Janie McCauley

SAN FRANCISCO — Fifteen years ago, shortstops such as Derek Jeter, Alex Rodriguez and Nomar Garciaparra changed the perception of their position from slick fielders with little pop to run producers who could still hold their own with the glove.

Now, it’s do-everything catchers such as Buster Posey, Yadier Molina and Joe Mauer, along with up-and-coming youngsters Wilin Rosario, Matt Wieters and Salvador Perez, showing remarkable versatility from both the crouch and the batter’s box.

SAN FRANCISCO — This is going to be a very hairy World Series.

Giants outfielder Hunter Pence is looking seriously scraggly. Same goes for teammate Sergio Romo, whose facial fuzz has its own Twitter account. Tigers slugger Prince Fielder goes for a double — dreadlocks and an overgrown beard.

SAN FRANCISCO — This time, Carlos Beltran, David Freese and the St. Louis Cardinals took a six-run lead — and held onto it, barely.

Beltran and Freese hit two-run homers and these wild, wild-card Cardinals beat the San Francisco Giants 6-4 on Sunday night in Game 1 of the NL championship series.

The defending World Series champions took an early 6-0 cushion and made it stand up. Only two nights earlier, the Cardinals came back from a 6-0 deficit, using a four-run rally in the ninth inning at Washington in the deciding Game 5 of the division series.

SANTA CLARA, Calif. — Randy Moss playfully chased reserve nose tackle Ian Williams toward the locker room after practice and razzed the second-year pro with each step. It was hardly a fair deal, given Moss’ stellar speed even at age 35 against the 305-pound Williams.

SAN FRANCISCO -- Ernie Bowman received his devastating diagnosis last summer: Stage IV prostate cancer with a prognosis of two months to live.

STANFORD, Calif. -- Andrew Luck is set to become the NFL's No. 1 draft pick next month. Stanford pitcher Mark Appel is the likely first choice in June's amateur baseball draft. That's already figuring to be quite a feat for the school.

GLENDALE, Ariz. -- Javy Guerra worked as a closer in the minor leagues and showed last season he is perfectly comfortable with the pressure-packed ninth inning and recording the final three outs. Kenley Jansen is more than willing to pitch whenever his name is called, too.

Dodgers manager Don Mattingly is taking a shot that his two young relievers can carry the load for Los Angeles in the back end of the bullpen -- even if they have some growing pains along the way.