloting by the Baseball Writers' Association of America.

Mike Hampton and Charles Johnson are the biggest names in a six-player deal tentatively agreed to yesterday by the Colorado Rockies and Florida Marlins. Colorado's Hampton, a lefthander, and Florida's Johnson, a catcher, would have to waive no-trade clauses. They have until midday tomorrow to decide whether to do so, according to Scott Boras, Johnson's agent. Colorado also would send outfielder Juan Pierre to the Marlins, who would send outfielder Preston Wilson, lefthander Vic Darensbourg and infielder Pablo Ozuna to the Rockies.

The Colorado Rockies, persisting in their attempt to cut payroll after the collapsed Larry Walker trade, apparently are pursuing a three-way deal that would involve the two New York teams. The New York Daily News yesterday reported that the Yankees and the Mets - also seeking to dump salaries - are considering a novel three-way trade. The linchpin in the deal is Rockies lefthander Denny Neagle, who has struggled in Colorado and has at least three seasons left on a contract that will pay him at least $37 million.

Star outfielder Larry Walker was traded from the Colorado Rockies to the St. Louis Cardinals last night for minor league pitcher Jason Burch and two players to be named. The addition of Walker, a three-time National League batting champion, gives the Cardinals a power-packed lineup that includes Albert Pujols, Scott Rolen and Jim Edmonds. The only time Walker has played in the postseason was in 1995 with the Rockies, who were eliminated in the first round. "This is a great opportunity for him to go to a great baseball city and have a chance to win a world championship," Colorado general manager Dan O'Dowd said.

Umpire Tim Welke admitted yesterday he probably missed a call at first base that cost the Colorado Rockies the tying run in a loss to Pittsburgh on Saturday. Welke, the crew chief, called Colorado's Jay Payton out at first base to complete a game-ending doubleplay in Pittsburgh's 1-0 victory. There were runners at first and third and one out when Payton came to the plate. Replays appeared to show Payton beat the throw from second baseman Abraham Nunez. Welke said Payton probably was safe.

Colorado manager Jim Leyland ended speculation about his managerial future last night and confirmed that he was retiring from managing at the end of the season. "I'm not going to talk about this every day for the rest of the season," Leyland told the Denver Post following the Rockies' 4-1 loss to Montreal. "I'm retiring as manager, and that's it. " Colorado has not performed up to expectations this season and was 62-78 after yesterday's 4-1 loss to Montreal. "I love it from 7:05 to 10:00," Leyland said.

The Colorado Rockies met with Buddy Bell for the second straight day yesterday, attempting to finalize a contract that would make him the third manager in team history. Bell, who managed the Detroit Tigers from 1996 to '98, met with Rockies general manager Dan O'Dowd. He has been considered the favorite to succeed Jim Leyland, who retired at the end of the season. Bell, who played 18 seasons with four major-league teams, compiled a 184-277 record as Detroit's manager before being fired in September 1998, with three years left on his annual $550,000 contract.

A little more than 4 months after playing his last game in the major leagues, Vinny Castilla officially retired from baseball yesterday. Castilla played first base in Mexico's 4-3 victory over Venezuela on the last day of the Caribbean Series in Carolina, Puerto Rico. He went 1-for-4, with a double and a run scored. "I knew it was my last game, but I got emotional when I came to the park and all my teammates came to congratulate me," the 39-year-old slugger said while trying to hold back tears after the game.

The new-look Colorado Rockies come to Veterans Stadium tonight to begin a three-game weekend series with the Phillies. For Phils manager Terry Francona, this means three days of head-to-head competition with his mentor, Rockies manager Buddy Bell. "He's by far the person most responsible for me being on this side of baseball," Francona said. Francona worked for Bell as a minor-league instructor and manager in the White Sox system. In 1996, when Bell was named manager of the Tigers, he hired Francona as his third-base coach.

ONE WAS A baseball lifer, a guy in his mid-40s who signed out of high school and had already chased the game through the low minors to bit parts in the majors, all the way to Japan and then back to the bushes as a scout, roving hitting instructor and manager. One was a brash young whiz kid, a not-quite-30 college graduate who never played professionally but was already running a big-league farm system. It was 2 decades ago and, on the surface, Charlie Manuel and Dan O'Dowd had nothing in common.

Two years ago, the Colorado Rockies made the postseason on the strength of a quick and powerful late-season burst of success. They won 14 of their final 15 games, including a dramatic, one-game playoff - in which they needed a three-run rally in the bottom of the 13th inning - to claim the National League wild card. The Rockies then won seven straight postseason games to make the World Series, where their scorched-earth run ran out of fuel and they were swept by Boston. The Phillies were one of the teams that got burned by the streaking Rockies in 2007.

LOS ANGELES - Rockies bench coach Jim Tracy wanted to manage. That wasn't the issue. The question was whether he wanted the position that general manager Dan O'Dowd offered to him on the morning of May 29. After all, Colorado was off to an 18-28 start. Clint Hurdle had been fired. A season that had started with such high hopes had, seemingly, already crashed and burned. And Tracy, who had previously managed the Dodgers and Pirates, had to be honest with himself. Did he really think he could make a difference?

EXPECTATIONS FOR the Colorado Rockies coming into this season weren't exactly a mile high. That's what happens when you follow up a magical run to the World Series in 2007 by finishing a disappointing 14 games under .500 in 2008 - after which they traded franchise slugger and pending free agent Matt Holliday and let closer Brian Fuentes walk in free agency. The climb to a playoff berth was going to be a difficult one, especially for a team that had until recently been a model of futility.

Joe Maddon had a good reason for interrupting his honeymoon. About an hour after he landed in Rome, Maddon easily won the American League Manager of the Year award yesterday for guiding Tampa Bay from baseball's basement to the World Series in one astonishing season. Lou Piniella took the NL honor after leading the Chicago Cubs to the league's best record. Maddon, who succeeded Piniella as Tampa Bay manager in 2006, was a runaway winner in balloting by the Baseball Writers' Association of America.

Rockies closer Manny Corpas came in to pitch the bottom of the ninth, retired the Phillies in order and that was that. Or was it? TBS cameras on Corpas warming up before coming into yesterday's 4-2 Colorado win in Game 1 of the National League Division Series at Citizens Bank Park clearly showed the righthander pour a cup of water or soda on the front of his shirt before leaving the bullpen and then rubbing dirt on the area. Then, when he went into the game, he appeared to go to that spot before several of his pitches in order to get a better grip on the baseball.

A little more than 4 months after playing his last game in the major leagues, Vinny Castilla officially retired from baseball yesterday. Castilla played first base in Mexico's 4-3 victory over Venezuela on the last day of the Caribbean Series in Carolina, Puerto Rico. He went 1-for-4, with a double and a run scored. "I knew it was my last game, but I got emotional when I came to the park and all my teammates came to congratulate me," the 39-year-old slugger said while trying to hold back tears after the game.

Star outfielder Larry Walker was traded from the Colorado Rockies to the St. Louis Cardinals last night for minor league pitcher Jason Burch and two players to be named. The addition of Walker, a three-time National League batting champion, gives the Cardinals a power-packed lineup that includes Albert Pujols, Scott Rolen and Jim Edmonds. The only time Walker has played in the postseason was in 1995 with the Rockies, who were eliminated in the first round. "This is a great opportunity for him to go to a great baseball city and have a chance to win a world championship," Colorado general manager Dan O'Dowd said.

Umpire Tim Welke admitted yesterday he probably missed a call at first base that cost the Colorado Rockies the tying run in a loss to Pittsburgh on Saturday. Welke, the crew chief, called Colorado's Jay Payton out at first base to complete a game-ending doubleplay in Pittsburgh's 1-0 victory. There were runners at first and third and one out when Payton came to the plate. Replays appeared to show Payton beat the throw from second baseman Abraham Nunez. Welke said Payton probably was safe.

The Colorado Rockies, persisting in their attempt to cut payroll after the collapsed Larry Walker trade, apparently are pursuing a three-way deal that would involve the two New York teams. The New York Daily News yesterday reported that the Yankees and the Mets - also seeking to dump salaries - are considering a novel three-way trade. The linchpin in the deal is Rockies lefthander Denny Neagle, who has struggled in Colorado and has at least three seasons left on a contract that will pay him at least $37 million.