trainer_sue_falsone_dodgersHold onto your baseball caps: the Los Angeles Dodgers might have done something right. As the embarrassing era of Frank McCourt's ownership reaches its end, the Dodgers made a historic hire Monday, one that ought to benefit the players.

[Related: Frank McCourt finally gives up senseless fight, will sell Dodgers]

The club announced that Sue Falsone has been named head athletic trainer, the first woman in the history of major U.S. professional sports at that position. Falsone had been the team's physical therapist since 2007.

It's stupefying that it took so long for a team to hire a woman. There are no women in any of the major U.S. pro sports even on the verge of reaching Falsone's position. And it's crazy. Major-league players aren't going to get the best possible care unless teams use the best possible candidates for trainers, and excluding the female half of the population is no way to ensure the best of anything. As Ken Gurnick wrote at MLB.com, it makes sense that the Dodgers broke

la_russa_ears

In the wake of the St. Louis Cardinals winning the World Series for the 11th time in franchise history, manager Tony La Russa has decided to call it a career. Starting in 1979 with the Chicago White Sox, he managed for 33 years and 5,097 games (not including the playoffs), winning 2,728 games — along with six league pennants and three Series championships with the Oakland Athletics and Cardinals. Which were his best managing jobs?

1. 2011 Cardinals. They won 90 games during the regular season for a .556 winning percentage. That was only good for the 12th-best record in La Russa's career and second place in the NL Central. But it was good enough to sneak into the playoffs and win the World Series.

[Related: Tony La Russa's unexpected departure is a loss for baseball]

The challenges, of course, were many. The Cardinals started spring training with the loss of ace Adam Wainwright, were hit with myriad nagging injuries throughout the starting lineup, featured an unsettled bullpen at the

pujols_mcgwire_ipad

*Possible farewell, that is. Albert Pujols, for those so overjoyed by the St. Louis Cardinals winning the World Series that they have forgotten, will be a free agent this offseason. However, as of Sunday afternoon when Team Fredbird celebrated its 11th championship with a parade through St. Louis and a rally at Busch Stadium, "The Machine" was still a part of the club. Batting coach Mark McGwire wanted to make sure and capture the moment for prosperity. And with an iPad. Impressive. Most impressive.

[Slideshow: Cardinals' World Series victory parade]

As for 2012 and beyond, well, who knows? At some point in the celebration, someone asked Pujols, "Can we do this again next year?"

"Hey, why not?" he said, and the adoring masses cheered and the wait began.

Money, of course, is why not. Negotiations officially start Thursday. What is the gut feeling of retiring Cardinals manager Tony La Russa? Is Albert staying or is he going? Scott Miller of CBS Sports' Eye on Baseball was among those

axford_gouletLeading the National League in saves and vying for the World Series with the Milwaukee Brewers was only the beginning for closer John Axford this season. Facing even stiffer upper-lip competition Friday night, Axford closed the deal and won the most prestigious mustache award in America. No, North America.

After Axford received a majority of the nearly 1 million votes cast on the Internet, the American Mustache Institute presented him with the Robert Goulet Memorial Mustached American of the Year Award for 2011. The prize was named for Goulet, the late singer and actor who — like Axford — was born in Canada and often sported a great, big hairy mustache.

To give you an idea of Axford's popularity, the previous Goulet winner, a firefighter from Florida named Brian Sheets, won 22 percent of roughly 500,000 votes cast in 2010. Axford's Fu Manchu 'stache, which he said he's been growing since May, obviously warmed the masses to his face. Axford was so enthusiastic about the competition

grapel_mets

Imagine being Ilan Grapel, an Israeli-American law student from Queens, N.Y., and you've just been released from jail in Egypt after spending 4 1/2 months locked up on bogus spying charges. You're not even free 24 hours, standing at a press conference in Tel Aviv, being flanked by your mother and a U.S. congressman who helped broker the incredibly complicated prisoner swap that sprung you from what must have been hell on Earth. And then Rep. Gary Ackerman tells the media (via the New York Post) about the really big news that happened since you were taken into custody June 12:

"We told him the Mets won the World Series," Ackerman said.

Oh, come on. The guy was in jail for 4 1/2 months — not 4 1/2 years. In picking the New York Mets, Ackerman went with the one team that was even more unlikely to win the World Series than the St. Louis Cardinals. Why don't you throw in a six-year contract extension for Jose Reyes while you're at it, Ackerman? {YSP:MORE}

Grapel, a sports fan, shot

yadi_cards_win

We don't know his name. We just know he's out there, somewhere, and he has possessed two betting slips worth a total of $375,000 after the St. Louis Cardinals won Game 7 of the World Series on Friday night.

[Related: Cardinals win World Series the easy way | Highlights]

As we reported (thanks to Deadspin and Joe Sports Fan), an unnamed individual made two wagers at the MGM sports book in Las Vegas on Sept. 12 that the Cardinals would win the National League pennant and the World Series, respectively. He put $250 on each possibility and won $125,000 after the Cards beat the Brewers in the NLCS. He has since cashed in that slip.

The Redbirds were 999-to-1 to win the World Series when the man placed his bets and, as we know, the Cards won their 11th World Series on Friday, making Johnny No-Name $250,000 richer. (Although, he technically came out ahead with $150,000 more because he hedged his bets before the Series started, Deadspin says, putting a hundred grand on Texas to win just in

cj_dervishThe World Series has ended and, sigh, the Texas Rangers came in second for the second season in a row. Regardless, manager Ron Washington called his team "champions" and there is plenty of truth to it, even if the players didn't hoist a trophy — and the St. Louis Cardinals did — Friday night.

[Related: Cards win the easy way]

So, now what? Even though most of the roster is signed at least through next season, plenty of questions persist about the twice-defending American League champions. And it's the offseason, so let's get at them:

1. Is C.J. Wilson coming back? Despite a disappointing postseason performance, he's likely to receive a premium offer on the free-agent market. The Rangers will be able to afford him, but should they buy? Derek Holland and Matt Harrison already might be better pitchers, so do the Rangers really think Wilson is worth "ace" money if he's their third-best pitcher? Wilson sounds ready for the offseason, if not free agency:

"The only thing I'm thinking about is

cards_celebrate

Score and situation: The St. Louis Cardinals completed a stunning weeks-long rally, from 10 1/2 games out of a playoff spot on Aug. 25 to World Series champions with a 6-2 victory against the Texas Rangers in Game 7 on Friday night.

[Related: Cardinals win World Series the easy way | Highlights]

Leading lads: Manager Tony La Russa, even with all of his curious and agonizing pitching changes, and despite his horrendous botching of Game 5 with an ill-timed game of telephone tag with the St. Louis bullpen, kept the players in the clubhouse believing, and focused, despite the 999-to-1 odds against them. {YSP:MORE}

Among the players, hometown kid David Freese won World Series MVP, thanks in no small part to his enormous Game 6, along with a tying two-run double in Game 7. Allen Craig came through, whether as a pinch-hitter early in the Series or a starter in Game 7, when he hit the go-ahead home run in the third inning. Filling in for injured Matt Holliday, he also appeared to save a run