And what made the scene at Comerica Park even more bizarre is that it wasn’t a high-and-tight pitch or a hit batter that started the incident. Detroit designated hitter Victor Martinez fouled off a pitch from Oakland closer Grant Balfour, and stared out to the mound. Balfour, an excitable type who isn’t one to back down from anything, barked at Martinez. Martinez yelled back and started walking toward the mound.

“It's playoff baseball, and everybody knows in the league, including the Oakland team, that Balfour is an energy guy,” Detroit manager Jim Leyland said in his postgame press conference. “He's a hyper guy, an energy guy, and it looked like he came off the mound at Victor. Victor took offense to it, and I don't blame him. I understand that. But other than that, it's playoff baseball and the guy was wound up a little bit, came off yelling at Victor and Victor took offense to it, and I don't blame him.”

The MLB Network cameras caught a lot of the yelling from both players, and it wasn’t hard to read the lips of Balfour and Martinez. They weren’t exchanging pleasantries.

As Martinez and Balfour stomped toward each other, everyone else stormed out from the benches and bullpens. Nothing really happened aside from a lot of animated milling around, and Balfour went on to close out the 6-3 victory for Oakland that gave the A’s a 2-1 lead in the best-of-five series.

“It’s all good,” Balfour told Susan Sussler, the A’s beat writer for the San Francisco Chronicle. “I like a little fire.”


CUBS REALLY WANT GIRARDI


The Chicago Cubs want Joe Girardi to be their next manager, and they're willing to pay top dollar to get him.

The Cubs "are willing to top whatever offer the Yankees tender" for Girardi's services, the Chicago Tribune reports. That means the skipper could be a looking at a deal better than the one he has now, which pays him $3 million a year.

Girardi's three-year contract with the Yankees runs through Nov. 1, and the team has not been willing to let other teams talk to him as the two sides have negotiated. GM manager Brian Cashman has made it clear the team wants him back in the dugout.

But the Cubs want him, too, as they search for a replacement for the recently fired Dale Sveum. Girardi is an Illinois native who went to Northwestern and played for the Cubs in two separate stints.

Cubs president Theo Epstein has said he wants to have a new manager hired before the Nov. 11-13 general manager meetings.


LAWSUIT MOVED TO FEDERAL COURT


Alex Rodriguez's lawsuit claiming Major League Baseball and Commissioner Bud Selig went on a "witch hunt" to force him from the sport has been moved from state to federal court.

Major League Baseball filed a notice of removal Monday, saying claims by the New York Yankees third baseman are governed by federal law.

The lawsuit, originally filed Thursday in New York Supreme Court in Manhattan, was assigned to U.S. District Judge Lorna G. Schofield, who joined the bench in December, and U.S. Magistrate Judge Kevin N. Fox.

Rodriguez's legal team could file a motion asking that the case be returned to state court.

The legal action comes during a grievance by the Major League Baseball Players Association to overturn a 211-game suspension given to Rodriguez by MLB on Aug. 5 for alleged violations of baseball's drug agreement and labor contract.

A hearing began last week before arbitrator Fredric Horowitz. After a week of sessions, three additional days are scheduled starting Oct. 15, and more days may be needed. A decision is unlikely before winter.


REMY’S DENIES KILLING GIRLFRIEND


The son of Boston Red Sox broadcaster and former second baseman Jerry Remy denied in a newspaper interview that he killed his girlfriend and insisted he still loves her.

Jared Remy talked to a reporter for the Boston Herald during jail visiting hours Sunday in what is believed to be his first media interview since his arrest in the death of Jennifer Martel.

When asked whether he killed her, he said, "No. That's ridiculous. How dumb would I have to be? I loved her, I still love her."

Remy stabbed Martel, 27, during a dispute at their Waltham apartment on Aug. 15, according to prosecutors. He pleaded not guilty in district court and is to be arraigned Tuesday in superior court. He is being held without bail.

Arianna, Remy's 5-year-old daughter with Martel, remains in state custody, but he says she is happy. Both sets of grandparents have petitioned for custody of the girl.

Remy, 35, said he would prefer his daughter live with his parents, because of their financial means and because she would be closer to him. Martel's parents live in Virginia.

His parents have not visited him in jail, but he said he talked with them on the phone.

Remy appeared upbeat and was enthusiastic about his chances for acquittal, according to the Herald story published Monday, using phrases such as "when I get out."

He also deflected criticism of Middlesex District Attorney Marian Ryan, who came under fire when it was revealed that Remy was released two days before the slaying, with the prosecution's consent, after his arrest on a prior assault charge.

Contributors: Ryan Fagan, Justin McGuire, The Associated Press