Manny Ramirez

Manny Ramirez doesn't need surgery on the broken finger that will sideline him at least four weeks, but the injury will be monitored to see if the fracture spreads. The determination was made after the Red Sox outfielder, injured in Seattle on Saturday night in a headfirst slide into home, had a CT scan yesterday at Saint Elizabeth's Hospital in Boston. Ramirez, the American League's batting leader, at .372, plans to get a second opinion today in Miami from Dr. John Urive. Dr. Bill Morgan, the Red Sox team physician, doesn't think surgery is needed now on the left index finger, Boston interim general manager Mike Port said.

A year ago, baseball's winter meetings were more yawnfest than swapfest. The typical December wheeling and dealing practically slowed to a halt as teams waited to see whether free-agent price tags would fall, and whether the Montreal Expos would hold a fire sale. When the meetings ended, frustrated general managers and agents headed home with little to show for their trip to Nashville. Inaction should not be a problem this year as the meetings begin today in New Orleans.

It's kind of ironic that the Los Angeles Dodgers come into Citizens Bank Park tonight all full of smiles and good feelings. When you think about it, their road to the National League Championship Series started with a bad mood. Manny Ramirez was feuding with his employers in Boston. Red Sox officials weren't sure if they would pick up his $20 million option for 2009, and they were too busy thinking about this season to worry about it. You know the rest of the story. Ramirez decided he wanted out. He pouted and went into shutdown mode.

The Milwaukee Brewers had a decision to make in the third inning Sunday at Miller Park. The Phillies had a runner on third with two outs, Ryan Howard at the plate, and Pat Burrell on deck. Should they pitch to Howard, who led the majors in home runs and RBIs, or Burrell, who had been hitless in the National League division series? Should they have the righthanded Jeff Suppan face Howard, the lefthanded hitter, or Burrell, the righthanded hitter? The Brewers followed the textbook.

LAST YEAR, my cell phone rang during the middle of a Phillies game. "Jon, it's Steve Suzuki,"said a shaky voice. "I'm at Mio's, and it's closed!" I had just been to Mio Pomodoro, an Italian restaurant and bar in the Jenkintown train station a few days before, and there was no talk or gossip about the place going out of business. Steve said the restaurant was dark. Now I know how people felt when Connie Mack Stadium was demolished, or how fans in Brooklyn, N.Y., mourn the loss of Ebbets Field.

Here are the fines issued yesterday by Major League Baseball for the incident in the third inning of Game 3: DODGERS Hiroki Kuroda: $7,500 Manny Ramirez: $2,500 Coach Mariano Duncan: $1,000 Coach Larry Bowa: $500 PHILLIES Shane Victorino: $2,500 J.C. Romero: $1,000 Coach Davey Lopes: $500

Columbus scored five runs in its last two innings to defeat the Scranton/ Wilkes-Barre Red Barons, 7-2, last night in an International League game. Mike Williams took the loss for the Red Barons, who wasted a home run by Pat Brady. Don Sparks homered for Columbus. CANTON-AKRON 6, READING 4 READING - Rightfielder Manny Ramirez hit a home run and a double, driving in two runs, to lead the Canton-Akron Indians over the Reading Phillies in an Eastern League game. Designated hitter Gene Schall had a home run and two RBIs for Reading.

The baseball world was buzzing yesterday with the news that Boston Red Sox slugger Manny Ramirez had been placed on irrevocable waivers. Any team can have Ramirez - provided it takes on the $101.5 million remaining on his contract. If he isn't claimed, he will remain with the Red Sox. Would the Phillies put in a claim on Ramirez? Ramirez is a corner outfielder, and the Phils' corner outfielders - Pat Burrell and Bobby Abreu - are signed through 2008 and 2007, respectively.

FORT MILL, S.C. - Chris Sheff, Ralph Milliard and Joe Siddall homered in the fifth inning, and Charlotte went on to a 12-7 victory over Scranton/Wilkes-Barre last night. It was the first time the Knights had homered three times in an inning since July 30, 1993, when Manny Ramirez, Jim Thome and Sandy Alomar Jr. did it. READING 7, CANTON-AKRON 1 READING - Ryan Nye (8-2) went seven innings to gain his fifth straight win. The righthander yielded one run, struck out 10 and walked one. Catcher Bobby Estalella hit his 15th homer, tying teammate Dan Held for the Eastern League lead.

Tom Marsh hit his fourth home run of the season in the first inning and Mike Lieberthal hit his first of the season in the eighth, leading the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Red Barons to a 10-2 victory over the Syracuse Chiefs last night in an International League game. Andy Carter was the winning pitcher for Scranton. Doug Linton took the loss for Syracuse. CANTON-AKRON 6, READING 2 READING - Designated hitter Omar Ramirez was 3 for 5, with a home run and two runs scored, leading the Indians over the Phillies in the Eastern League game.