NEW YORK -- Mariano Rivera may make a debut on his final weekend before retirement: as a centerfielder.
The 43-year-old closer, in his 19th and final big league season, has said he'd like to play the outfield.
Yankees manager Joe Girardi says he's thinking about allowing Rivera to do it this weekend, when the Yankees finish their season with a three-game series at the Houston Astros.
Says Girardi: "In my mind, thinking that he's going to want to pitch, it would be a situation that I might bring him in (in) the eighth to play the outfield and close him out in the ninth if we have that opportunity."
Rivera missed most of the 2012 season after hurting his knee while shagging fly balls during pregame practice at Kansas City.
Slain fan was son of Dodgers security guard
SAN FRANCISCO -- The Los Angeles Dodgers say the 24-year-old man who was fatally stabbed during a postgame confrontation in San Francisco was the son of one of the team's security guards.
Spokesman Jared Kaufer said Thursday that Jonathan Denver's father worked security at Dodger Stadium.
San Francisco police say Denver was walking with his father, brother and two other people not far from the San Francisco Giants' ballpark Wednesday night when their group exchanged words with some Giants fans who were leaving a nightclub.
The exchange turned physical and Denver, who was wearing Dodgers gear, was stabbed to death.
Denver attended the game with his relatives but left in the eighth inning of what turned out to be a 6-4 Giants victory. His attackers did not attend the game.
Police Chief Greg Suhr says two people are in custody and one of them is facing face homicide charges.
For more, read Ray Rotto's column at CSNBayArea.com.
Selig sets retirement date
Baseball Commissioner Bud Selig says he plans to retire in January 2015.
MLB
The 79-year-old Selig has repeatedly said since 2003 that his retirement was imminent, but Thursday marked the first time he issued a formal statement.
He says he will announce a transition plan shortly that will include a reorganization of central baseball management.
Selig bought the Seattle Pilots in bankruptcy court in 1970 and moved the team to Milwaukee. He was part of the group that forced Fay Vincent's resignation.
Selig took over as acting commissioner on Sept. 9, 1992, in his role as chairman of the executive council. He repeatedly said he would not take the job full time but was formally elected commissioner July 9, 1998. He agreed to new contracts in 2001, 2004, 2008 and 2012 (see full story).
Gomez, Johnson suspended for fight
NEW YORK -- The Brewers' Carlos Gomez and the Braves' Reed Johnson have each been suspended one game after a benches-clearing argument between their teams.
Both were also fined an undisclosed amount Thursday.
In the top of the first inning Wednesday in Atlanta, Gomez homered off Paul Maholm, still furious the Braves starter hit him with a pitch three months earlier.
Gomez stood in the batter's box watching the ball, stared at Maholm, and flipped his bat. Gomez was yelling at Maholm as he slowly trotted up the first base line. Gomez then began jawing with first baseman Freddie Freeman.
Gomez touched second and third without incident before catcher Brian McCann stood in the third base line about 20 feet from home plate and stopped him.
The benches emptied, and Gomez was ejected for shoving Johnson, a reserve outfielder. Freeman and reserve catcher Gerald Laird were also ejected.
Gomez accepted his suspension and will sit out Thursday's game at the Mets.