Rotation options dwindling  —  The Mets, desperate for pitching help, are discovering that the price of upgrading their rotation will be steep.  First the Marlins asked for David Wright in a swap for Dontrelle Willis.  And if the Mets want Livan Hernandez, the Nationals say it will cost them Lastings Milledge.

Sox get their fill in opener  —  Boston blasts off with three homers in Philadelphia  —  PHILADELPHIA — As David Ortiz tells it, two of the little guys in the Red Sox dugout, Alex Cora and Alex Gonzalez, were pondering the magnitude of Ortiz's home run last night into the second deck of Citizens Bank Park …

For Mets, a Perfect Ninth  —  Every Mets pitcher who faced the Yankees last night was better than the last.  Jeremi González was overmatched.  Darren Oliver was adequate.  Aaron Heilman was dazzling.  Billy Wagner was untouchable.  —  Wagner trotted in to his theme music …

Yanks add injuries to injuries  —  If you're scoring at home, three more key Yankees - Jorge Posada, Bernie Williams and Kyle Farnsworth - trudged out of last night's 7-6 loss to the Mets with injuries that bear watching.  —  The most notable casualty appears be Posada …

Bench time long overdue for Rays' Evers  —  ST. PETERSBURG - Chances are, you won't even notice.  —  The game will look the same, the noise will sound familiar.  The lineup will be similar and, yes, there is a good chance the Devil Rays will lose.  —  All will be as it should be, except for one seat in the first-base dugout.

Dodgers post LA-record 25 hits in win  —  Ethier's five hits lead 16-run offensive attack vs. Angels  —  LOS ANGELES — They batted seventh and eighth in the Dodgers lineup Friday night, but rookies Andre Ethier and Russell Martin were right in the middle of the team's biggest offensive barrage …

Notes: Danks has sore pitching arm  —  Young has dominated in Interleague games  —  HOUSTON — The Rangers are sending pitcher John Danks to be examined by Dr. Keith Meister, the team physician, because of soreness in the left elbow/forearm area.  —  Danks, the Rangers No. 1 draft pick in 2003 …

Subpar Class Brings Memories Of 2000 Draft  —  Matt LaPorta led NCAA Division I in home runs in 2005.  This year, the Florida junior strained a muscle in his side sneezing, then aggravated the injury on a swing.  He was hitting .247 with 14 homers and only one double.

A's silence Bonds and Giants  —  Oakland two-hits S.F.; Street fans slugger for last out  —  OAKLAND, Calif. - Playing designated hitter made no difference for Barry Bonds.  —  At least not in his pursuit of Babe Ruth.  —  Bonds' homerless streak extended to nine games …

Hermida needs more at-bats before return  —  · Jeremy Hermida isn't ready yet.  —  Recovering from a strained hip flexor, Hermida this week has played in four rehab games between extended spring training and Class A Jupiter.  The Marlins opted to give him at least one more Friday.

Second-fiddle Spiezio is first-rate  —  Scott Spiezio had to admit he was a little disappointed to see he was in the lineup Thursday against the New York Mets.  It meant Albert Pujols wasn't playing.  —  "Even if I get to play," Spiezio said, "it's a little bit of a letdown because you want to go out and see him hit a home run.

Handicapping the next Subway Series Fall Classic  —  For fun, let say the Yankees and Mets get to the World Series.  What would it be like?  Peter Abraham gazed into his crystal ball and here is what he came up with  —  Oct. 21, Game One  —  We're live at Yankee Stadium.

Rogers, Tigers On Top After 40  —  Kenny Rogers became the major leagues' first seven-game winner and the Tigers won their seventh straight game Thursday, beating the Minnesota Twins 5-3 to complete a three-game sweep in Detroit.  —  Rogers (7-2, 2.91 ERA) allowed five hits and two runs …

Notes: Guillen avoids DL time  —  Right fielder available to pinch-hit while hamstring heals  —  WASHINGTON — It looks like Nationals right fielder Jose Guillen will not be going on the disabled list after all.  Two days after suffering a right hamstring strain against the Cubs …

Baker doubts Sox see Cubs as comedy  —  Cubs manager Dusty Baker was asked Thursday about a Sun-Times report last weekend that some White Sox players made fun of the struggling Cubs in the visiting clubhouse in Minneapolis while watching them fumble away another game to the San Diego Padres.