IT'S ABOUT TIME THE BOMBERS DROP DAVID  —  PAPIPOWER VS. THE PINSTRIPES  —  May 9, 2006 — THE Yankees have to droppy Papi.  They need to brush the beast back.  They need to pick out one of David Ortiz' chins and let a little music dance across the whiskers.  And they need to do this immediately.

Hot hand beats ace  —  Win streak hits nine as Padres beat Maddux  —  The Padres are on such a roll, future Hall of Famer Greg Maddux appeared to face several Tony Gwynns.  —  Much as Gwynn tormented Maddux in batting .429 across 91 at-bats, the Padres knocked around the 323-game winner …

Wagner bracing for venom of vengeance  —  In Philadelphia, they boo Santa Claus and just spent the weekend savaging Barry Bonds.  Those may have been warm-ups for what Billy Wagner expects to face the next three days - and that's just from his former teammates.

It's no time for Rangers to panic  —  ARLINGTON — There was a runner on second and nobody out in a game a few days ago when a Rangers hitter — we won't embarrass him by naming him here — rolled his wrists over and pulled a weak ground ball to third against a fastball pitcher.

Mets: Top prospects will stay  —  Mets insiders insisted yesterday that the team's core prospects, including Lastings Milledge, won't be dealt under any circumstances - not even to obtain Barry Zito or Dontrelle Willis if they were made available.  —  "We're going to be fine," a team source said.

Off Mound, Mets' Ace Loosens Up in His Garden  —  For two hours on the days Pedro Martínez is scheduled to pitch at Shea Stadium, he is alone with his pale yellow daffodils, his purple petunias, his cotton-candy-colored hyacinths, the flowers that make his property look like a botanical garden.

Rincon says he will undergo surgery  —  Cards would be left looking for another left-handed reliever  —  ST. LOUIS — It appears likely that Ricardo Rincon is headed for shoulder surgery.  It is all but certain that if Rincon has an operation, he will be out for the season.

Mailbag: Nats new owners to rebuild  —  Beat reporter Bill Ladson answers Nationals fans' questions … With the Lerner group expressing the need to rebuild the Nationals' farm system, I have the following question: How bad is the farm system?  — Mike E., Springfield, Va.  —  Mike, it's not very good.

Farm Report: Lefties on the rise  —  Three young starters show great promise  —  The weakest link in the Mariners farm system is starting pitchers, particularly ones capable of reaching the major leagues in the next year.  —  Most of the top-talent starters are young and inexperienced …

Mariners Notebook: M's talk is hard-hitting  —  Hargove tries to defuse mounting frustration  —  The Mariners' offense came into Monday's game in a funk, so much so that manager Mike Hargrove gathered the team's hitters into his office for a little chat.  —  It wasn't an Xs and Os meeting — that came later in the day.

Nets roll over Heat again, take Game 1  —  MIAMI (AP) - Sitting on his lap after the game, Vince Carter's daughter crumpled a stat sheet in her tiny hands.  —  FOX Bite  —  Videos  —  Nets steal one in Miami  —  New Jersey jumped out to a comfortable lead and held off a late comeback attempt …

Gaudin returns, but not for long  —  The pitcher will have a brief stint as a starter with the Cats.  —  He is a starter who became a reliever who became a starter, a River Cat who went to the A's who went to the River Cats, all in a swirling opening month.

Agent expects Bonds to have a go at 2007  —  Expect Barry Bonds back next year to battle all his aches and pains, and, of course, to chase Hank Aaron's home run record.  —  Bonds, 41, has sent mixed signals publicly about whether he plans to return for another season, but Jeff Borris …

A'S, FREMONT NEAR DEAL Fans — not city — likely to feel biggest void  —  The Seals were iced.  The Silver and Black once found Los Angeles more enticing.  Even the city's basketball team has refused to take its name.  Through the past four decades, the one constant on the Oakland sports landscape has been the Athletics.