Orange County Register

• That Johnny Damon steal was ice cold. Previously, Willie Mays and Brandon Phillips had pulled the trick off, taking advantage of shifts on Willie McCovey and Adam Dunn.  Just when you start turning on Damon — for misplaying a flyball into a run, for throwing a three-hopper toward home — he goes and reminds you why he’s one of your favorite opponents.

• Crew chief Gerry Davis says not everyone is unhappy with the job umpires have done this postseason. “We have been thanked throughout the postseason,” he says. As to one of the few calls they apparently did get correct, the camera that ARod hit his homer off of in Game 3 has been moved back to avoid a similar situation.

• Derek Jeter won the Hank Aaron Award for the league’s best hitter. Jeter is wonderful, but he’s obviously not the league’s best hitter. But before we chalk this up to another case of Jeter’s legend exceeding his actual greatness, consider this: Last year’s winner was Aramis Ramirez. Yes, Aramis Ramirez.

• Cole Hamels has had a frustrating postseason, and it leads to a bit of a gaffe: “I can’t wait for it to end,” he said.

• Daily conspiracy theory: Did Jorge Posada get thrown out at second on purpose to preserve a save situation for Mariano Rivera? Nah, I can’t see it. Having a rested Rivera able to go two innings tonight is sufficient incentive for the Yankees to want a non-save situation, where Rivera can just chill out in the bullpen for the ninth.

• Here’s the Damon video, while it lasts:

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