Sometimes teams or athletes that had looked unbeatable flail in the biggest moments. 

Mike Mussina, a 270-game winner who won 20 this year for theNewYorkYankees, left no doubt last week: He is retiring. 

The Dodgers, seeking a possible replacement for free-agent shortstop Rafael Furcal, balked at the Pirates' asking price for shortstop Jack Wilson during recent trade talks, according to major-league sources. 

Random thoughts while wondering whether being on the cover of the new issue of Baseball America will be any sort of jinx for White Sox shortstop prospect Gordon Beckham: 

The pitching staff was in a general state of disarray at the end of the season following an April breakdown of the rotation and an August/September collapse of the back end of the bullpen. 

The pitching staff was in a general state of disarray at the end of the season following an April breakdown of the rotation and an August/September collapse of the back end of the bullpen. 

The pitching staff was in a general state of disarray at the end of the season following an April breakdown of the rotation and an August/September collapse of the back end of the bullpen. 

The pitching staff was in a general state of disarray at the end of the season following an April breakdown of the rotation and an August/September collapse of the back end of the bullpen. 

Detroit has left itself with two open roster spaces, turning in a list of 38 players whom it will protect from the Rule 5 draft instead of the maximum 40, to give general manager Dave Dombrowski some maneuvering room heading into the winter meetings. 

--1B Miguel Cabrera, who won the league home run title in his first season with Detroit, placed 13th on the list of 23 players who received votes from baseball writers in balloting for American League Most Valuable Player. 

Detroit has left itself with two open roster spaces, turning in a list of 38 players whom it will protect from the Rule 5 draft instead of the maximum 40, to give general manager Dave Dombrowski some maneuvering room heading into the winter meetings. 

--1B Miguel Cabrera, who won the league home run title in his first season with Detroit, placed 13th on the list of 23 players who received votes from baseball writers in balloting for American League Most Valuable Player. 

Detroit has left itself with two open roster spaces, turning in a list of 38 players whom it will protect from the Rule 5 draft instead of the maximum 40, to give general manager Dave Dombrowski some maneuvering room heading into the winter meetings. 

--1B Miguel Cabrera, who won the league home run title in his first season with Detroit, placed 13th on the list of 23 players who received votes from baseball writers in balloting for American League Most Valuable Player. 

BY STEVE KORNACKI Gazette News Service DETROIT -- Nothing is as demoralizing for a Baseball team as watching leads disappear in the late innings.