In two minutes, Eric Byrnes' 17-day mustache was history. Not that it is gone for good. "I'm declaring 2008 the year of the mustache," said Byrnes, who wore the growth during his 14-game hitting streak but shaved immediately after going 0-for-4 Sunday.

ANAHEIM, Calif. - Just down the road from the Magic Kingdom, major league teams toyed with trades and focused on free agents as the winter meetings began Friday.

A great sports rivalry is decided by a history of exciting, meaningful games and true disdain between the teams. The Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees have always qualified under those terms, but last month they went for extra credit.

LOS ANGELES - The Dodgers clinched their first NL West championship in four years Thursday without lifting a bat.

NEW YORK - When the New York Yankees traded Randy Johnson last winter, the idea was to become younger and more fiscally prudent, not to lose 8 1/2 games in the AL East standings. But here the Yankees are, one game under .500 despite a six-game winning streak.

Halfway through the major league baseball season, here’s what we know. Roger Clemens and Michael Jordan share a mutual understanding of the word “retirement.” Barry Bonds is the greatest left-handed slugger of all time but a bore of a reality-TV star. And the National League can’t stand up to the American League in interleague play or the All-Star game. Ho hum.

The envelopes, please: