Maybe there was a good reason Trevor Hoffman blew saves in Games 161 and 163 that kept the Padres out of the playoffs. He had arthroscopic surgery on his right elbow Thursday. … Arizona’s Jeff Cirillo had played 1,617 games without getting into postseason action before this season, the longest such streak among active players. The new leader is New York Mets infielder Damion Easley at 1,593. … Don’t be surprised if the Phillies make a run at White Sox right-hander Jon Garland this winter. Philadelphia doesn’t appear to be a great match, however, if Sox GM Ken Williams tries to use his surplus of starters to fill holes in the outfield or at shortstop. … Before the playoffs, most expected the Red Sox to let Curt Schilling walk away after the season, but that could be a tougher decision than it seems. The question with keeping Schilling is what to do with the other five starters. Josh Beckett, Daisuke Matsuzaka and Clay Buchholz are sure things, but Schilling could cost Tim Wakefield or Jon Lester a spot. … Dusty Baker is extremely serious about the Cincinnati job, according to people who know him. He could wind up being hired over a cast of candidates that includes Pete Mackanin, who took over for Jerry Narron midway through last season. His interest in the Reds’ job shows how motivated Baker is to get back in a dugout. … Baker would be a better fit at Yankee Stadium than the Great American Ball Park. … Red Sox closer Jonathan Papelbon suffers from migraine headaches so bad he had to spend most of one September day in the hospital. He says the slightest amount of noise or light makes him “want to curl up in a ball and die.” … There’s a long list of managerial candidates in Kansas City, with GM Dayton Moore running a slow search. The list includes Jim Fregosi, Ken Macha, Jimy Williams, Terry Pendleton, Frank White and Bill Doran, among others. … Torey Lovullo, Cleveland’s Triple-A manager, is an early front-runner for the Pittsburgh opening. Tony Pena, an All-Star catcher during his seven seasons with the Pirates, would love the job.
