Shoppach's success stifled by loss

CLEVELAND -- As he became just the sixth player in the modern era to rack up five extra-base hits in a ballgame Wednesday against the Tigers, Kelly Shoppach had one thought going through his mind.

"We couldn't stop [the Tigers] from scoring," Shoppach said.

Indeed, while there was no stopping Shoppach in a historic performance at Progressive Field, the Indians' 14-12 loss was what ultimately mattered most to the Tribe catcher.

"It's kind of bittersweet," Shoppach said. "Personally, it's a great feat. ... But coming out on the losing end is going to level out."

Shoppach did everything he could during the game's regulation innings to keep the Indians from losing. He had three doubles in his first three at-bats, scoring twice to help the Tribe put together an 8-1 lead against Nate Robertson. He hit a two-run homer off Todd Jones in the sixth to make it 11-7. And when the Indians were two outs away from a 12-11 defeat in the ninth, he smacked a 96-mph Fernando Rodney fastball into the left-field bleachers to tie up the game and send it to extras.

With that, Shoppach became the first Major Leaguer to reach five extra-base hits in a ballgame since the Dodgers' Shawn Green did so on May 23, 2002. He became the first American Leaguer to reach the mark since Indians legend Lou Boudreau did it on July 14, 1946.

"To hear some of the names talked about and the length of time it's been since someone's done that, it definitely makes you feel small," Shoppach said, "It was a lot of fun."

Shoppach, a backup catcher since he joined the Tribe before the 2006 season, has been having plenty of fun filling in for the injured Victor Martinez the last two months. Shoppach has hit safely in seven of his last eight games, batting .419 with four homers and 11 RBIs in that span.

What wasn't so fun for Shoppach was the end result of tonight's game, and he had his part in the way it turned out. The Tigers intentionally walked him in the 10th but had no choice but to pitch to him with the bases loaded and none out in the 12th. Shoppach worked the count full against Casey Fossum but went down swinging with a big cut.

"All I needed was a sac fly, nothing special," he said. "I was looking to get something elevated. I had some pitches to do it on, but I just didn't get it done."

Unfortunately for Shoppach, that's one bad memory he'll have to take with him from an otherwise incredible night.

"The way the game ended up turning out is going to be kind of a blessing for me," he said. "Sometimes when you have a good night, you can take that and get carried away in the next game. Obviously, it's great individually to have a game like that, but it still hurts so bad to lose those games."

Boudreau knew the feeling. When he had five extra-base hits in that game in '46, the Indians lost, 11-10, to the Red Sox.

Carpenter solid in season debut

ATLANTA -- Cardinals manager Tony La Russa delighted in having his ace back. The only thing he could have without is "that look."

Blame Chris Carpenter's 80-pitch limit for that one.

Carpenter, making his first Major League game appearance since Opening Night 2007, pitched four effective innings in the Cardinals' 7-2 win over the Braves on Wednesday. After Carpenter threw 67 pitches to get those 12 outs, La Russa and pitching coach Dave Duncan decided it was time to lift Carpenter, whether he wanted out of the game or not.

"That was enough," La Russa said. "If he goes out for the fifth, you're really pushing it. He gave me a look that I haven't missed. I told him I haven't really missed that look of, 'You're taking me out?'"

Forgive Carpenter. He was just having too much fun for it to be over. After 16 months of rehabilitating his injured elbow, and 12 months of recovery from Tommy John elbow ligament replacement surgery, the pitcher's mound at Turner Field was the only place he wanted to be.

"It's fun to get out there and compete at this level," he said. "This is what it's all about. I worked hard to get here and I was excited about this game. When I go home tonight, I'm going to be excited about what I did."

Carpenter lacked at times for sharpness and command, but his velocity and stuff were plenty good. He consistently pitched at 91-93 mph on his fastball, with his cut fastball checking in at 86-88 mph. His curveball stayed up too much, but he compensated for that with outstanding action on his changeup.

The final line was one run on five hits, with two strikeouts and two walks. Of Carpenter's 67 pitches, 36 went for strikes.

"My stuff was there," he said. "But I'm used to being able to locate and the ball is going where I want it to go. When you're trying to throw the ball down and away, and the ball is middle-in, that makes it a little bit more difficult to pitch. But I did everything I could to give our team a chance and get out of the situations we were in."

As for his team, it was thrilled to have its ace back. Though the term is often overused, Carpenter is unquestionably a leader in the Cardinals' clubhouse, along with being one of the finest pitchers in baseball. His return had been on the minds of the Redbirds since the day he first went down, early last season.

"That's the shot in the arm that we needed," said outfielder Skip Schumaker. "To see him throwing 91-93, with his cutter, that's a huge thing for us. It was a lot of fun to watch and play behind. Knowing that we have him now is huge for us."

Right-hander Adam Wainwright, a Carpenter protg, watched with particular interest. The Cards hope that Wainwright's return from a finger sprain follows soon after Carpenter's reinstallation in the rotation.

"It's exciting that he's back," Wainwright said. "It's exciting that we won the game he started, to get him a positive feel for it. And it's exciting to see him throwing 93 miles an hour."

For the first two innings, Carpenter missed his spots a good bit, but missed down more often than up. He allowed a walk in the first and three singles in the second, but minimized the damage. In the third, Carpenter's command appeared even rockier than in the first two frames, and he needed 26 pitches to escape the inning.

Finally, in the fourth, he locked in. He threw 11 pitches, seven of them strikes, got a pair of strikeouts and a groundout, and generally felt he was headed in the right direction. Then he was out of the game.

"In the fourth, I went out there and I was able to get the ball going downhill," he said. "I was getting the ball down, and my cutter was better and my breaking ball was better. My location on both sides of the plate with my fastball was better. But by that time, I'm out of pitches. Hopefully, next time out, I can find a way to start that from the first."

Carpenter will pitch again in six days, on Tuesday in the Cardinals' series opener against the Dodgers. He'll likely be on a higher pitch count in that game, and he'll be expecting to find his best command a little quicker. Either way, he'll again be happy to be on the mound, and his team will be happy to have him there.

"It was fun," he said. "It was something I've been looking forward to for a long time. It was just fun to get back out there and compete at this level."

The day after, Williams, Goose reflect

COOPERSTOWN, N.Y. -- On the day after, there was peace. Dick Williams had replaced his Oakland A's World Series championship ring with a Hall of Fame induction ring, glistening on his right hand. Rich Gossage was presented with a doll in his likeness by a Japanese photographer. It looked nothing like him. "I wish I had its hair," Gossage said, playing with the long brown locks. Gossage's ring was back in the hotel room, protected by his wife. At the annual post-induction dinner that honors all the attending Hall of Famers, Williams was given his ring by Sparky Anderson, one of the 17 managers that preceded him into the Hall. "Sparky gave me this Casey Stengel look and said, 'I told you it would be all right,'" said Williams, whose last game as a manager came with the Seattle Mariners in 1988 and had almost given up the ghost of ever earning admission to the Hall. Gossage, a reliever by trade, was presented his ring by Sandy Koufax, the legendary Dodgers left-hander. "That was very special. Sandy Koufax?" said Gossage, who went in wearing a Yankees cap. "It doesn't get any better than that, man." The two men were interviewed exclusively by MLB.com on Monday morning just before making their final official appearance of this year's Hall of Fame Induction Weekend. They were back out behind the stage at the Clark Sports Center, preparing to tape a segment of the Legend's Series to be broadcast on ESPN2 at 9 p.m. ET Monday night. Only a day earlier, their nerves jangling and their emotions running high, the pair who once teamed as manager and closer for the San Diego Padres, circa 1984-85, endured the ritual of accepting their plaques and making speeches to the assembled multitude -- a crowd of 14,000 estimated by Hall of Fame officials. "It was built up so much that by the time I got up there, I thought I was going to do something in my pants," the 79-year-old Williams said. "I screwed up in my speech because I got the pages mixed up. There were things I wanted to say and I didn't get to say them. I nearly broke down a couple of times. I took a few deep breaths and looked down [at my wife] Norma." body {margin:0px;} .hof_box {width:300px;} .hof_box, .hof_box td {font:normal 11px Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;} .hof_title {font-size:12px; height:16px; background:#091C5a url(http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/images/events/hof/y2004/dec_stars.gif) repeat-x; color:#fff; border-bottom:1px solid #c00;} .hof_title strong {padding:0px 9px; background-color:#091C5a; color:#fff;} .hof_title strong a {color:#fff; text-decoration:none;} .hof_content {background:#e9e9e9; padding:7px;}

2008 Induction Ceremony • Emotions run high on Hall induction day
• 'Storybook career' leads Goose to Hall
• Williams delivers sentimental speech
• Bodley: Williams mellowed by cherished honor
• Kuhn recognized among game's greats
• Influential O'Malley inducted into Hall
• Dreyfuss' impact lands him in the Hall
• Storyteller Niehaus enters Hall of Fame
• Whiteside remembered with award
• Via award, O'Neil forever part of Hall
• Baseball notables cheer on inductees
• Hall of Fame plaques on display
• Miles away, Yanks cheer for Goose
• Official Hall of Fame blog
• Hall of Fame induction wrap

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• Induction ceremony

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• Gossage's induction speech

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• Williams' induction speech

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• Bench, Banks sing "Take Me Out"

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• O'Malley honored by Hall

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• Kuhn inducted into Hall

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• O'Neil immortalized

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• Whiteside remembered with Spink

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• Niehaus accepts Frick

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• Induction ceremony

Photo gallery
Those plaques were hung in the red-brick museum across town on Main Street for all eternity on Sunday night and now hang to the right of the famous 1939 inaugural class that included Babe Ruth, Ty Cobb and Walter Johnson. The plaques of Gossage, Williams, Commissioner Bowie Kuhn, manager Billy Southworth and owners Walter O'Malley and Barney Dreyfuss now glisten under their perpetual spotlights. Gossage said his predominant feeling on Monday was relief. "This experience exceeded my expectations, exceeded it by multiples, maybe 10 times," Gossage said. "I still can't comprehend all this. I don't think this is ever going to register. I keep pinching myself and saying, 'Is this real?' I'm just amazed at the whole experience. At times, you wondered what would it be like to be a Hall of Famer? That was so far out there that it was like a pipe dream. You didn't even want to think about it. It seemed unattainable. Unachievable." Gossage, who last pitched for the Mariners in 1994, had to wait the requisite five years before going on the Baseball Writers' Association of America ballot for a possible stretch of 15 years. He didn't make the grade the first eight times as other relievers did: Dennis Eckersley and Bruce Sutter being the last before Gossage in his era to be honored.

During that time, Gossage went through different stages of emotion: from incredulity to anger and then resignation after his mother, Susanne, died in 2006. Gossage had always hoped that his mother would be alive and sitting in the audience on Sunday. His father, Jake, passed away when he was a junior in high school. But all those emotions evaporated after Gossage received the call this past January saying he had been elected. "I guess the ninth time was the charm," he said. "My mother always told me that good things happen for those who wait. There's always a reason why something happens." Leading up to the big day, Gossage said he was plagued with anxiety and nightmares, relaying on Saturday that he had dreamed about forgetting his dress suit and wearing tacky sweats to the induction. In the end, he showed up looking debonair in a tan sports jacket and white slacks while Williams wore a black suit. "Was that a rookie move?" he asked. Gossage's speech was filled with imperfections and, like Williams, he also lost his place. It took 10 minutes before he broke down in tears, reminiscing about the players and coaches, now deceased, who weren't there to share his Hall of Fame experience. Gossage wrote the speech himself, but he didn't begin the process until less than a month ago, he said. "I thought I'd have more feel for it the closer I got," Gossage said. "Rollie [Fingers] told me he started writing his a week after he got elected. I didn't want to keep changing it. Rollie said, 'I changed it a hundred times.' That's why I didn't start writing it early because I'd just beat myself up over it." From here, Gossage will fly home to Colorado Springs and continue to stay busy. Getting away from the six-month buildup from election to induction will give him a nice break. "As soon as I sit down away from all this, I'll probably crash," Gossage said. Williams and his wife drove here from their home in Las Vegas and plan a return trip with a number of stops. "We have a few things planned," Williams said. They were joined on Sunday by 15 members of his local Thursday lunch club, guys who all wore yellow T-shirts to the induction, signaling their friend's association with the A's. "I've missed the last four Thursdays," said Williams, who went in wearing an Oakland cap after managing that team to victories in the 1972-73 World Series. "But they came here, so they missed the last Thursday, also." Maybe now life can get back to normal. But then again, maybe not. "While you're in the middle of all this, it's hard to figure the whole thing out," Williams said. "I think we'll realize it next year when we come back."

Time to trade is now as deadline looms

How strange is this? The Red Sox have become the Yankees, with Manny Ramirez starring in the role of Reggie Jackson.

And that, of course, is not necessarily a bad thing for Red Sox Nation.

As Thursday's 4 p.m ET Trade Deadline draws closer, all eyes are on Ramirez and the Red Sox now that the madcap left fielder has gone on record claiming he'd approve of a trade, any trade, if it can make everybody happy. He told ESPN Deportes that "I don't care where I play -- I can even play in Iraq if need be."

Pure Reggie.

"I'm tired of them," Ramirez said, referring to Red Sox management, presumably. "They're tired of me."

Sure, maybe so, but the public eats this stuff up.

It was just like this all the way through Reggie's reign in The Bronx: championships and fights, home runs and hostility intertwined from start to finish. It was draining, intoxicating, irritating, uplifting -- great theater. That's what we have now with Manny being Manny and everyone weighing in on what that means in the grand scheme of things.

What it meant on Sunday night at Fenway Park was that Ramirez apparently relishes the swirl around him just as Reggie did. He helped drive the Sox to a much-needed triumph that enabled them to avoid a sweep at the hands of those surging Yankees.

It is highly unlikely, if not utterly implausible, that Ramirez is leaving the Sox. The Phillies have been mentioned as a possible destination, largely because of Ramirez's history with manager Charlie Manuel, but Manuel managing Manny by the end of the week is not something to seriously anticipate.

While Ramirez was the entire weekend focus, another major talent quietly was rumored to be on the block. That would be Blue Jays ace Roy Halladay, one of the few performers in the game capable of making a very good team great.

Weary, the story goes, of chasing and not catching the big guys in the AL East, Halladay -- his seven complete games more than any rotation in the Majors has produced -- evidently is getting a little restless. And who, after all, could blame him?

Reputations are made in the postseason. Look what October has done for Josh Beckett, a pitcher of comparable skill. Halladay surely would love to test himself when autumn provides its bottom-line final exams for ballplayers.

A list of teams that would benefit immensely from Halladay's presence would run as deep as the standings. There are teams that conceivably could make it happen -- teams not dwelling in the American League East -- but it's almost as unlikely as Ramirez leaving Boston.

The Braves' Mark Teixeira and the Rockies' Matt Holliday, the other stars making the rumor rounds, also figure to stay right where they are. Now, A.J. Burnett, Halladay's gifted if less durable mound mate, is another story altogether. Burnett could be the biggest chip to fall by the deadline, with the Cardinals among the possible landing spots for the big right-hander.

Elsewhere, the Rays and Mariners are worth watching, for entirely different reasons. The Rays for the first time have reason to invest, while the woebegone Mariners look to divest.

Rays manager Joe Maddon could use a right-handed bat, a southpaw for the back of the bullpen and a starting pitcher. The Mariners, trying to fit Jarrod Washburn into the Yankees plans, could fill all the Rays' needs with Adrian Beltre, Arthur Rhodes and Erik Bedard. Seemingly everyone but Ichiro Suzuki is available in Seattle, with the Mets angling for Raul Ibanez's productive bat.

It was Bedard's arrival at the expense of five players that elevated expectations immeasurably in the Pacific Northwest with his arrival. It turns out it was, indeed, a steal -- for the Orioles. They probably wouldn't return Adam Jones, their new center fielder, straight up now for Bedard.

Another of the pieces the Orioles accepted for their talented lefty, southpaw reliever George Sherrill, has become so productive closing in Baltimore that the Birds apparently are making demands not expected to be met at the swap meet.

Among starters, the Reds' Bronson Arroyo could use a change of scenery, and the Rockies reportedly are interested. Cincinnati is looking for athletes as it builds around Jay Bruce, Brandon Phillips and Edinson Volquez.

The A's, always willing to listen to proposals, could add to their youthful stockpile of talent if they take calls on All-Star right-hander Justin Duchscherer. He could be another difference-maker for a club on the threshold of big things.

Adding an impact player without damaging the nucleus is the trick. But it can be done, judging by the Brewers' air-lifting of CC Sabathia out of Cleveland.

Milwaukee has the fever again, thinking big with its large and gifted import. The bullpen could use a shot in the arm, which places the Brewers in competition with at least a half-dozen contenders looking to upgrade with a shut-down reliever who can shorten a game and spread confidence through the ranks. Sherrill could tie everything together, but it won't be easy yanking him out of Camden Yards.

The Rays, keenly aware of the wear on closer Troy Percival's arm, are thinking about joining the Brewers, Tigers, Cards, Phillies, White Sox, Red Sox, maybe the Cubs and Angels in pursuit of relief.

With southpaws in high demand, as always, there are others available even if the Rockies hold onto Brian Fuentes. The NL West is so wide open, the Rockies might be buyers rather than sellers. That's why they won't move Holliday, who could win that division practically by himself.

Lefties in the bullpen mix include Eddie Guardado, Will Ohman, Jack Taschner, Ron Mahay, Scott Schoeneweis and John Grabow.

There isn't as much depth, surprisingly, in right-handers. The A's have in Huston Street a proven closer of value, and Billy Beane hasn't made a deal in at least 20 minutes.

Giants catcher Bengie Molina could help a lot of clubs, including brother Jose's Yankees.

While Barry Bonds remains unemployed, other big bats have been bandied about for weeks without movement apart from the Yankees' muscling up with versatile, productive Xavier Nady.

Teixeira, eligible for free agency after the season and under Scott Boras' expansive wing, probably would be a three-month rental, diminishing the potential return

Jason Bay could follow Nady out of Pittsburgh -- he'd look splendid in right field in Tampa Bay or Queens. But the Bucs would like to keep a run-producer aligned with Nate McLouth -- and keep the turnstiles clicking. The Giants' Randy Winn might be a fit with the Mets.

Perhaps most likely of the sluggers to relocate is the Reds' Adam Dunn, whose immense power plays anywhere. He's a free agent in waiting, and the Reds have to see what his value is.

In the meantime, enjoy Manny being Reggie.

Cantu comes through in Marlins win

CHICAGO -- Others may still be doubting, but the confidence is unwavering in the Marlins clubhouse.

If there is a word to sum up the feeling of this youthful squad that continues to come of age, it is "believe."

"Just believe -- that's the main word right there," Marlins infielder Jorge Cantu said.

Cantu certainly has reason for optimism, especially after he remains one of the most consistent players on the team. In the 12th inning on Saturday afternoon, Cantu delivered the decisive two-out RBI double that lifted the Marlins to a 3-2 win over the Cubs in front of a stunned Wrigley Field gathering of 41,471.

After pulling off their 30th comeback win of the season, the Marlins have now taken two of three in the four-game set at Wrigley Field. On back-to-back days, Florida prevailed by a 3-2 score.

In both contests, Jeremy Hermida stepped up with some big hits. Hermida enjoyed his second career multi-homer game. But it was the 24-year-old's two-out double in the 12th inning off Chad Gaudin that set up Cantu's double, which came on a 2-2 pitch.

Kevin Gregg worked a perfect 12th inning for his 22nd save, and second save of the series. Florida is now 8-5 in extra innings.

"This team is hungry," said Cantu, who had been 0-for-5 with three strikeouts before collecting his 60th RBI. "This team is hungry to keep winning. I think everybody here wants to take it to the next level. That means the postseason. Everybody is excited about it."

The Marlins are managing to win at a time when their offense has struggled to collect hits and score runs.

All series, the Marlins have struggled with runners in scoring position. As a team, they were 1-for-25 with runners in scoring position in the series until Cantu's double in the 12th.

Making contact also was a chore on Saturday, as the Marlins combined to strike out a season-most 20 times, including four in extra innings. Heading into the game, the aggressive-swinging Florida squad had struck out as many as 16 times. Both of those games, however, lasted nine innings.

Despite the strikeouts, and playing under adverse conditions with a sellout crowd chanting for the home team, the Marlins remained locked in, regardless of the situation.

"You should feel that atmosphere in the dugout," Cantu said. "It's like, 'OK, come on. If not this inning, then the next inning.'"

The Marlins forced extra innings on Hermida's eighth-inning home run, his second shot of the game and third in the series.

Back in the starting lineup after delivering the game-winning, pinch-hit home run on Friday, Hermida has homered in five of his last eight games.

"Sometimes they come in bunches," Hermida said. "I had a spell this year where it felt like I hadn't hit one in like two months."

Winning two straight in a well-played series is boosting the morale of the team.

"This is as close to a playoff-like atmosphere as we've had all year," Hermida said. "To come into Wrigley Field, in a pretty hostile environment, it proves to us -- not only us, because I think we already knew it -- but it proves to people that we are for real, that we can play with these guys, and we can play with anybody in the National League."

Gregg echoed those remarks.

"You're seeing guys who are focused," Gregg said. "There is a light at the end of the tunnel. When you're competing against good teams, you're excited. Everybody is excited. You're wanting to win against a good club."

In the third inning, Hermida went deep off Rich Harden, who struck out 10 in five innings. And in the eighth inning, after fouling off four straight pitches, the 24-year-old homered to right, pulling the Marlins even at 2 off Sean Marshall.

Five of Hermida's last seven hits have been home runs. The eighth-inning home run enabled rookie right-hander Chris Volstad to settle for a no-decision. The 21-year-old, making his third big league start, gave up two runs on six hits with six strikeouts in six innings.

The outing was another sign that Volstad, the 16th overall pick in the 2005 First-Year Player Draft, has a promising future.

Volstad surrendered an RBI single and a home run to Aramis Ramirez. Otherwise, the rookie kept the Marlins in the ballgame.

"Wrigley Field, sold-out crowd on a Saturday afternoon, it was huge," Volstad said of the atmosphere. "I was pumped."

Ramirez's homer was the first time all season that Volstad has been taken deep, in either the Minor Leagues or the big leagues.

Volstad threw 91 innings at Double-A Carolina, before he was called up. The blast came at 19 1/3 innings of his MLB tenure.

There was some controversy in the bottom of the ninth inning after a terrific back-handed stop and throw by Marlins shortstop Hanley Ramirez robbed Mark DeRosa of an infield hit. DeRosa slid head-first on the bang-bang play and first-base umpire Rob Drake called him out. Outraged, Cubs first-base coach Matt Sinatro screamed at Drake and was immediately ejected. Cubs manager Lou Piniella came out and had some words, and he also was ejected by Drake. As the arguing ensued, fans tossed debris on the field, causing the game to be held up a few extra minutes.

The game was delayed roughly 15 minutes in the Cubs' half of the second inning when home-plate umpire Gerry Davis suffered an injury during an at-bat when Harden was attempting a sacrifice bunt.

Bruce Dreckman replaced Davis, and during the wait both teams returned to the dugout.

"[Harden] was pulling the bat back, right in my face," Marlins catcher John Baker said. "The pitch before, he tipped the bunt, and it hit me right in the face. It hit me in the facemask first.

"I couldn't see the ball. I think I was worried about my safety, and it happened to hit Gerry right in the mask -- right square on the chin. You worry about the umpires, they are putting themselves in harm's way. You never want to see a player, fan or an umpire leaving [because of injury]."

O's fielding calls about transactions

BALTIMORE -- Andy MacPhail made a rare escape from his office and down to the field on Saturday, retreating from the constantly ringing phone that characterizes the week leading up to the Trade Deadline. The Orioles' president of baseball operations stood in the dugout, savoring the pregame silence before abruptly being brought back to reality.

The questions were familiar, the answers recited as if memorized at some point long ago. MacPhail discussed his team and his intentions for next Thursday's Trade Deadline, which could see a few popular faces leaving town.

"There's certainly been a measure of phone activity, which isn't surprising," he said. "You have some teams that are just doing their normal check-ins, and then you have other teams that have specific needs that they're targeting. There's been a fair amount of activity, which, like I've said, isn't unusual for this time, but nothing that I'd deem as close."

The Orioles are believed to be a team with several attainable commodities for the stretch run, chief among them being second baseman Brian Roberts, designated hitter Aubrey Huff and All-Star closer George Sherrill. None of those three are really classified as a "rental player," though, in that all of them are under contract or under team control for 2009.

Baltimore also has veteran players like Jay Payton and Chad Bradford that could be attractive to a team that needs one final piece, and MacPhail has said that he will consider moving virtually any veteran that another team asks about. And even if he can't reach a deal by this deadline, he knows that he may be able to slide some of his players through waivers.

If they get through, they're eligible to be traded all the way through the end of August. MacPhail took advantage of that loophole last season, when he sent Steve Trachsel to the Cubs for Scott Moore and Rocky Cherry.

"Historically, of the 750 active players, you'll have a fair amount that will not clear," he said. "Maybe a quarter to a third of players subjected to waivers will clear, based on historical levels. And after that, there's generally some activity. I'd imagine there would still be calls in that process. The second deadline which is meaningful is Aug. 31, and players would have to be on somebody's roster [by that point] to be active for the postseason. Generally, that's the last opportunity for contending teams to manipulate their roster in a certain way, and I wouldn't be surprised if we had some activity at that point."

MacPhail got the rebuilding movement rolling by trading Erik Bedard and Miguel Tejada in the offseason and seems poised to continue the trend either at the deadline or over the winter. And to do so, he'll have to clear out some veteran players that won't be around the next time the Orioles are ready to contend -- either by trade or letting them leave as free agents.

One such player, Payton, told MLB.com earlier in the week that he understood his exact place.

"I know it's a possibility," Payton said of possibly being traded. "Obviously, the role that I have on this team isn't the one I wanted at the start of the season. If I knew this was going to be the role I'd have, I probably would've gone somewhere to a team that I thought had a better chance to make the playoffs and compete. I'd obviously welcome a trade to a contender, but if I stay here, I'm going to do everything I can to help this team win games for the rest of the season."

MacPhail was told of those comments on Saturday and nodded, acknowledging the essential truth. He fell short of saying that he'd accomodate Payton if he could, but he did say that he wouldn't reject the concept out of hand.

"You look at things on a case-by-case basis, and you don't just look at the club's best interests," he said. "Sometimes you look at what's in the player's best interests. We try to stay fairly open-minded in that respect to try to discern what is best for all parties concerned. We certainly aren't in the business of denying players an opportunity to participate in the postseason."

Manager Dave Trembley said Saturday that he hasn't noticed any of his players getting distracted as the deadline draws near, and he also said that he didn't plan on sitting any of them down and speaking about the trade rumor du jour.

"I think it just comes with the territory every year. It's part of the game and they know it coming in," said Trembley of the trade season. "You deal with it as best as you possibly can. To be honest with you, I see that as one area under Andy's [domain]. ... I think you can let yourself get carried away with it -- one way or the other -- if you allow your mind to wander. Focus on what you have to do and treat every day as a great opportunity. Don't worry about things you can't control."

Wainwright fine after bullpen session

ST. LOUIS -- Adam Wainwright threw a bullpen session prior to the start of the Cardinals' series finale against the Brewers on Thursday.

It was Wainwright's latest session as he prepares to make his way off the disabled list, and the right-hander reported no pain. Since he was placed on the DL, the Cardinals have stayed afloat, going 21-19.

Wainwright will continue to throw bullpen sessions every other day until the club decides on his rehabilitation starts. Wainwright is hoping to rejoin the club within the next two weeks, at best.

"You hope for the best," St. Louis manager Tony La Russa said. "So far everything is all right. He's going to increase the intensity, so the tests are really still ahead."

Rollins benched after arriving late

NEW YORK -- Jimmy Rollins broke one of manager Charlie Manuel's two rules on June 5, when he didn't hustle out a pop fly that ended up not being caught. He was benched after that inning.

Rollins broke the second rule -- "Be on time" -- on Thursday, and it landed him on the bench in the most recent battle for first place in the National League East.

In the city where Rollins thrives as one of the public enemies, the reigning NL Most Valuable Player left separately from the Le Parker Meridien Hotel, on 118 West 57th Street, and encountered Thursday morning gridlock.

Arriving about an hour before the scheduled 12:10 p.m. ET start time -- or roughly 40 minutes after the team bus, Rollins was quickly summoned into Manuel's office.

"Jimmy was late getting to the yard today," Manuel said following the Phillies' 3-1 loss to the Mets. "We talked. It's an in-house thing between him and I. That's one of our rules, hustle and be on time. That's all I have to say about it."

Though Eric Bruntlett performed well in Rollins' stead -- going 3-for-4 with two doubles and single -- Rollins' absence can't be overstated. The Phillies, who have gone 13-20 since reaching a season-high 13 games above .500 (41-28) on June 13, need their sparkplug, especially after seeing the Mets pass them in the standings.

That's what Rollins brings. When he was benched for his lack of hustle on June 5, he agreed with Manuel, saying, "It's my fault. I know better. That's like breaking the law and getting mad when the police show up. I just have to go out there and make sure I don't do it again."

While Rollins understands that he's held to a higher standard as one of the team leaders, he didn't agree with Manuel's decision this time.

"I agreed with him last time, but we're not going to agree on this one," Rollins said. "I understood it. He's the manager and has to set a precedent. With certain players, you're respected and held up to higher rules, and that's fine.

"I was just a little too late. You can't change the lights."

Rollins said he was late one other time this season, but called ahead. He thought about doing that again, but realized there was no point.

"It wasn't any use," he said. "You can say traffic, but that doesn't really change anything. It was a situation where you know you're not going to get there no matter what you do."

Rollins' only contribution in the game was grounding to third on the first pitch he saw from Billy Wagner, perhaps fittingly completing the Phillies fall out of first place.

Rollins said that he "regretted" only that his team lost, not his absence. He mentioned the 60 remaining games and said the team isn't down to be in second place for the first time since June 1.

"In the past, a loss was like, 'We needed this one.' Now it's like, 'We didn't get it, let's go out there tomorrow and win.' That's the difference in attitude. That's what usually starts turning things around."

The difference in attitude, according to some players, may need to start with Rollins. Shane Victorino, who usually is the first to needle Rollins for infractions, chose not to speak on this topic.

Jamie Moyer, one of the unquestioned leaders, did.

"Rules are rules," said Moyer, who didn't realize Rollins had been benched until he was warming up in the game. "I commend Charlie for standing up to the rules he made. We all need to be accountable. Each team has rules and you play not only for the manager and coaching staff, but amongst teammates. You create who you are in the clubhouse and on the field in the way that you act and carry yourself.

"I'm sure it's something that probably won't happen again."

Tribe retooling outfield from within

CLEVELAND -- One hundred games into the 2008 season, the Indians are in extended Spring Training mode.

With their hopes of repeating as American League Central Division champs fading, the Tribe has no shortage of areas to address for 2009 and beyond. And that's where the final 62 games will come in handy.

Some areas -- the bullpen and starting rotation spring to mind -- will most assuredly require help from outside sources in the free agency and/or trading departments. The same might go for the murky corner infield spots, as first baseman Ryan Garko and third baseman Andy Marte still have plenty to prove, and Casey Blake is nearing free agency.

But one unsolved area that could potentially be addressed in-house is the corner outfield, where youngsters Ben Francisco, Shin-Soo Choo and Franklin Gutierrez are all taking part in an open audition, of sorts.

"We've got a long ways to go," manager Eric Wedge said. "We're going to get a good, long look at them."

Of the three outfielders in question, Francisco has given the most reason to believe he can be an everyday player at this level. With Travis Hafner and Victor Martinez out of the equation due to injuries, Francisco has been entrusted with the No. 3 spot in Wedge's lineup.

Francisco has had his share of rookie moments, both in the field and on the basepaths. But at the plate he's generally held his own. He's batting .284 with eight homers, 21 doubles and 36 RBIs in 69 games.

The Indians hope his exposure to a high-profile place in the order will be a learning tool.

"I think it's going to help down the line," hitting coach Derek Shelton said. "Anytime you're put in a position where you're hitting in the middle of the order in RBI situations, it's going to be beneficial. It's something I think he can work off of."

It's also a situation that has the potential to negatively affect a young player's mind-set, but that doesn't appear to be the case with Francisco.

"I don't think he's changed his approach at all," Shelton said. "His at-bats have been consistent. We've seen some growing pains, much like any rookie. But being in that position in the order, he has not changed at all. It's been a positive thing."

The 26-year-old Francisco, who opened each of the last three seasons at Triple-A Buffalo, seems less concerned with his spot in the order and more concerned with the mere opportunity to play in the Majors.

"All I ever wanted was a chance to play at this level," he said. "I just want to continue to have success, put up good at-bats, play good defense and help the team out as much as I can."

Choo is somewhat limited, in regard to the amount of help he can provide. After having Tommy John ligament replacement surgery performed on his left elbow late in 2007, he is not yet at full strength.

"I try to throw harder with it every game," Choo said of the elbow. "But it's still not normal."

While he is not yet ready for everyday duty, Choo is ready to play both corner outfield spots. He's still most comfortable in right field, but he's made strides in his defensive work in left in recent years.

Choo's biggest impact could come at the plate, where he's got some pop. But he still has struggled mightily against left-handers (4-for-25 this season), and that could lead to him being labeled more of a platoon player.

There's also the looming matter of his military obligation in his native South Korea, which is a long-term concern. Choo, who recently turned 26, must serve between 24 and 28 months in the Korean military before he turns 30, unless he receives an exemption. He could get an exemption if he helps Korea win the gold medal in baseball at the 2010 Asian Games, or if he achieves U.S. citizenship.

Military matters aside, Choo, batting .252 with four homers, 11 doubles, a triple and 23 RBIs in 41 games, has impressed the Indians in some areas of his offensive game.

"He's driving the ball to all fields a little more," Shelton said. "He's becoming more of a complete hitter. We knew he had pull-side power, and now he's driving the ball to left-center. His at-bats are longer. He's having more quality at-bats. He's swinging at pitches he should swing at, and not chasing pitches he shouldn't."

The same cannot be said of Gutierrez, who appears to have reverted as a hitter this season. After sparking the Indians down the stretch in '07 and seizing the everyday right-field job, Gutierrez has fallen back to a backup role with his ongoing offensive funk (.217 average and .262 on-base percentage in 80 games), mainly attributable to his struggles with the breaking ball.

But Gutierrez, whose defensive work is beyond reproach, hasn't had much playing time in recent months to get himself back on track, and that's expected to change as the second half rolls on. Wedge said it is imperative that the Indians get playing time for the likes of Gutierrez and Marte, because they are out of Minor League options and the club must decide if those players are, indeed, worth factoring into the future.

"As we go forward and [Gutierrez] gets more consistent at-bats," Shelton said, "we'll see the things we've been working on showing up with more consistency."

What we're not seeing with consistency is David Dellucci in the outfield. The veteran has been relegated to Hafner's designated-hitter duties in recent weeks, and remains a relative non-factor at the plate, where he's batting .225 with eight homers and 33 RBIs in 81 games.

Dellucci, though, is still under contract to make another $4 million next season, so the Indians will have to figure out what to do with him.

"I understand the direction that this team is looking in," Dellucci said, "and there's a bunch of awfully talented young players here."

Not just on the 25-man roster, but also at Double-A Akron. The Indians hope Trevor Crowe can stay healthy enough to advance. And, of course, Matt LaPorta, the key acquisition in the CC Sabathia trade, could be ready for the Majors next year, either in the outfield or at first base.

For now, though, the Indians are focused on the young outfielders they have on-hand, and their hope is that they can demonstrate their ability to lend a helping hand in 2009 and beyond.

Cubs fans still trying to solve 1969

This is what hangs over the heads of Cubs fans, the dark cloud that follows them everywhere, the creaking ceiling above them that could come crashing down any minute. This is why anxiety is their way of life, why they cringe the instant a Steve Bartman sticks out his glove or Kerry Wood starts picking at a blister.

This is why, for nearly a hundred years, for Cubs fans it's always brightest before the storm.

1969.

It was to be The Year of Deliverance for baseball's bums, a team with a Hall of Fame core managed by a Hall of Fame manager, turning Wrigley Field's ivy into a laurel.

The Cubs, owners of three modest winning seasons in their last 22, didn't have to wait long for "next year" to arrive. They won 11 of their first 12 games to sprint to a 2 1/2-game lead over the Pittsburgh Pirates in the newly-minted National League East Division.

It was a mere appetizer. With Leo Durocher not letting them ease up on the pedal, the Cubs opened up a nine-game lead by mid-June. It was still at nine games two months later, on Aug. 16.

In between those peaks, Cubs flooded the NL All-Star team for the Midsummer Classic in Washington's RFK Memorial Stadium. Chicago's infield went en masse, including catcher Randy Hundley and, around the horn, third baseman Ron Santo, shortstop Don Kessinger, second baseman Glenn Beckert and first baseman Ernie Banks, a future Hall of Famer.

There was no room on the All-Star roster for two other future Hall of Famers, outfielder Billy Williams and ace right-hander Ferguson Jenkins.

A tremendous team, playing at a tremendous pace, made Chicago's hearts race.

"There was no way we weren't going to win," Santo recalled recently.

And, then ... the laurel got thorns, the dream slowly dissolved into a nightmare, summer died.

The Cubs not only didn't win, not only were they beaten by the eight-year-old New York Mets -- losers of 737 games in their first seven seasons -- they were pummeled. Incredibly, the Cubs wound up eight games out, earning a singularly black chapter in the book of great baseball collapses.

Others who lost sizable late-season leads (1951 Dodgers, 13 games on Aug. 11; 1978 Red Sox, 8 1/2 on Aug. 20; 1995 Angels, 10 1/2 on Aug. 16) at least regrouped to force showdowns at the wire. But the 1969 Cubs ... they could not stop their rapid descent.

The debacle has been analyzed, hashed and rehashed countless times but, if asked, the late Satchel Paige could have offered the best explanation:

"Don't look back, something might be gaining on you."

The legendary pitcher's signature phrase illuminates how the Cubs' apparently firm handle was greased. In mid-August, the Mets began their furious charge on the wings of their exemplary starting pitchers. The Cubs heard footsteps that gradually became deafening.

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Lookback story: April 1908
Cubs aim to end 100-year drought

The Cubs were 31 games over .500 at the Aug. 16 peak. On Sept. 2, they improved that to plus-32 -- but in the process had seen that nine-game lead shrivel to five.

The Mets, 15-4 over that same span, had already launched into a fabulous closing kick that would see them win 39 of their last 50 games. The Cubs simply couldn't keep up with that.

The "What happened?" question has been asked and answered often enough to have gained urban legend status, but it's time to debunk all the myths. Because, you know what they say -- admission is the first step to recovery.

• Did the Midwestern summer just wear down the Cubs?

This was still in the era when Bleacher Bums said, "Let there be lights ... elsewhere." Wrigley Field's all-day schedule was suspected to have prematurely emptied the Cubs' tank, as it had so many seasons before.

Not likely. Not so much because of how the 1969 schedule broke down: the Cubs had only 19 home games (of 81) past that Aug. 16 acme (compared to 24 on the road). But National Weather Service logs indicate the average Chicago temperature during the summer of '69 was a comfy and relatively mild 71.8 degrees.

So that still leaves the Mets supplying most of the heat.

• The black cat?

Seeing was believing, and the proof is still easily Googled: There it is, a black cat wandering across Shea Stadium on Sept. 9, passing Santo, who was in the on-deck circle, on its way to the Cubs dugout.

A great photo-op, to be sure, but a death sentence handed down by the fates? That's a stretch.

For one thing ... "At the time, I didn't think anything of it," Santo reflected. "The cat wasn't scared; it just walked around me and went through the dugout, with Leo there. He looked right at Leo and went underneath the stands."

For another ... By the time of this incident, the Cubs had already been declawed, already on a five-game losing streak that had melted their division lead to a game-and-a-half.

• Did "Leo the Lip" turn into "Leo the Whip"?

This is the one that tormented Durocher, who burned to be the one to deliver the Cubs, the one he took to the grave with him: That he was guilty of running the "old" veterans into the ground.

Also, it is the feeblest of all the alibis. Yes, it was true that the 38-year-old Banks sat out only seven games -- two after mid-August -- and the workload might have led to his .186 September while the Cubs went 8-17.

But that was Mr. Cub. He'd rarely ever missed a game, a legacy that Durocher merely maintained. And Banks was second on that club with his 23 homers and 106 RBIs.

Furthermore, the rest of the team had plenty of young legs. Five others played 131-plus games and had 500-plus at-bats (Hundley, Beckert, Santo, Kessinger, Williams); their average age was 28.

• The Curse of Joe Niekro?

Now, maybe we're talking. Niekro was a young lad of 24, coming off a 14-win season, when the Cubs dealt him on April 25 to San Diego for another right-hander, Dick Selma.

Selma did help the 1969 Cubs with 10 wins. But he went 0-6 on the other side of that mid-August hill. He never won another game for the Cubs, and only 15 for anyone else.

Niekro went on to 197 more wins across the next 20 seasons.

There was no shortage of explanations or excuses or examples of divine intervention for those who wanted to find them.

None of them changed the bottom line: The Cubs led the NL East for the season's first 154 days, then expired. Or, the final verdict: It hurt; it still hurts.

But it still was a great season, and it is still being thrown in the faces of the current Cubs. The team's daily pregame media notes brim with such references as "most since 1969," "best since 1969" and "first time since 1969."

Because, you know something else they always say: You must confront your fears in order to overcome them.

Wagner day-to-day with muscle spasms

NEW YORK -- The Mets began their important series against the Phillies without an important component of their team. Billy Wagner was available to pitch, if needed, Tuesday night. But an an hour before the first pitch was thrown by Johan Santana to Jimmy Rollins, the Mets closer said he would not appear in the game.

"He's giving me the night off," Wagner said, referring to Mets manager Jerry Manuel.

Wagner tested his left shoulder after he arrived at Shea Stadium Tuesday and experienced no new or residual problems. But after he met with Manuel, Wagner learned he had fulfilled a prophecy he spoke in passing on Sunday.

"I'll miss the first game [of the Phillies series], and if we're winning by more than three, that won't matter," Wagner said on Sunday.

Examination of Wagner's left shoulder on Tuesday morning determined he suffered no structural damage, but rather the tightness he has experienced is the result of spasms in the muscles surrounding the joint.

Wagner's availability for subsequent games against the Phillies -- and for the Mets' ensuing series against the Cardinals and Marlins -- is largely dependent on how he feels when -- and if -- the bullpen telephone rings.

Wagner experienced tightness as he warmed up in the bullpen Sunday in Cincinnati and was visited on the mound by Manuel and trainer and Ray Ramirez during the at-bat of Paul Bako, the inning's first batter.

Wagner then fanned Bako and the next two batters to save the 7-5 victory. He decided during the team's flight home that he felt better.

He was examined Monday in Greenwich, Conn., by a club-affiliated doctor and then underwent an MRI early Tuesday in Manhattan.

Wagner said Sunday he had been bothered of late by discomfort in his left trapezius muscle. The tightness he experienced Sunday was in an adjacent area of his left shoulder. He said the discomfort felt like a cramp or spasms, and he suggested that a nerve might be impinged. His self diagnosis was, "My shoulder's a little tight."

The trapezius has bothered him for about two weeks.

"I'm old," said Wagner, who turns 37 on Friday. "I'm supposed to hurt."

Wagner said he had experienced similar problems in the past and solved them by "going out and pitching." He threw 16 pitches, 10 for strikes, Sunday to earn his 24th save in 30 opportunities. He pitched one inning Thursday night after pitching one in the All-Star Game on Tuesday night.

Stults optioned to Triple-A Las Vegas

DENVER -- The Dodgers optioned left-handed starter Eric Stults to Triple-A Las Vegas to make room on the roster for 20-year-old lefty Clayton Kershaw, who was promoted from Double-A Jacksonville to start on Tuesday night against the Rockies.

The 28-year-old Stults was 2-2 with a 3.18 ERA in six starts, including a complete-game shutout on June 25 against the White Sox. But he also had an 11-0 lead in the third inning on Monday night and couldn't finish off the fourth or qualify for the victory.

Manager Joe Torre said he "had somebody else in mind" to make room for Kershaw, presumably rookie reliever Ramon Troncoso, but was influenced by of how Stults pitched in Coors Field.

"After what we saw last night, he needs to go back and find his aggressiveness," Torre said. "He's just very tentative. It's not the way he came up here.

"A couple [starts], he wasn't finishing and getting his changeup down. Last night, he was trying to make perfect pitches; he didn't want contact."

Stults added: "Last night, I had a big lead. Maybe this place can get in your head. You start nibbling in this park."

Nonetheless, the decision presumably also involved the availability of relievers for the rest of the series at Coors Field. Since the All-Star break, Torre has received only 16 2/3 innings from four starters, forcing him to call on his bullpen for 20 1/3 frames.

Joe Beimel, Brian Falkneborg and Cory Wade have pitched in three of the four games and Stults, having thrown 74 pitches on Monday night, would have been unavailable. After using Hong-Chih Kuo for 1 2/3 innings on Monday night, sending down a relatively fresh Troncoso would have left the bullpen exposed, especially with Kershaw making his Coors Field debut.

The Dodgers do not need a fifth starter until Tuesday. Jason Johnson is the lukewarm favorite, but that could change.

In other pitching news, Torre said Brad Penny will likely make the first of two Minor League rehab starts this weekend.

Jason Schmidt received a cortisone injection in his right shoulder and will take several days off before throwing. Scott Proctor, on the disabled list with a tender right elbow, threw off a mound. And bullpen coach Ken Howell, who had part of a toe surgically removed, has been cleared to rejoin the club on Friday night.

Papi terrifying Triple-A, takes a day off

ANAHEIM -- And on the fourth day, David Ortiz took a rest. But not until Big Papi made his presence felt in the first three games of his Minor League rehab assignment, belting a home run in each contest for Triple-A Pawtucket.

The left-handed slugger took Sunday off, and will resume action with the Double-A Portland Sea Dogs on Monday night.

Ortiz will play three games for Portland and is all but certain to move back into the Red Sox's lineup for Friday night's Fenway opener of a three-game series against the Yankees.

"He elected to not play today, which we kind of told him early on, I thought that's how it would work," said Red Sox manager Terry Francona. "In the excitement of being there, he said, 'I want to play.' But this is probably the best thing for him. He swung the bat good."

Though you can only read so much into Ortiz going deep against Triple-A pitching, Francona noted how it certainly beat the alternative.

"I'd rather it be that, than the report being that he didn't catch up to an 86-mph fastball because his wrist hurt," Francona said. "It's probably good for his confidence but I don't know that that enters into it. He could be 0-for-20, and if he says he's ready to play, as long as he's healthy [he'll play]."

Not surprisingly, Ortiz treated the Minor Leaguers well during his stay in Pawtucket.

"Just like he would be up here," said right-hander Justin Masterson, who was promoted to the Red Sox on Sunday. "He's just hanging out, having a good time, smiling and laughing. Making sure everyone is enjoying themselves."

Ortiz also kept an unspoken tradition alive, springing for a nice clubhouse food spread.

"He did, every day," Masterson said. "One day it was a Latin spread, we had some goat and some chicken and some rice."

But far more meaningful to Masterson and the Red Sox is the way Ortiz seemed to be feasting on the baseball.

"It was great," Masterson said. "Just seeing how comfortable he was at the plate his first at-bat, he was like, 'OK, get in there.' Then the next at-bat, home run. And even the next day, going to the opposite field for a home run with minimal effort. He looks like he's really getting locked in. I know he's excited to get back up there and I know a bunch of the guys are excited to have him around."

Ortiz last played for the Red Sox on May 31, the night he suffered a partial tear of the tendon sheath in his left wrist.

Hottest races could get hotter

The intensely competitive rivalry between the Red Sox and Yankees makes the American League East race worth watching pretty much every year, and the unexpected success of the Rays only adds to the excitement as baseball steams into the second half.

For starters
• Hottest races could get hotter
• NL West not living up to expectations
• Schedules could be pivotal
• Possible second-half surprises

• Roundtable: Who gets traded?

• Roundtable: The NL Central

• Roundtable: The NL West

There's Eastern intrigue in the National League, too. The Marlins flirted with first place throughout the first half, but they're not alone in giving the front-running Phillies fits. The resurgent Mets moved back into the mix with a surge before the break, and the Braves, despite being under .500, are just 6 1/2 games behind Philly.

In fact, 17 of the game's 30 teams are either in first place or fewer than seven games back, and with 10 days remaining before the July 31 non-waiver trade deadline, balance-of-power-shifting deals remain a phone call away for contenders everywhere.

The Brewers, one of three teams with legitimate designs on the NL Central title, made what could be one such trade right before the break, adding CC Sabathia to a rotation topped by NL All-Star starter Ben Sheets. And the Phillies fortified their staff by scoring Joe Blanton two days after the Midsummer Classic in New York.

Might more blockbusters be on the way? Absolutely. The Dodgers are in a deadlock with the Diamondbacks atop the NL West, and both teams have enough young talent to be players before the deadline.

So do the Angels, who could very well decide to shed the stand-pat reputation they built under former general manager Bill Stoneham and turn new GM Tony Reagins loose in an effort to pad the most comfortable division lead in either league.

Regardless, the chases for one of the coveted eight postseason berths -- don't forget the Wild Card -- figure to be fantastic fights to the finish. So with apologies to the West, where the NL's contenders are all under .500 and the Halos are clearly the class of their division, let's take a quick look at the best of the best.

AL EAST
Coming out of Spring Training, the Red Sox were considered by many to be the most complete team in the Majors, and they had the best record in baseball for much of the first half.

But the Rays, by far the biggest first-half surprise, didn't exactly cower in the presence of the defending world champs, splitting their dozen head-to-head meetings.

"We've shown we can play with anyone," Rays All-Star rookie third baseman Evan Longoria said. "I know people expect us to fade as some point, but I don't see it."

What the Rays might see, however, is a bold stroke from Yankees GM Brian Cashman, whose club is without injured ace Chien-Ming Wang at least until September. The new boss, Hank Steinbrenner, is no more tolerant of mediocrity than the old Boss, and if he has to act to get out of third place, he'll try to do it.

AL CENTRAL
The White Sox endured an early-season offensive malaise that afflicted most of the middle of the lineup, but those days appear to be over, and the South Siders have a strong starting rotation backed by a deep and versatile bullpen. If closer Bobby Jenks, just off the disabled list, stays healthy, Chicago could cruise into October.

Yet the Twins, as they are wont to do, just keep hanging around. Nobody's ever quite sure how they do it, but a scout for a rival club has a theory.

"It starts with Gardy," he said of Minnesota manager Ron Gardenhire. "He's prepared, he's respected, and he manages people as well as he manages the game. I think the Twins will tail off, but not dramatically. I've seen them do this too many times to discount them."

Plenty of people were writing off the Tigers after their awful start, but they steadily climbed back to .500 by the break, and any team with that much talent and Jim Leyland at the helm can't be ignored.

NL EAST
The addition of Blanton was big for the Phillies, who got a surprisingly strong first half from 23-year-old righty Kyle Kendrick (8-3) and will need some help from Adam Eaton (3-8) to hold off the Marlins, Mets and Braves.

"I'm torn on that division," said an NL scout who was asked to handicap the race. "The Phillies needed another arm and got one in Blanton, who is going to be a lot better now that he's on a team that scores some runs. But the Mets, from what I'm hearing, are burning up the phones, and if they can get a decent couple of months out of Pedro [Martinez], I like the psychological boost that'll give 'em.

"The Marlins have some nice young pitching -- nice young talent, period -- but probably not quite enough to hang in there through the dog days [of August] as-is, and you know they aren't going to be buyers.

"The Braves? I don't know, man. Something just doesn't feel right there. Look at the rotation. It's Tim Hudson and a bunch of 'hope' guys. I don't see it."

NL CENTRAL
The Cardinals were picked by Sports Illustrated to finish fifth in the six-team Central, but the legend of manager Tony La Russa and pitching coach Dave Duncan grew with every day they spent within sight of the Cubs.

Now the Cards have company in the Brew Crew, whose explosive offense now has two Cy Young talents -- Sheets and Sabathia, who is 3-0 with Milwaukee -- to pick it up when the bats go silent.

The Cubs countered the Sabathia move by getting righties Rich Harden and Chad Gaudin from the A's, so they remain the team to beat, but if the Brewers go out and get a closer -- Oakland's Huston Street might be available -- as a counter to the counter, fasten your seat belts.

"The Cubs are a great team. So are we. And the Cardinals are tough as nails," said Milwaukee All-Star Ryan Braun. "It's going to be an incredible race."

Royals, Meche solve 'Cell' spell

CHICAGO -- Finally the Royals have broken the Cell spell.

They came up with a great formula to end their six-game skid at U.S. Cellular Field. Starter Gil Meche pitched superbly, as well as the bullpen, and three players -- John Buck, Billy Butler and Mike Aviles -- each drove in three runs in Saturday night's 9-1 victory over the White Sox.

The 36,566 fans saw Kansas City win for the first time at the Cell since last Sept. 25.

"These guys have played us tough," Butler said.

Sure have. Until this victory, the first-place White Sox held a 6-1 advantage over the Royals this season, including four wins here.

Meche, in his first start of the second half, pitched like a man on mission. In his 6 1/3 innings, he gave up just two hits and one run.

"Gil pitched a great game, kept his pitch count low and kept us in the ballgame and did a real good job," catcher Buck said. "He was on tonight."

Over the first five innings Meche allowed the White Sox just one baserunner, Joe Crede, who doubled in the third. He retired 16 of the first 17 batters he faced. The Sox finally scored in the sixth on Alexei Ramirez's triple and Orlando Cabrera's sacrifice fly.

Meantime, Buck pounded a two-run homer against Gavin Floyd to break a scoreless tie in the fifth. Ross Gload reached base on Crede's error and Buck put his sixth homer into the left-field seats on a 0-1 pitch.

"He threw a cutter, then got a sinker in over the plate and I was able to get a good swing on it," Buck said.

Joey Gathright followed with a single, stole second and eventually scored on Butler's line-drive single to left for a 3-0 lead. Two of the runs were unearned.

Butler belted a two-run homer in the eighth, his second blast in two nights. David DeJesus singled against Boone Logan and the lefty was relieved by righty Nick Masset. On a 2-0 pitch, Butler sent a 406-foot drive over the center-field wall.

It was the first time that Butler had hit homers in back-to-back games in the Majors.

"It's a good feeling," he said. "You hope there are more of those to come. I'm not trying to hit the ball out of the park. I'm just trying to square it up and I got underneath and they went out."

In the last two games, Butler has seven RBIs after having just one in his previous 25 games.

"That means more to me than anything," he said.

The Royals didn't stop there and made it a six-run eighth inning. Buck singled for his third RBI and Aviles cleared the bases with a three-run double, a looping fly to left field off reliever Adam Russell.

"I got lucky," Aviles said. "Luckily it fell in and we got three more run and that actually put it over the top."

The good ol' good luck factor.

"It's absolutely part of the game," Aviles said. "We've been on the other end quite a few times. It's good to be on this end."

Aviles now has a nine-game hitting streak in which he's 16-for-40, .400.

Meche was pulled in the seventh after he issued his first walk on four pitches to Carlos Quentin and fanned Jermaine Dye for his sixth strikeout. Left-hander Ron Mahay retired Jim Thome and Paul Konerko to end the inning.

"It came down to the matchup with Mahay and Thome and he came in and got us out of there," Meche said, "and we scored some big runs late in the game."

With the lead fattened, Ramon Ramirez followed Mahay and got all three batters he faced in the eighth. Horacio Ramirez pitched a scoreless ninth to close it out.

The bullpen help meant that Meche had a 7-3 career record over the White Sox. Even better, it meant the Royals had finally broken out of that Cell block.

Glavine throws off mound, feels good

ATLANTA -- Tom Glavine still has no clear indication that he'll definitely be able to pitch again this year. But with every step he's taken in his rehab process, the Braves' veteran pitcher has gained reason to be more optimistic about his left elbow.

Glavine's latest step came at Turner Field on Saturday afternoon, when he completed a modified bullpen session without any setbacks. This marked the first time he'd thrown off a mound since being forced to make an early exit from his June 10 start at Wrigley Field. He has spent the past five weeks on the disabled list because of a slight tear in the flexor tendon of his left elbow.

"It went about as well as I thought it would go," Glavine said. "I actually threw pretty good, considering I hadn't pitched [since June 10]. All in all, it went pretty well."

If Glavine continues to make progress, he'd like to rejoin the Atlanta rotation by mid August. If the 42-year-old pitcher has any troubling setbacks, he'll likely undergo surgery with the intention of giving himself at least a chance to pitch again next year.

Over the past two weeks, Glavine has been progressively increasing his effort while throwing on flat ground. During Saturday's bullpen session, he threw each of his pitches and did so with what he considered to be about 60 percent of effort.

Adding to Glavine's encouragement was the fact that he had good control and feel for both his changeup and curveball. This gave him an indication that he was able to exert his elbow to the point where he can get satisfactory action on his pitches.

"I haven't really had any issues with [my elbow]," Glavine said. "It gets a little achy, but [there is] no pain."

Glavine plans to exert a little more effort while throwing another bullpen session on Tuesday at Dolphin Stadium. He's likely to throw a total of three bullpen sessions during next week's road trip, and then possibly throw a two-inning simulated game when the Braves return for their next homestand.

"If my arm strength feels good, it will be sooner rather than later," said Glavine, who is currently more concerned with his shoulder than his elbow.

Throughout much of his 303-win career, Glavine has battled a cranky left shoulder. Whenever he begins his preseason throwing program, Glavine has dealt with some soreness and fatigue similar to what he is currently feeling.

Given that he went almost an entire month without throwing, Glavine remains hopeful that he'll progressively gain strength in his shoulder.

"I generally have soreness whenever I get things cranked up, and this is similar," Glavine said.

Blanton expected to debut Tuesday

MIAMI -- Joe Blanton is expected to make his Phillies debut on Tuesday, taking Adam Eaton's spot in the starting rotation.

Acquired on the eve of Philadelphia's second half, Blanton likely will join his new teammates this weekend in Florida, probably on Sunday. He'll open the Mets series on Tuesday at Shea Stadium. The right-hander hasn't allowed a run to New York in 15 innings in his career.

"When I look at our rotation, we needed some different looks," manager Charlie Manuel said before the start of the weekend series at Dolphin Stadium. "We needed to try to get better. It doesn't hurt to try to get a little creative at times."

The Phillies made the move for Blanton because they see him as an innings-eater who pitches deep into games. At the time of the trade, Blanton had the second most innings pitched among American League starters, trailing only the Angels' Jon Garland.

"He's a strike-thrower," Manuel said. "He's a mentally tough guy who likes to pitch. He can definitely help us."

Blanton is 5-12 with a 4.96 ERA this season.

"Maybe a change of scenery will help him," pitching coach Rich Dubee said. "We think he's going to be a piece that's going to help us get into the playoffs and further on."

Yankees sign Sexson for righty pop

NEW YORK -- Looking to add some thump to their lineup against left-handed pitching, the Yankees signed slugger Richie Sexson for the remainder of the season on Friday.

The 33-year-old Sexson batted .218 with 11 home runs and 30 RBIs in 74 games for the Mariners, posting a .315 on-base percentage before being released on July 10. Sexson will be in the lineup Friday when the Yankees meet A's starter Greg Smith, a left-hander.

"I'm just pretending like it's the start of a new season," Sexson said. "Coming into a clubhouse like this makes it a lot easier too. You've got a lot of guys that do a lot of good things in this clubhouse. You can just hopefully try to add to something that's pretty much put together."

He batted .344 with five home runs in 61 at-bats against lefties for the Mariners before his release on July 10, clearing waivers to become a free agent. Sexson said that he had other offers but decided, "This was the right place for me. It's somewhere that I've always wanted to play."

A first baseman by trade, Sexson is expected to help complement Jason Giambi in the Yankees' infield, with the right-handed-hitting Sexson playing against left-handed starting pitching. He could also see time as a designated hitter.

"Obviously, the better you play, the more you play," Yankees manager Joe Girardi said. "He's going to start [Friday] and we'll just take it day by day. Richie is a guy that has big power and has played good defense and driven in runs in his career. We just want to get him back to where he was and have him produce for us."

The Yankees officially announced the completion of Sexson's contract on Friday, optioning left-hander Billy Traber to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre and transferring right-hander Phil Hughes to the 60-day disabled list in corresponding moves.

Sexson has not played since July 8 at Oakland, but worked out with the Yankees on Friday afternoon and said that he did not feel rusty.

"I sat back and thought about things," Sexson said. "This is a place that I was hoping would call, because it's where I wanted to play. I'm glad to be here and you never know if [the time off] can help you or not."

The Yankees have tried a variety of combinations at first base this season. Giambi has impressed by remaining healthy and on the field for most of the campaign, but New York has been unable to find a right-handed complement.

Shelley Duncan was optioned to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre and is now thought to be out for the season after separating his right shoulder while diving for a ball, and Morgan Ensberg was designated for assignment on June 1 after making the team with a $1.75 million contract out of Spring Training.

Most recently, the Yankees had been sprinkling in starts for Wilson Betemit at first base. Sexson's addition likely returns Betemit to reserve infield duties.

"[Sexson is] the type of guy that can change the game with one swing," Girardi said.

A two-time American League All-Star (2002 and '03), the 6-foot-8 Sexson has a career batting average of .261 with 305 home runs and 937 RBIs over 12 Major League seasons with the Cleveland Indians, Milwaukee Brewers, Arizona Diamondbacks and the Mariners, with whom he signed a four-year, $50 million contract before the 2005 season.

The Mariners will pick up most of the $14 million Sexson is due this year. The Yankees will be responsible to pay only Sexson's pro-rated minimum Major League salary. Sexson said that he was trying to stay away from the subject of what transpired in Seattle.

"We just underperformed," Sexson said. "I think everybody did. I feel bad that we cost some people their jobs, and the axe has to drop down on somebody. It just happened to be the manager, general manager and a couple of players. We just underperformed as players, plain and simple."

Yankees general manager Brian Cashman had admitted the club's interest in Sexson recently, with the franchise in need of an additional power bat due to Hideki Matsui's lingering injury troubles. At the same time, Cashman downplayed any potential interest New York would have in signing Barry Bonds, also a free agent.

Matsui is feared lost for the season after experiencing increased left knee inflammation. Matsui has had the problematic knee drained twice already and cut short a rehabilitation assignment in Tampa, Fla. He is scheduled to be examined by Yankees team physician Dr. Stuart Hershon on Friday.

Matsui had arthroscopic surgery on his right knee after the 2007 season and Cashman said recently that he was "not optimistic" that Matsui would be able to avoid a similar fate this year. If Matsui were to have the procedure now, it would cost him the remainder of the campaign.

The Yankees are also without Johnny Damon, who went on the 15-day disabled list after bruising his left shoulder in a July 4 game at Yankee Stadium and experienced a mild setback that pushed his target date of active duty to late next week. Damon was to meet the Yankees in New York on Friday and continue his workouts during the homestand.

Cubs past and present can't avoid curse

NEW YORK -- For Ryne Sandberg, it was the 1969 collapse. For Ernie Banks, Ferguson Jenkins and Billy Williams, it was the Game 7 loss in the 1945 World Series at Wrigley Field.

The Cubs Hall of Fame players know all about the curse. They just knew it in different forms than the Cubs of today do. Different faces, but the same general theme.

And as the present-day Cubs head out of the All-Star break tied for the best record in baseball, it's the same question that Sandberg and others remember: Is this finally the year?

"I know that the players with the Cubs, they hear about that," Sandberg said Tuesday as several dozen Hall of Famers talked with the media during All-Star Game festivities. "It has nothing to do with them. This goes back a hundred years but, you know, it's all about getting that first one under your belt."

For starters
• Rays crash the party in AL East
• Fans aflutter over Cubs' chances
• Sox make formidable repeat threat
• First half full of surprises
• Midyear standings guarantee nothing
• Bauman: Parity name of the game in '08
• Possible second-half surprises

• Roundtable: Who gets traded?

• Roundtable: The NL Central

The general theme around this year's All-Star Game was the final season of Yankee Stadium before it comes down. But for all the Cubs there, the questions they faced were more centered on Chicago and bringing down the so-called curse, a full century after the team's last World Series title.

These Cubs legends know all about 1908, because they had to hear about it when they played. The only difference is it wasn't quite as long ago back then.

Time, obviously, has not healed the wounds.

"I don't think it was brought up as much," Jenkins said. "Now, it's the 100-year anniversary, so now it's big time. It's something that plays on your mind."

It's almost impossible for it not to. It's not that the players think about it on their own, they said, but that they hear the questions regularly from the press and the public. It's unavoidable, and it's something every great Cubs team in recent years has had to stare down.

"They hear it," Sandberg said. "And I went through that in '84 as we were coming down the stretch. It was all I heard about, and I got a history lesson about the '69 Cubs, how the Mets stole it from them and the black cat on the field and all these things happened. So I witnessed that a little bit.

"And once we clinched, it was like a huge sigh of relief just to win the pennant, let alone go on and make it to the World Series. That's kind of what these players are up against, but it's kind of their job to put that aside and just play baseball."

The 1969 Cubs team is a little more distant history to these current Cubs. Jenkins and Williams, of course, lived through it.

Those Cubs went into the All-Star break with a five-game lead on the Mets in the National League East. The lead ballooned to nine games as late as Aug. 16 before the balloon burst. By the season's final day, the Cubs were nine games back before winning their finale.

"The goat thing, we had that a couple different times," Jenkins said. "Somebody brought the goat out to the ballpark, said that now the curse is broken."

It's something those players have to hear about, of course, long after their playing careers are finished. Williams, however, doesn't think it has to be a distraction for the current club.

"When you talk about 100 years, only when they read about it do guys think about it," said Williams, who currently works with the organization as a special assistant to the president. "They don't think about it, because you've got a lot of guys coming from different organizations that just think about winning, playing winning baseball.

"In Spring Training, they talked about getting off to a good start, which they did. We're getting good production. We're playing good at home. [Ryan] Dempster is winning over Wrigley Field. Kerry Wood is throwing the ball real well. But I think the guys just go out and play baseball. I think the fans' support is great. We're getting 41,000 people in the ballpark every day. I think everything is in our favor this year. We've got a good baseball team and the guys are just going out and playing sound baseball."

That's the hope that the Cubs legends see in this year's team. It's not just their record, but their makeup. It's a club with an All-Star in virtually every facet of the game -- starting pitching, relief, catching, infield and outfield.

"You know what? I think there are a lot of pieces in place," Sandberg said. "That's the thing this year that stands apart from some of the other years is that they've actually put together a pretty good, talented team with everything -- left-handed hitting, power, the pitching's solid. They've got a closer. So all the pieces are there. Now it just comes down to momentum. If they stay hot, those intangibles sometimes you can't predict, but the talent is there."

Williams points to four factors working in the Cubs' favor: Geovany Soto's presence behind the plate, Dempster's performance at home, Kosuke Fukudome's patient hitting and solid defense, and Wood's ability to shore up the closer's job and allow Dempster to move back to the rotation.

Jenkins sees a solid mix on the roster.

"There were more veterans in the '60s," Jenkins said. "Now they've got a mix of second- and third-year players. They're a good ballclub."

They're good enough to win. None of the Cubs legends, of course, are going to predict whether they will. One thing they could predict, though, is how wild the city could be if they do win it all.

"If I had to guess, it's not going to be a week or two [of celebration]," Williams said. "It's going to be the whole winter. We've waited so long. Everybody will look at it and say, 'Hey, we did it.' It will be just like Boston. They partied for weeks."

Sandberg actually thinks it could be even bigger.

"They talk about the Red Sox Nation," he said, "but I think where Chicago and where the Cubs are located centrally in the United States and having WGN for all those years, I'd have to say that Cubs Nation would really be something. I think there'd really be people coming from all over the place to celebrate that, which they have. Really, since 1984, when we went to the playoffs for the first time, I witnessed it firsthand. There's Cub fans everywhere."

Moreover, there are underdog fans everywhere.

"I think right now they're somewhat pulling for the underdog," Sandberg said. "There's a lot of just-baseball fans that watch the Cubs, whether they're Cubs fans or not. They've watched the Cubs over the years, and they realize they haven't seen the Cubs in the World Series. I think there are those Cubs fans, rooting for the underdog and wanting to witness that, wanting to see what that's like for the Cubs to win, wanting to be a part of that, whether they're huge Cubs fans or not.

"After that, what happens? There will be certain Cub fans that will be like, 'Wow, now what do I do?'"

Rays crash the party in AL East

It's nothing new for the Red Sox and Yankees to find themselves locked in a tight race at the All-Star break. They've come to expect it. What they aren't used to seeing is somebody else in the mix. But they have an interloper this time around: the 55-39, second-place, Wild Card-leading Tampa Bay Rays.

They're baseball's best team story, and they're one of baseball's best teams.

For starters
• Rays crash the party in AL East
• Fans aflutter over Cubs' chances
• Sox make formidable repeat threat
• First half full of surprises
• Midyear standings guarantee nothing
• Bauman: Parity name of the game in '08
• Possible second-half surprises

• Roundtable: Who gets traded?

• Roundtable: The NL Central

But a recent slide by the Rays started a rain of told-you-sos. People who had embraced the upstarts were suddenly writing them off after a bad week. It's understandable, given the franchise's history. But it's probably premature.

The arguments come in two flavors. Tampa Bay's youth invites skepticism as to whether the club will wither in a pennant race. The end-of-half slump suggests to some that they were never that good, and now they're enduring a correction. Neither really holds that much water, though.

Besides, the Rays do a lot of things well, and balance is always a good thing. They're fourth in the American League in runs allowed and seventh in runs scored. They play drastically improved defense, and the turnaround in their bullpen from 2007 to 2008 has been historic. There's no unit of this club that it's clear will be exploited down the stretch.

"I think their bullpen, for me, is the biggest difference," said Blue Jays ace Roy Halladay. "When we used to play them in the past, you'd look to get to the sixth or seventh inning and you had a chance to win. It's been different this year. They have new guys down there that make it a seven- or eight-inning game. They've really shortened the game."

Their on-field weaknesses, then, have been shored up. The questions seem to be about vaguer notions, like whether the club will fade for one reason or another -- that reason often being youth and/or inexperience. Recent history indicates there's nothing inherent in youth that dictates a second-half fade. In fact, the past several years show plenty of counterexamples.

According to the "Team Age" metric used by Baseball-Reference.com, the Rays have an average batting team age of 26.9 years and a pitching age of 27.6. That's certainly young, but far from unprecedented. They're young, but they're not babies. Over the past seven years, 30 teams have finished the season with both their batting and pitching ages at 28 years or younger.

(The formula is based on players' ages at midseason, so the calculation is not skewed by the fact that every Ray will be older in three months than he is now.)

"I think after you get a few years in, you're not so young anymore," argues Red Sox catcher Jason Varitek. "[Carl] Crawford is on, what, his seventh year? If they had a lot of first-year guys, [it would be different]. But guys are in their third and fourth years."

The 2007 Diamondbacks (team ages of 26.6 and 28.0), the 2003 Marlins (27.7 and 26.3) and 2001 A's (27.3 and 28.0) all surged in the second half to make the playoffs. All posted significantly better records after the break.

On the flip side, the 2001 Twins (26.2 and 27.4) nosedived in the second half. But no other young team in recent years that was a serious contender has fallen off like that.

"The only thing that happens as a younger player is a lot of times when you go through struggles, it's harder to get out of them," said Red Sox outfielder J.D. Drew. "You overthink the situation a little bit. But I think as far as holding up, it seems like they should have the advantage."

Last year's Diamondbacks present an interesting parallel in a few ways. They were a team that many people saw coming, but not necessarily so soon. They were athletic, with solid starting pitching and a shutdown bullpen.

And they followed a 47-43 first half with a 43-29 second half.

The question the Rays, like every potential playoff team, will have to answer is not whether they're experienced enough or old enough or tough enough. It's whether they're good enough. Nobody backs into a playoff spot in the American League East. You have to finish ahead of the Red Sox or the Yankees, if not both.

"You look at Boston and New York, and one through nine, there are nine pretty good players who can make a difference," said Halladay, a veteran of plenty of attempts to catch the division's elite. "Other teams may look at one or two guys to carry a team, but these guys have eight or nine."

As one indicator, the Red Sox have a much better Pythagorean won-lost record than the Rays. Based on runs scored and allowed, you would expect the Red Sox to have a 3 1/2-game lead on the Rays -- and Pythagorean records tend to be excellent predictors of future success.

Then again, only the Red Sox, White Sox and A's have better expected records, and if those are the only teams that finish ahead of Tampa Bay, the Rays will play in October.

Another trend is that Tampa Bay has a much better home record (36-14) than road record (19-25), but has six more games on the road than at Tropicana Field after the break.

So there are warning lights. But there are also plenty of bright-green optimistic indicators. The Rays are outperforming their expected record, but not by a lot, and it may be sustainable due to their quality bullpen work. And there's no rule that says young teams have to spit the bit.

It's premature to say they will be there when the playoffs start. But they absolutely can be. To dismiss them, or expect them to fall to earth, would be a mistake.

"I think it's going to come down to the stretch," said Yankees manager Joe Girardi. "There's two teams in front of us, Boston and Tampa. They both have outstanding teams and I think it's going to go down to the end. I wouldn't be surprised if the division is decided by one game."