With all the talk of steroid use and performance-enhancing drugs in major league baseball lately, I was happy to find a Sports Illustrated story that addressed a different bit of baseball news.

That news being the destruction of a priceless World Series artifact, the ball that recorded the final out in the 2007 Fall Classic:

The World Series ball is gone, and Jonathan Papelbon has an excuse: My dog ate it. Farfetched or not, that’s what the Red Sox closer insists happened to the souvenir from the final out of Boston’s sweep this year.

Really, Papelbon blamed it on his bulldog, Boss.

“He plays with baseballs like they are his toys,” Papelbon told the Hattiesburg (Miss.) American. “He jumped up one day on the counter and snatched it. He likes rawhide. He tore that thing to pieces. Nobody knows that. I’ll keep what’s left of it.”

Now that’s a new one. Although, considering Papelbon is such a colorful character, this couldn’t have happened to anyone else. No one would have believed it if it had.

Yankees manager Joe Torre rejected a $5 million one-year extension from the team Thursday:

In a surprising turn of events, club president Randy Levine announced during a conference call with reporters originating from Tampa, Fla., that Torre declined a contract that would have paid him a base salary of $5 million, with $1 million bonuses for each level of the postseason the Yankees reached next season.

Torre was exactly right for turning down such a patronizing offer from George Steinbrenner and the Yankees. By accepting the offer, which would have been a pay cut for Torre, the manager would have essentially been put on probation by the team, only making his full salary if he guided the team to a World Series win.

Yankees fans should be ashamed at the way the Yankees administration is treating one of the best managers in baseball history, who helped bring the team to 4 World Series championships and 6 pennants in 12 years.

Steinbrenner was patronizing Torre, treating him like a new manager who needed monetary incentives to progress to the World Series. I’d like to see Steinbrenner or anyone else involved in this contract offer to name any other major league manager who did better with a team over a 12 year span as manager. There isn’t one.

I actually got a chance to meet Joe Torre in person, as he received an honorary degree at my college graduation. From what he spoke about that day and from all we know about him and what he has done for medical research, the community, and charity, its obvious that he doesn’t only excel at leading a baseball team. He’s also an all-around great person. Torre is a wonderful asset to have not just for a baseball team, but for a community.

And what the Yankees just offered him, after 12 years of faithful service, amounts to a slap in the face. A one year contract? But, in typical Torre fashion, he simply turned down the offer and left quietly, not making this whole issue into what surely could have become a media circus, complete with raking Steinbrenner over the coals for his questionable decisions over the years.

Joe Torre wouldn’t want that to happen because he seemingly holds one quality dear, respect. Too bad the Yankees and Steinbrenner couldn’t return the favor to Torre.

As we get ready for the next round of the MLB playoffs, let’s just say that my Division Series picks were half right. I certainly didn’t forsee 3 out of 4 series sweeps! I guess the Cubs are content with going at least 100 years between championships and the Phillies didn’t feel like cashing in on the playoff spot they won from the Mets.

Here are my picks for the 2007 League Championship Series:

AMERICAN LEAGUE

* Red Sox vs. Indians
My pick: Red Sox in 5.
My take: You have to think the Indians will use their 58-year World Series drought as motivation to get them into the World Series, but it will be interesting to see the Red Sox in a non-underdog role in the ALCS. With their incredible offense, home field advantage, and strong relief pitching, it would take a total meltdown for the Red Sox not to make it to the World Series.

NATIONAL LEAGUE

* Rockies vs. Diamondbacks
My pick: Rockies in 4.
My take: The Rockies simply cannot be stopped, having won 17 of their last 18 games. Sure, the Diamondbacks have been strong all year, but when you throw the team’s youth and lack of experience, especially playoff experience, the edge goes to Colorado. Look for them to represent the Wild Card in the World Series.

Well, the Mets’ monumental collapse at the end of the postseason has left me crushed. I guess when you lead the league for the entire season, you can forget that you actually have to play (and WIN) to get to the playoffs at the end. So, needless to say, choosing this year’s playoff picks is part of my therapy…

Here are my picks for the 2007 Division Series:

AMERICAN LEAGUE

* Yankees vs. Indians
My pick: Yankees in 4.
My take: The way the Yankees played for most of the season, they don’t even deserve to be here. However, that doesn’t mean Derek Jeter and A-Rod won’t find a way to win. If they can avoid the Indians excellent pitching, they’ll find their way to the ALCS.

* Red Sox vs. Angels
My pick: Red Sox in 3.
My take: The Red Sox were on top throughout the season and actually got into the playoffs (unlike the Mets, booo!). They have the pitching and the offense it will take to win. The Angels also have great pitching, but the Red Sox have more momentum after a late-season race against the Yankees.

NATIONAL LEAGUE

* Phillies vs. Rockies
My pick: Rockies in 4.
My take: What a postseason story for the Rockies! With the Mets collapse and a one-game playoff win for the Wildcard against the Padres, the Rockies battled back with something like 17 wins in 19 games to secure their way to the Division Series. The Phillies are a good team this year, but let’s remember which team started 0-12 this season… Look for the Rockies in the NLCS.

* Cubs vs. Diamondbacks
My pick: Cubs in 4.
My take: This is an interesting NLDS matchup. The Diamondbacks survived amongst the very turbulent turnover in the NL West this year, but the Cubs deserve to win more, given their long, tough postseason history. As a sentimental favorite underdog, I’m choosing the Cubs as a placeholder for my Mets. Both teams have had long winning streaks, but also some long losing streaks this season, so this one is going to be close.

Yankees Hall-of-Famer Phil Rizzuto died Tuesday at the age of 89, after years of declining health:

Phil Rizzuto, the Hall of Fame shortstop during the Yankees’ dynasty years and beloved by a generation of fans who delighted in hearing him exclaim “Holy cow!” as a broadcaster, died Tuesday. He was 89. […]

Rizzuto, known as “The Scooter,” was the oldest living Hall of Famer. He played for the Yankees throughout the 1940s and ’50s, won seven World Series titles, was an AL MVP and played in five All-Star games.

Rizzuto later announced Yankees games for four decades and his No. 10 was retired by baseball’s most storied team.

Phil Rizzuto was deservedly a Hall-of-Famer and even this Mets fan can understand and appreciate his contributions to our national pastime. HOLY COW, Phil! You’ll be missed.

Barry Bonds hit his 756th homerun Tuesday night in San Francisco, breaking Hank Aaron’s 33-year record for career homeruns.

And while there is tremendous controversy surrounding Bond’s alleged steroids usage, the best part for me is that a vacationing Mets fan, Matt Murphy, emerged from the rightfield stands-turned-mosh pit with the record-breaking ball. Take that, Giants fans!

Hank Aaron proved again just how much of a class act he is by taping that recorded congratulations that was played on the scoreboard after the record was broken.

Many people will view 756 with an asterisk after it, but here’s another footnote: In the game where Barry Bonds broke Hank Aaron’s career homerun record, the Giants were defeated 8-6 by the Washington Nationals.

Mets pitcher Tom Glavine won his 300th game Sunday! Glavine became the 23rd pitcher in big-league history to win 300 games, and only the fifth left-handed pitcher to do so:

With a performance that reinforced his image as a brilliant pitcher, an intense competitor and a pretty competent batsman, Tom Glavine changed his baseball identity Sunday night. No longer is he merely the two-time Cy Young Award winner or the five-time 20-game winner. Now, first, foremost and forever, Glavine is a 300-game winner. With an HOF chaser on order.

Not only has the Mets ace reached an exclusive pitchers’ club in baseball, but he also may be the last to join, considering the way the game is played today. Randy Johnson has 284 career wins, but he is out for the season getting back surgery and may not even return to the game. No other pitchers are even close to 300.

ESPN did a great job getting the reactions between the Mets players at the end of the game, including the hugs all around and the interactions between Glavine and Paul LoDuca and also Billy Wagner.

Kudos to the Cubs’ fans for their standing ovations for Glavine. Very classy, Chicago! Glavine was also congratulated by a scoreboard display at the end of the game.

Glavine is the fourth 300-game winner to pitch for the Mets.