Dodgers-Padres Preview  —  The slumping San Diego Padres try to avoid a season-high five consecutive losses when they host the Los Angeles Dodgers on Saturday.  —  The Padres (8-14) were shut out for the second time in three games and only managed two hits in a 3- loss to the Dodgers on Friday …

These Mets Just Don't Dread the Ted  —  Mets 1 - Braves 0  —  Prescription for beating the Braves: Take one vintage Tom Glavine, mix in one longball from Lo Duca, add a few splashes of near-flawless defense, a dose of Aaron Heilman at his unhittable best, and cap it off with our slider-slinging closer.

Pirates Notebook: Tracy unlikely to start screaming  —  The Pirates' plight has not become so dire that manager Jim Tracy has felt the need to call a team "Let's-get-it-right" meeting.  —  But if he does — or when he does — it likely won't involve a lot of screaming.

Pickin' up where they left off  —  Sox triumphant in return to scene of ALCS-clinching wins  —  ANAHEIM — It was like the White Sox never had left Angel Stadium after winning the American League Championship Series.  —  An Angel Stadium sellout crowd of 43,940 booed villain A.J. Pierzynski …

Mark Cuban: Pittsburgh's Dream Owner  —  Mark Cuban has been dubbed "the fans' dream (come true)."  And, It's easy to see why.  —  Cuban, the self-made billionaire and current owner of the Dallas Mavericks NBA franchise, is the only professional sports owner who truly is a fan …

Pujols supplies thrills in loss  —  The game's outcome had been decided far earlier, with Washington torching Cardinals starter Jason Marquis for seven runs in three innings, but Albert Pujols took a swing at history Friday night before the Nationals clinched their rout at Busch Stadium.

What's up with the NL Central?  —  The neat thing about April is that you can find all sorts of goofy looking baseball statistics or situations.  For instance, take a look at the NL Central winning percentages.  If you prorated those winning percentages over 162 games, here's what the win totals would look like for the six teams:

Howe lived a life without restraints  —  The police are saying that Steve Howe wasn't wearing a seatbelt when his pickup truck rolled over early yesterday morning in Coachella, Calif., which should surprise no one who knew the guy.  —  Howe died tragically, though it is not at all clear …

Sox already deep into draft prep  —  ANAHEIM — Scouting director Duane Shaffer has seen about 45 potential candidates for the White Sox's first pick in the June amateur draft.  —  And by this time next month, Shaffer estimates he will have seen from 135 to 175 potentially high picks.

Billingsley flirts with another no-hitter  —  51s right-hander loses bid in eighth inning  —  Chad Billingsley doesn't have to do anything to catch the attention of the Los Angeles Dodgers' front office.  He's already is regarded as the top pitching prospect in the organization and it would seem …

Boys will be boys, it's worth Mansioning  —  LOS ANGELES — It was a look I had seen before but couldn't quite place.  —  As the White Sox players and members of the organization boarded a bus destined for the Playboy Mansion on their day off Thursday, in walked the club's manager of media relations, Pat O'Connell.

Rocket's coming-out party was striking  —  It was 20 years ago today and relatively few Boston sports fans were paying attention.  —  On the night Roger Clemens set a major league record by striking out 20 batters in a nine-inning game, only 13,414 paid their way into Fenway Park.

Wood progressing toward rehab start  —  Righty not far from Minor League outing; Prior's velocity normal  —  CHICAGO — Chicago Cubs right-hander Kerry Wood will throw four innings in his next outing on Tuesday, and if all goes well, he could make a Minor League rehab start after that.

Glavine set to face old team  —  N.Y. Mets (15-7) at Atlanta (9-13), 7:05 p.m. ET  —  Tom Glavine would love to assert himself at Turner Field.  He has won 49 games there, but only one in seven starts as a Met.  He has lost 27 times there, including five times as a Met.

When Big Players Do Big Things  —  Now that's a great way to kick off the latest foray into the house of pain.  —  Oh when Larry drove his latest dagger into the New York National League franchise you were sweating weren't you?  I'll tell you when I was sweating...I was sweating …

Power Rankings: Watch out for the NL Central  —  Two NL Central teams are shaking the foundation and another stormed its way into the top 10, but a solid 4-2 week did nothing to knock the White Sox from ESPN.com's Power Rankings pedestal.  —  While the White Sox are No. 1 for the second straight week …