Coco given a setup role  —  CLEVELAND — If there is any consolation for Francisco Cordero, it is in the record that he did not break.  —  When Cordero blew his fifth save of the month Wednesday, he established a major league record for April.  But he did not break the one-month record of seven …

Mets Seek Better Results in Their House of Horrors  —  ATLANTA, April 27 — By this time in past seasons, the Mets have needed a telescope to discern how far the Braves were ahead of them in the National League East standings.  But as the teams open a three-game series Friday night at Turner Field …

Minor League umpires to end season-long strike  —  Union expected to approve new six-year agreement on Sunday  —  Minor League umpires are returning to a ballpark near you soon.  —  MiLB.com has learned that the Professional Baseball Umpire Corporation (PBUC) reached a tentative six-year agreement …

Hanged By His Own Testimony  —  This blurb from Ladson needs very little commentary.  It pretty much stands on its own.  After the lessons of last season, and Bowden's constant preaching about the need for "Pitching, pitching, pitching," the son of a bitch has run out of pitchers already.

Moving Willis by deadline makes sense  —  Marlins owner Jeffrey Loria keeps denying that the team might trade left-hander Dontrelle Willis, growing increasingly outraged by each new round of speculation.  —  What Loria can't deny is the sheer logic of moving Willis at the July 31 non-waiver deadline …

Voting begins for All-Star Game  —  77th annual Midsummer Classic set for July 11 at PNC Park  —  Life in 1933: Construction began on the Golden Gate Bridge, the original "King Kong" premiered, the chocolate chip cookie was invented and a midsummer extravaganza called the "Game of the Century" …

Single step for Matsui  —  Key hit helps lift doldrums, Yanks  —  Within an inning, Hideki Matsui's season seemed to pick up some momentum last night at the plate and in the field.  The Yankees' left fielder did not smash out of his hitting slump, but he got a break.

Baseball Jersey Wearing 101  —  I'm about 95% sure that someone's already written something on this topic, but it doesn't change the fact that it needs to be done.  —  Normally, if I have any fear that someone has already beaten a subject to death, I'd look to avoid it and fill the space …

Live Discussion with Post sports columnist Thomas Boswell … | Search Archives  —  washingtonpost.com > Live Discussions  —  Thomas Boswell  —  Washington Post sports columnist Thomas Boswell was online Friday, April 28, at 11 a.m. ET to take your questions and comments about the Washington Nationals …

Mets pitcher gets 50-game doping ban  —  New York Mets minor-league pitcher Yusaku Iriki has been suspended for 50 games after testing positive for performance-enhancing drugs, becoming the first player exposed to the harsher penalties Major League Baseball instituted this offseason, a source told Yahoo! Sports Friday.

Nady has become popular choice  —  Everybody loves Xavier.  That's hard to believe for someone who was traded for Mike Cameron, the most popular player in the Mets' clubhouse during his two-year stay.  But Xavier Nady has made an immediate impact since coming from the Padres in that early November swap …

Rockies, Giants disciplined  —  The following discipline has been issued as a result of the incidents that took place during the San Francisco Giants @ Colorado Rockies games on April 22 and 23, 2006 at Coors Field in Denver, CO.  —  Jose Mesa of the Colorado Rockies has been suspended for four …

Same old, same old  —  Consistency.  It's an important word for people when it comes to baseball.  Google "consistency + baseball" and you get 2,830,000 results.  It's also a loaded word.  Years ago, for example, Red Sox fans were arguing that the Sox should sign Chan Ho Park because he was a consistent pitcher.

Marlins return home, set to host Rockies and Phillies  —  MIAMI — The Florida Marlins are set to host the Colorado Rockies and the Philadelphia Phillies in a five-game homestand beginning Friday, April 28.  The second homestand of the season will feature three fan giveaways …

Shinjo leaves the ballpark for a quiet life of nude modelling  —  "I've decided to take my uniform off at the end of this season."  —  With these words, Nippon Ham Fighters outfielder Tsuyoshi Shinjo announced his plans to end one of the more unconventional careers in Japanese professional baseball.