Cubs prepare for Bonds' historic chase  —  Hill gets first crack with slugger's former skipper on hand  —  SAN DIEGO — Rookie pitcher Rich Hill watched a horror movie Sunday night instead of seeing Barry Bonds hit his 713th home run.  —  The Chicago Cubs left-hander …

Beckett provides stabilizing force for Red Sox  —  I've gotten to know Josh Beckett the last few years.  He's a little different in that he's not going to get caught up in all the hype — good or bad — that's said about him.  —  Getting Beckett was a huge move by the Red Sox …

Brewers-Padres Preview  —  Once again, the San Diego Padres are finding May to their liking.  —  The Padres (17-15) look to win their 10th straight game on Tuesday in the opener of a three-game series with the Milwaukee Brewers (16-16) at Petco Park.  —  San Diego is on its longest winning streak since …

Young suspended 50 games for bat toss  —  ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Top Tampa Bay prospect Delmon Young was suspended 50 games without pay by the International League on Tuesday, two weeks after throwing a bat that hit a replacement umpire in the arm.  —  Randy Mobley, President …

AP Exclusive: Baseball's union could scrap new drug policy if no labor deal by August  —  AP Exclusive: Baseball's union could scrap new drug policy if no labor deal by August  —  NEW YORK (AP) — Major league players can scrap the sport's toughened drug rules if they don't have a new labor contract …

Kendall: MLB 'has turned into a badminton league'  —  TORONTO — Oakland Athletics catcher Jason Kendall ripped Major League Baseball after dropping his appeal of his four-game suspension on Tuesday.  —  Kendall was suspended and fined for charging Los Angeles Angels pitcher John Lackey in a game on May 2.

White Sox drive Angels batty  —  Six-run third against Gregg keeps Halos in a rut  —  CHICAGO — The White Sox sent 12 men to the plate and scored six runs in the third to hand the Angels a 9-1 loss in front of 36,539 on Tuesday night to open the series.  —  The loss dropped …

Nied to Know  —  I'm thinking at some point the Cards might need to win a game against a 1st place team in 2006.  Maybe I'm wrong, but probably not.  By the unofficial count of Manny, my homeless homey on Walnut Street, Los Birdo's have gone fer the last 5 and "looked flatter than that can of Vess …

No-win situation for Nationals' Tavares  —  Tony Tavares received a call from Major League Baseball around 11:30 a.m. Wednesday.  The president of the Washington Nationals was told commissioner Bud Selig had decided to sell the Nationals to the Lerner family and that there would be a press conference …

Cards notebook: Bigbie is back  —  Bigbie is back  —  Six weeks later than planned, left fielder Larry Bigbie is finally ready to make his regular-season Cardinals debut.  —  Bigbie, who has been out since the latter part of spring training because of a stress fracture in his left heel, was activated on Monday.

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.

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.

Hungry Tigers regaining bite  —  MINNEAPOLIS — Detroit Tigers designated hitter Dmitri Young looks around the clubhouse, sees just a smattering of reporters and grimaces.  —  "Where's everyone now?"  Young says.  "Everyone was around when we were getting our a—  kicked every night.

Notes: Rheinecker to join rotation  —  Rangers will wait for Clemens; Benoit earns fifth hold  —  ARLINGTON — Left-hander John Rheinecker is expected to go back into the Rangers rotation the next time they need a fifth starter.  —  The Rangers, having sent right-hander Robinson Tejeda …

Rockies rock Birds; Marquis falters again  —  Up next: 7:10 tonight vs. Rockies, FSN Midwest  —  His walk to the dugout has become a trudge.  The rhythm of a confident pitcher has slowed to one groping for the feel of his pitches and the certainty to throw them.

The Alternative Factor  —  Watching Barry Bonds and Sal Fasano play on the same field Sunday, I couldn't help but wonder if we've got this Steroid Era thing all wrong.  By now the consensus is that Bonds owes most, if not all, of his stellar achievements on the diamond the past few years …

Notes: Lohse's spot on the line?  —  Liriano an option for rotation; Hunter back home in Texas  —  ARLINGTON — Kyle Lohse might not be pitching for his spot in the Twins' starting rotation when he takes the mound Wednesday against the Texas Rangers.  Then again, he might be.

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.