1.  As of Monday evening, the New York Mets and St. Louis Cardinals are the top two options, baseball officials said.

2.  But, with Keith Van Horn and Sam Cassell as their top two options, the Nets no longer need Gill to carry them every night.

3.  Neither Seth Etherton nor Jarrod Washburn will be eligible to come off the disabled list by then, leaving Brian Cooper as their top option.

4.  Orlando Merced, the top pinch-hit option, already had been burned without even having a plate appearance in the eighth.

5.  Other top options for Smith might include a long jacket or a sweater set.

6.  The Yankees, Braves and Mets remain the top options, but Malone keeps trying to get a third team involved.

7.  Two new faces, fourth forward Tisdale and the rookie Person, would be top scoring options on almost any other team.