No joshing — it was ugly  —  Game 2 was one to forget  —  ARLINGTON, Texas — Not much life in this one.  Red Sox starter Tim Wakefield fell behind, 4-0, before recording an out, new catcher Josh Bard forgot how many outs there were in the first inning of the second game of the year, and the Sox lost to the Rangers, 10-4.

Nats Believe Replay Is Worth Another Look  —  NEW YORK, April 4 — It was in plain view on ESPN's "SportsCenter" and the evening news.  It was on in the visiting clubhouse at Shea Stadium, where various Washington Nationals players looked at a video image on a computer screen, then walked away, disgusted.

Gooden sentenced to year in prison for drug use  —  TAMPA, Fla. — Former baseball star Dwight Gooden was sentenced Wednesday to a year and a day in prison for violating probation by using cocaine.  —  The 41-year-old pitcher was serving three years of probation for speeding away from a police officer during a drunken driving stop.

Song belongs to Met-tallica  —  Billy, not Mo, entered as the first 'Sandman'  —  Not only should the Mets play "Enter Sandman" when closer Billy Wagner takes the mound at Shea, the manager of Metallica says they should turn up the volume.  —  "Frankly, they could have played it louder …

Padres claim fan threw toy syringe  —  Giants outfielder Barry Bonds said a fan tossed a syringe at him during Monday's game at San Diego.  —  Bonds picked up the object — about the size of a fat cigar — and carried it off the field in the eighth inning.  The object did not appear to have a needle.

Offense not so Lee-pendent  —  CINCINNATI — One of the many encouraging signs for the Cubs during their season-opening 16-7 victory Monday against the Cincinnati Reds was that first baseman Derrek Lee did very little offensively and still came away with two RBI.

Pettitte, bats unable to get on track  —  After Astros receive rings, left-hander struggles in '06 debut  —  HOUSTON — The Houston Astros were honored on Tuesday during a pregame ring ceremony that recognized their accomplishments on the field in 2005.  —  Unfortunately for the Astros …

Angelos to testify on Nats' TV deal … WASHINGTON // A congressional committee has invited Peter Angelos to testify at a hearing Friday on problems with the Washington Nationals' television deal, and the Orioles owner said he plans to show up and provide his version of why so few Nationals games are available to many fans.

The schedule is a Major undertaking  —  There's more than 2,400 games and only 181 days to play them  —  The Longest Season.  The long and winding road, through the dog days of summer, into October.  The grind, plain and simple.  And, of course, the proverbial "marathon."

Stadium vote goes Royals' way  —  Tax measure passes to renovate Kauffman Stadium  —  KANSAS CITY — The Royals' rebuilding program now includes more than a team.  It also includes Kauffman Stadium.  —  A sales tax vote to renovate the Royals' home and the NFL Chiefs' Arrowhead Stadium …

Lowe Says He Takes ADD Drug  —  Pitcher Derek Lowe revealed in a divorce deposition that he has taken medication to treat adult attention deficit disorder for three years, although he said he had never seen a Dodger physician for the problem.  —  The Dodgers, however, said that Lowe …

Jim Bowden: Scouting our way to the top  —  WASHINGTON - The Washington Nationals future will depend on the success of the player development and scouting departments over the next four to five years.  I was very pleased with our first two selections of last year's draft as both Ryan Zimmerman …

Rob Neyer and Baseball's Blunderous Past  —  "This is worse than a crime, it's a blunder" - Charles M. de Talleyrand  —  I can remember it like it was yesterday...  Yelling at the tube like a blithering idiot, my head swiveling back and forth so hard I nearly pulled a Linda Blair.  Hands in the air.

Notes: Bowen happy to be in San Diego  —  Barfield's Opening Day is magic; Young prepares to bat  —  SAN DIEGO — As the rains came down Tuesday — eventually forcing the Padres' first home postponement since 1998 with a rescheduled game on July 1 at 12:05 p.m. PT — the newest Padre, Rob Bowen, made the rounds in the clubhouse.