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CHICAGO -- Baseball plans to cut down on

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CHICAGO -- Baseball plans to cut down on off days during the postseason next year.

Commissioner Bud Selig said Wednesday he's working on tightening up the 2010 playoff schedule so there will be fewer gaps between games.

Los Angeles Angels manager Mike Scioscia criticized the current format after the Yankees and Angels played only eight times in 20 days going into Game 6 of the AL championship series.

Selig also said he would continue to discuss instant replay, but it's not expected to be a major topic when owners have a full meeting Thursday morning even though there were several missed calls by umpires during the postseason.

In the past, Selig has resisted the idea of expanded video replay. Under the current system, it is used only to judge if home runs have cleared the fence or are fair or foul.

* Baseball

Tracy, Scioscia honored: Jim Tracy was out of baseball when Clint Hurdle called last October to talk to him about joining Hurdle's staff in Colorado.

Tracy was focused on his duties as bench coach for the Rockies when he came to spring training.

Now, he's the NL Manager of the Year -- and has a new contract, too.

Talk about a nice season.

Tracy won the NL award Wednesday while Mike Scioscia of the Los Angeles Angels was selected AL Manager of the Year for the second time.

Tigers tickets: The Detroit Tigers are freezing most ticket prices for the 2010 season and lowering season and individual-game ticket prices for the rest.

Season ticket prices are being cut for more than 4,500 seats at Comerica Park and no other season ticket prices will be raised.

* Football

Judge orders UC QB to court: University of Cincinnati sophomore quarterback Zach Collaros must appear before a judge to explain why he hasn't attended a court-ordered program on the negatives of underage drinking.

Collaros was cited in May with trying to use a fake ID to enter a Cincinnati bar. He admitted Oct. 5 to a charge of misrepresenting his age to obtain alcohol. He signed a statement of guilt, and was ordered to pay a $200 fine and attend the course.

Polamalu wearing brace: Steelers safety Troy Polamalu wore a heavy brace on his reinjured left knee while watching practice Wednesday and did not take part in any drills.

Polamalu limped off the field about 30 minutes before practice ended and did not answer questions.

Pair to IR: The losses are piling up for the Cleveland Browns. They've placed punter Dave Zastudil and tight end Steve Heiden on injured reserve with season-ending injuries.

Zastudil, who was second in the league with 25 punts inside the 20-yard-line, is done because of an injured right knee. Heiden injured his ankle in Monday night's loss to Baltimore.

Brown out for year: Ronnie Brown's season has ended with an injury -- again.

The Miami Dolphins' leading rusher was placed on injured reserve Wednesday because of a right foot injury suffered in Sunday's victory over Tampa Bay.

Lions facing blackout: Detroit fans may be denied yet another chance to watch the Lions on television.

Team spokesman Bill Keenist says that as of Wednesday afternoon, more than 7,000 tickets remained available for Sunday's game against Cleveland at Ford Field.

Westbrook improved: Philadelphia Eagles running back Brian Westbrook has improved significantly since Sunday when he sustained a second concussion in a three-week span, doctors said Wednesday.

* Elsewhere

Woman charged: The woman accused of trying to extort money from Louisville basketball coach Rick Pitino was charged with retaliating against the coach by falsely claiming he raped her.

Record rate: College athletes are continuing to graduate at a record rate.

For the second consecutive year, the NCAA said, the graduation rate was 79 percent for student-athletes entering college in 2002-03, meaning they earned their diplomas within six years.That ties last year's record for a single class.