Ben Walker

NEW YORK -- Gary Carter was nicknamed "Kid" for good reason.

His smile, bubbly personality and eagerness to excel on a ballfield made him a joy to watch at the plate and behind it.

Even his Hall of Fame bronze plaque at Cooperstown shows him with a toothy grin -- the Kid forever.

NEW YORK -- A protest outside the Westminster dog show aimed at Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney drew about a dozen demonstrators Tuesday, plus a few pooches.

NEW YORK -- Sensing something was in the works, the curious lunchtime crowd catty-corner from Madison Square Garden got bigger and bigger. Seventh Avenue was blocked off by the police, perhaps a celebrity sighting was imminent.

Moments later, two NYPD officers began an escort detail across the street. Too far back on the sidewalk to get a clear view, a passer-by guessed a high-profile criminal had been collared.

"Why'd ya do it?" the pedestrian blurted out.

ARLINGTON, Texas -- A long drive by Mike Napoli, a lucky bounce near the mound and suddenly the Texas Rangers were on the brink of their first World Series title.

Napoli delivered the biggest hit of his charmed season, lining a tiebreaking two-run double in the eighth inning that sent the Rangers past the St. Louis Cardinals 4-2 on Monday night for a 3-2 edge.

The slugging catcher then capped off his night of double duty, throwing out a would-be base stealer in the ninth as Albert Pujols struck out.

ARLINGTON, Texas -- Albert Pujols simply let his bat make all the noise. And boy, it was pretty loud.

Pujols hit three impressive home runs to tie the World Series record, amassing five hits and six RBIs Saturday night as the St. Louis Cardinals romped past the Texas Rangers 16-7 for a 2-1 edge.

The outburst by the three-time NL MVP came a day after he was barbed by the media for not sticking around to talk about a Game 2 error and loss. This time, everyone was talking about him.

The Super Bowl hit a deep freeze, NBA teams got stranded in blizzards, an NHL game was iced by a snowstorm.

Most everywhere, the winter weather is wicked. Good thing the weekend forecast in Arizona and Florida calls for sunny skies and temperatures in the 70s: King Felix, Joe Mauer and friends are coming.

NEW YORK -- Roy Halladay arrived in Philadelphia to a standing ovation, a $60 million contract extension and the billing as baseball's top ace. That was before he threw a single pitch.

Doc delivered, and then some.