Cubs anticipate a cool reception at Wrigley Field after 1-8 road trip  —  SAN FRANCISCO — After ending their West Coast nightmare Thursday with a 9-3 loss to San Francisco, the Cubs know the Friendly Confines may be anything but that when they come home to Wrigley Field on Friday.

Rain Beats Mets, 2-0  —  For all intents and purposes, the Mets lost this game in the first inning.  —  Phillies starter Gavin Floyd had walked the bases full with two outs.  David Wright, one batter previous, had narrowly missed a three-run homer that curved foul instead.

Mets' Randolph tinkers with lineup  —  PHILADELPHIA — Let's put it this way: moving Cliff Floyd from sixth to second in the batting order couldn't have hurt.  —  Mets manager Willie Randolph juggled his lineup for last night's game against the Philadelphia Phillies by sandwiching …

Damon to deal with pain  —  Johnny Damon streaked back to the center field wall, leaped at the 408-foot marker and snared Doug Mirabelli's drive as the ball appeared to be going over the fence for a two-run homer.  —  The spectacular play in the fourth inning was one of two highlight-reel catches …

Tracy: Pirates Not Delivering In Clutch Situations  —  Jim Tracy has no idea what ails this team. … Well, Tracy could fix some of the hitting problems by playing the right hitters.  Not to sound like a broken record, but when you start Jose Hernandez at first base against a right-handed pitcher …

It All Swings Wrong Way For Nationals  —  After Washington Takes Lead in Top of 11th, Griffey Hits Three-Run Homer in Bottom Half: Reds 5, Nationals 4  —  CINCINNATI, May 11 — It was the kind of swing that replays on television screens and in minds for the rest of the night …

How is youth being served?  —  A first-place team is sending Jose Lima to the mound tonight, and it is doing so with a straight face.  Injuries in the Mets' rotation have put them in a bind, and their solution somehow calls for the resurrection of Lima Time.  They are calling up minor leaguer Jeremi Gonzalez to start on Saturday.

Jeter gem is dagger  —  Diving play ends up costing Yanks  —  The somber tone in the Yankees clubhouse was attributable almost solely to the loss they suffered in their lineup for the rest of the summer more than it was to another loss on the scoreboard to the rival Red Sox.

Phils to take plunge with Hamels  —  The prized prospect will face the Reds tomorrow.  He is being called up after three starts at triple-A Scranton.  —  The Phillies could have kept Cole Hamels with triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre for a few more starts.  He could have picked up a little …

Friars open series in Chicago  —  San Diego (19-16) at Chicago (15-19) 11:20 a.m. PT  —  The Padres hit the road for nine games, taking their sparkling record in May with them.  —  First up on the trip are the Cubs at Wrigley Field, a team the Padres swept in a four-game series last week at PETCO Park.

For starting pitchers, 'off days' aren't what they seem  —  If all goes well, a starting pitcher will make an appearance for about two hours every five days.  —  He'll be in the spotlight, with his performance replayed, analyzed and packaged into the nightly recap shows.

M's down, but not out  —  TACOMA — The Rainiers clubhouse is cozy and crammed full Thursday afternoon.  Two players sit at a rickety table playing checkers.  Another microwaves instant noodles and eats them with a plastic fork.  —  This is not the big leagues, not The Show …

Diamondbacks Preview  —  Sorry if you experienced any problems accessing the site today — evidently the good folks at Savvis were having networking problems.  Whaddaya gonna do?  —  So, the entire top deck of the game on Wednesday was filled with kids.  School trips left and right …

Live Arm Puts Pelfrey on Mets' Fast Track  —  BINGHAMTON, N.Y., May 9 — Deep in the heart of the bushes, in upstate New York, a tall, lean young man in a Mets uniform stood on a pitcher's mound.  —  The ballpark was cozy, a third full with about 2,000 fans present on a pleasant Tuesday evening.

Dave Myers to Pilot 'Sox in '06  —  Everett - The Everett AquaSox announced today that Dave Myers will serve as field manager for the 2006 season.  Myers, who was with the AquaSox last season as a special assignment coach, fills the void created by the promotion of Jim Horner to manage …