Shoes make Mench worth mentioning  —  Outfielder has driven in 12 since change of footwear to larger size  —  ARLINGTON - It's gotta be the shoes.  —  At least that's what hitting coach Brook Jacoby said is the main reason outfielder Kevin Mench is starting to pound the ball and collect RBIs in bunches.

Dodgers take finale from D-Backs  —  Tomko tosses six solid innings en route to second win  —  LOS ANGELES — One name you don't hear mentioned much around Dodger Stadium these days is Adrian Beltre.  —  Bill Mueller is the reason.  He's plugged the black hole at third base caused by Beltre's departure after the 2004 season.

Zambrano Puts Mets in Early Trouble Again  —  SAN DIEGO, April 23 — On four of five days, the Mets can, with relative certainty, expect their starting pitching to keep them in the game.  Then it is Victor Zambrano's turn.  It does not seem to matter where he pitches, who catches him or how potent the opposing lineup is.

Amid 'kitchen' heat, Keith sorry  —  Keith Hernandez apologized yesterday for inappropriate comments he made Saturday night about San Diego's massage therapist Kelly Calabrese.  —  After Mike Piazza's second-inning home run Saturday, SportsNet New York's camera focused on Calabrese …

Helton close to leaving hospital  —  Rockies cautiously optimistic about results  —  Rockies first baseman Todd Helton is expected to be released from a hospital today, with team officials hoping to learn a diagnosis of his severe abdominal pain tonight or Tuesday.

City Officials Leery of Nats Bidder's Silence  —  During a luncheon address before more than 200 business leaders last week, D.C. Mayor Anthony A. Williams noted that he had never met the Theodore N. Lerner family of Bethesda, which is seeking to buy the Washington Nationals.

Pieces with a bit of an edge  —  Picked-up pieces while working on my mock draft . . .  - At what point, precisely, did the 2005-06 Celtics season become a success story?  The Celtics went 33-49 and they've been applauded madly all around town.  The Bruins went 29-37-8-8 and their name is mud.

Another awful April: Tigers sweep, send M's to 9th home loss of month  —  The Mariners are 7-13 and looking for answers.  —  Eddie Guardado might be as close as any of his teammates to getting to the heart of Seattle's horrid start.  —  "It's like we're cursed," Guardado said.

Notes: Moehler's start to be skipped  —  Rainout gives veteran right-hander extra rest  —  PHILADELPHIA — Unpredictable weather led to some tinkering with the Marlins' rotation.  —  Saturday's rainout at Philadelphia created a situation where one of the starters was in line to skip a turn.

The Hall will get the ball  —  Mientkiewicz ends feud with Red Sox  —  Doug Mientkiewicz is going to the Hall of Fame.  Well, at least the ball he caught that was the final out of the Red Sox's 2004 World Series championship is headed to Cooperstown.  —  The agreement with the Red Sox ends …

Minor Matters: Breaking down hot starts  —  We are about two weeks into the minor league regular season, so let's break down some of the most impressive starts among prospects in the upper minor leagues.  —  Lastings Milledge  —  New York Mets  —  Milledge was recently rated THT's #15 prospect …

Seeds of discontent brewing with A's  —  OAKLAND - The sunflower seeds hit the fan after the A's 4-3 loss Sunday to the Los Angeles Angels of 90210.  —  More accurately, the seeds hit the dirt in front of the A's dugout.  Bags of them.  A whole five-gallon bucket of them …

Maddux delivers a big cup of cheer  —  Cubs, 0-2 without Derrek Lee, halt skid as 40-year-old ace goes to 4-0  —  ST. LOUIS — Greg Maddux gave the Cubs a shot in the arm Sunday afternoon at Busch Stadium, curing them of the D-Lee Blues.  —  The 40-year-old Cubs' ace pitched seven shutout innings …

Bonds: Passing Aaron not likely  —  Slugger can't strengthen lower body because of ailing knee  —  DENVER — That first homer of the season is out of the way, but even if only a few more are to come, Barry Bonds is satisfied.  And for the first time this weekend, the Giants slugger admitted …