For the time being, Tipsheet won’t be able to share highlights of Jay Mariotti’s Chicago-centric rants. The Sun-Times columnist has moved on after one final tiff with his bosses.

We figure he will resurface on the Internets soon enough and he will regain his rightful place in our postings. In the meantime, his exit has been a hot topic among the Windy City sports figures he has tormented over the years.

“When people wish the worst on people, you have to be careful because the baseball gods are going to get you,” White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen told the Sun-Times. “He was not asking just for my job, he was asking for thousands and thousands of people’s jobs over the years. I’m not going to say I will get the last laugh because I will get fired from this job. But the day I get fired is the day I lose interest in this game.

“Am I enjoying this? Yes, because he tried to make my life miserable. He did everything in his power to make my life go the wrong way, but he didn’t make me miserable because I don’t believe him. Maybe if somebody else wrote that stuff about me, then I would put attention on it. And that’s what he wanted. He wanted attention. He has to thank me because I gave him a lot of [stuff] to work with. I know I helped him the last four years to make his money, and, obviously, he did not help me at all to make my money.”

MYSTERIES OF THE UNIVERSE

Questions to ponder while Trent Green warms up in the bullpen:

• What, exactly, was Carlos Villanueva thinking Wednesday night?
• Did he really want to enrage Albert Pujols and stir up the sleepy Cardinals?
• Why would he get THAT excited about getting Joe Mather to pop out?

CARLOS ZAMBRANO, MANIAC

The Chicago Tribune tells us that Cubs hurler Carlos Zambrano did NOT take Tuesday’s rough outing in stride:

Zambrano allowed three runs before attacking the Gatorade container and kicking items around in the dugout. It was vintage Zambrano, who previously this year had tossed a gum tray in Washington and a couple of water coolers in Los Angeles, broke a bat over his knee and punched a hole in a wall near his locker at Wrigley Field.

And we thought Zambrano was scaling back his caffeine consumption. Silly us.

YANKEES FANS RULE

As this clip reminds us.

Outstanding effort, son. Now get another beer.

QUIPS ‘R US

Here is what some of America’s leading sports pundits have been writing:

Mark Kriegel, FoxSports.com: “In accordance with his last wishes, a recently deceased Puerto Rican man was stood upright and dressed in a Yankees cap for his wake. Hey, don’t laugh. The Yankees just tried the same thing with Carl Pavano — and it worked.”

Greg Cote, Miami Herald: “The Little League World Series ends Sunday in Williamsport, Pa. There have been no scandals involving overage players this year, although I hear one of the teams in the championship will be without its top pitcher because his wife just went into labor.”

Mike Bianchi, Orlando Sentinel: “True story: Several Southern Cal players have had to miss practice time recently because of a severe outbreak of ‘jock itch.’ I’m just wondering if this means we should “scratch” the Trojans from the national-title picture.”

Dwight Perry, Seattle Times: “Jericho Scott, 9, has been banned from pitching in the Youth Baseball League of New Haven, Conn., AP reported, because he can throw a 40-mph fastball. In other Jericho Scott news, he’s reportedly dating a Chinese gymnast.”

Pete McEntegart, SI.com: “A Japanese synchronized swimmer fainted during her performance and had to be helped from the pool. But don’t worry — the rest of the team quickly pretended to faint, too.”

MEGAPHONE

“I haven’t even thought about that. I’m signed through next year, so there’s plenty of time. But this will be my last managing job . . . I could still stay in baseball as a consultant. That would be nice. Get me out of the house and keep me occupied a little bit. But there ain’t going to be any more managing after this.”

Lou Piniella, on whether he will seek a contract extension.