It's Official: Lerner Will Own Nationals  —  Baseball Commissioner Bud Selig called Bethesda-based billionaire Theodore N. Lerner today to tell him he will be the new owner of the Washington Nationals, team sources said.  —  An announcement by Major League Baseball is expected shortly.

Unexpected Closer Does as He Expects  —  HE calls it confidence; some call it cocky.  He is Jonathan Papelbon, and he's the best thing that has happened to the Boston Red Sox since their magical postseason run in 2004.  —  Papelbon is the Red Sox' closer, and he carried his perfect April …

Sele Arrives at Crucial Time in Minors  —  PHOENIX — As honors go, this one is bittersweet for Aaron Sele.  —  The 13-year veteran was named Pacific Coast League pitcher of the week after allowing no runs in 12 2/3 innings while striking out 12 and walking two for Las Vegas.

Maryland man auctions off 25 years of loyalty to the Royals  —  Chad Carroll didn't know how he would feel around 10 a.m. Tuesday.  —  Perhaps he would regret selling his 25-year loyalty to the Royals on eBay.  Maybe he'd feel so guilty about abandoning the team he's always loved that he'd call the whole thing off.

RANGERS NOTES  —  Rangers put Castro on DL  —  ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - The Rangers placed left-hander Fabio Castro on the disabled list Tuesday with a strained left groin.  Castro said he was injured during Monday's game.  That night, he got up and began warming in the bullpen in the seventh inning, but quickly sat down again.

How about a movie on Omar?  —  Off his winter of wheeling, dealing and maybe even stealing in some cases, Mets general manager Omar Minaya was trying hard to make one more big transaction right before last night's game.  —  He was endeavoring to convert Spike Lee into a Mets fan.

PLAYERS: JETER OVER-RATED  —  May 3, 2006 — BOSTON - Derek Jeter smiled at the news that his peers named him the most over-rated player in the big leagues.  —  In a Sports Illustrated poll of 470 players, Jeter was named on 9 percent of the ballots as the most over-rated.

Mariners Notebook: Sexson in serious funk  —  Hitting just .216, cleanup man tries to retool swing  —  MINNEAPOLIS — Maybe it's a weird time for a makeover, but Richie Sexson doesn't think so.  —  Sexson is in such a funk with his swing that he's perfectly content to put his old swing behind him and work on a new, improved version.

Anderson's woes trying Sox's patience  —  CLEVELAND — Mark Buehrle left Cleveland with a puffy ERA, and catcher Chris Widger and right fielder Jermaine Dye departed with assorted ailments.  —  Fortunately for the White Sox, they have enough depth to address more pressing concerns …

Strained back keeps Pujols on the bench  —  CINCINNATI — Cardinals first baseman and April NL player of the month Albert Pujols did not play Tuesday because of a back strain stemming from his slide into first base during a game April 23 against the Chicago Cubs.

Benson gives O's another reprieve … Their bullpen has performed miserably and their lineup has been ravaged by injuries.  But the two times this season, when it has appeared that the Orioles might be on the verge of crashing under the weight of a extended losing streak …

Can the Reds keep it up?  If they're healthy ...  The Cincinnati Reds just took two of three against Houston, swept a two-game set against the Cardinals, sit atop the National League Central (the toughest division in baseball thus far) and are on pace to win 110 games.