and adds that the Tigers have probably as talented a group of

NEW YORK -- MLB commissioner Rob Manfred defended the end-of-game replay rules that might have cost the Cincinnati Reds a game and boosted the St. Louis Cardinals playoff chances in the final week of the season.The Cardinals won their Sept. 29 game against the Reds when Matt Carpenter scored on what replays showed should have been a ground-rule double, which would have sent Carpenter back to third.No replay was initiated because Reds manager Bryan Price didnt ask for it immediately after the game ended. Manfred said he doesnt think the incident indicates there is a problem with replay.There was a call. It was missed, Manfred said. Replay was available via manager challenge, and the manager, if you think about it, the manager elected or did not opt to challenge within the confines of a clearly defined rule. I mean, it says immediate in the rules.Manfred said the immediacy rule is necessary for two reasons. Managers have no reason to retain a replay challenge if there is a game-ending play. And players often douse one another with a beverage or retreat to the clubhouse, causing a disruption in the competitiveness of the game after walk-off plays.People throw Gatorade on people and players get off the field, Manfred said. And bringing folks back out on the field after some of those things have happened in order to continue a game because of a replay call is not appealing.One notion that has been brought up in the wake of the missed call is having replay officials in New York immediately review game-ending plays after they happen, much as they do in the NFL.Manfred said hes also not a fan of that idea.We opted for the challenge rule and have tried to stay pure on the challenge rule, given the number of calls in a game, figuring the best way to decide which ones really mattered is to let the people playing the games decide, Manfred said. Whoevers involved in bedlam after one of those games, there should be one guy who has his wits about him. Thats why they call him the manager.In addition to sharing his thoughts on replay, Manfred said an MLB investigation into hacking by one of the Cardinals former employees into the?Houston Astros data bases could be forthcoming. The Cardinals could be hit with penalties, such as losing a draft pick or having limits placed on their international signings.It will not be a next-year resolution. We are in the process of finishing up our investigation. Candidly, I wish it had gone a little faster. I wish it had gotten a little more help a little sooner from the U.S. attorneys office, Manfred said. But the cards come up how they come up, and were going to finish our investigation, and there will be a resolution of that during this offseason. Custom Shirts Fast . The Oilers come in having lost five in a row (0-4-1) and 16 of their last 20 games, dropping a 2-1 decision to the Vancouver Canucks on Tuesday. Custom Shirts Outlet .7 million, one-year contract, a raise of $2.2 million. Wieters had asked for $8.75 million and the Orioles had offered $6. http://www.shirtscustom.us/ . Miikka Kiprusoff had just announced his retirement after a decade-long run in Calgary and it would be up to Berra and Ramo to fill the void. Cheap Custom Shirts . Sgt. Eric ONeal says most of the arrests at Monday nights game were for public drunkenness, though one person was taken into custody on suspicion of trying to steal a seat from the stadium. Best Custom Shirts .S. Open champion Justin Rose birdied the first hole with a blind shot he hit to a foot of the pin, and he stayed in front Tuesday until he completed a 4-under 67 for a two-shot lead over Jason Dufner in PGA Grand Slam of Golf. KNOXVILLE, Tenn. -- The pregame coin toss each week has provided insight into the injury problems that have hampered Tennessee all season.Tennessee typically likes to send captains Joshua Dobbs, Alvin Kamara, Jalen Reeves-Maybin and Cam Sutton to midfield for the coin toss. But injuries sometimes left Dobbs as the only healthy captain whos in full uniform for each game.That finally changed Saturday when Sutton returned from a fractured ankle that had sidelined him for six games and Kamara came back from a knee injury that caused him to miss two games. Both could play major roles down the stretch as Tennessee chases its first Southeastern Conference Eastern Division title since 2007.When youre able to have those two individuals back on the field, in terms of productivity, it was big for us, Tennessee coach Butch Jones said.Both players had big performances Saturday in a 49-36 victory over Kentucky.Kamara rushed for 128 yards on just 12 carries, including touchdown runs of 17 and 29 yards. He did all that while wearing a brace on the left knee that had bothered him enough to cause him to miss games against South Carolina and Tennessee Tech .Sutton broke up two passes and increased his career total of passes defended to 36. That broke the school record of 35 formerly held by Jabari Greer, who played at Tennessee from 2000-03.Its just a tribute to those individuals, Jones said after the game. First of all, these individuals could have easily sat out and said `Im done and started getting ready for the NFL, but instead, they wanted to be a part of this football team and help us win. To me, that speaks volumes about their character and what this football program means to them.Kamara said he always planned on returning this season as long as he was physically able.Weve got unfinished business. ... The seasons not over, Kamara said. I made it my goal, if I can come back, I was going to come back. Here I am.Suttons return was critical for a team that has played much of the season without either of its defensive captains. Reeves-Maybin, a senior lineebacker, underwent season-ending shoulder surgery last month after appearing in only four games.ddddddddddddHis return also came a little ahead of schedule. Jones said after the Kentucky game that the staff had tentatively set this weeks Missouri game as a potential target date for Sutton.Im not surprised with anything Cam Sutton does, to be honest with you, defensive backs coach Willie Martinez said. Hes so consistent day in and day out.Suttons presence will be particularly important Saturday against Missouris pass-oriented offense. Missouri (3-7, 1-5) averages 295.7 yards passing per game to rank second in the SEC. Jones says he considers Missouris Drew Lock a future NFL quarterback and adds that the Tigers have probably as talented a group of wide receivers that weve faced the entire year.Depending on how the LSU-Florida game turns out earlier Saturday, the Missouri-Tennessee game could be critical to the Vols SEC East hopes.To reach the SEC championship game, Tennessee (7-3, 3-3 SEC) must win its final two regular-season games and No. 21 Florida (7-2, 5-2) must lose at LSU (6-3, 4-2) on Saturday. The Florida-LSU game figures to end sometime during the first half of the Tennessee-Missouri matchup, and Jones wants to make sure his team isnt caught scoreboard watching.We dont ever look up at the scoreboard, Jones said. Thats kind of our mindset. You just keep your head down and keep playing. We have to worry about the things we can control.Game notes Jones said safety Todd Kelly Jr. and center/guard Drew Wiesman are both day to day after getting hurt during the Kentucky game. Jones said Wiesman is a little ahead of Kelly. Jones also said offensive tackle Chance Hall is expected to practice Monday but that the sophomores status for the Missouri game remains day to day.---More AP college football: www.collegefootball.ap.org and https://twitter.com/AP-Top25---Follow Steve Megargee at www.twitter.com/stevemegargee ' ' '