Rocket's reentry set for Houston  —  Boston can't make Clemens splash  —  TORONTO — The Red Sox' pitching rotation is no better now than it was early yesterday morning when Roger Clemens agreed to a prorated $22 million, one-year deal to rejoin the Houston Astros, but if there's …

Milledge shows off his arm  —  He got his first hit in his major-league debut on Tuesday night.  Last night, with his parents and two brothers in attendance, Lastings Milledge came up with two more firsts - one embarrassing the other exhilarating.  —  The outfield prodigy dropped …

Mussina Provides Some Relief for the Aching Yankees  —  DETROIT, May 31 — As rain pelted Comerica Park, Mike Mussina's body clock had already started.  He had thrown most of his warm-up pitches in the bullpen, and he figured he had only three hours before he would wear down.

Under The Knife  —  By June, Our Brook's Run Out of Song and Speed  —  June already?  Changing the calendar is usually a good time to look back and see if we learned anything from the previous month or whether an extra month gives us enough data to make bigger trends more apparent.

Cubs itching to play cast-free Lee  —  Derrek Lee finally is rid of the cast on his fractured right wrist, having it removed and the wrist X-rayed Wednesday at Northwestern Memorial Hospital.  For the first time since he was injured April 19 in Los Angeles, the Cubs first baseman can intensify his rehab.

Cubs look to Nevin for pop  —  After futilely searching for a power bat since Derrek Lee fractured his right wrist April 19 — and getting rebuffed at every turn — Cubs general manager Jim Hendry finally found a trading partner in Texas Rangers GM Jon Daniels.

Maroth to undergo elbow surgery  —  Lefty to have bone chips removed, could be out until late July  —  DETROIT — Mike Maroth will undergo arthroscopic surgery Friday to remove bone chips in his left elbow, dealing a major blow to the Tigers' rotation.  —  The bone chips were discovered …

American League All-Star picks  —  American League All-Star picks  —  This year's All-Star ballot, the paper one that they give out at every major league ballpark, has 240 names on it, with 240 red dots next to each.  The ballot begins, in the upper left-hand corner, with "J. Giambi YANKEES …

Gagne Ready for His Return  —  After the Dodgers' 9-3 loss to Atlanta in final game of trip, all eyes are on the team's closer, who will be in the bullpen tonight.  —  ATLANTA — The Dodgers finished a two-city trip with a one-sided defeat.  They flew all night and must drag themselves to work today to begin a homestand.

Escobar Signs Three-Year Extension  —  In spring training, Kelvim Escobar said, the Angels offered to extend his contract for two years and $15 million.  He turned them down and said he would pitch his way to a better deal.  —  He did.  After his performance in April and May convinced …

Ten Things About Los Angeles Baseball  —  The Dodgers and the Angels.  One team plays in Los Angeles, the other plays close enough for government work.  The one that actually plays in LA got its name from dodging trolleys in Brooklyn; the one that doesn't actually play in the city derived …

Rangers restore power at home  —  Home-run production had slipped, but club belts 16 in 10 games  —  ARLINGTON - The Rangers' 10-game homestand provided a much-needed power surge.  —  They arrived at home a week and a half ago in the middle of the pack in the league home run standings.

Next Peavy start in doubt due to shoulder concerns  —  Unless Jake Peavy wakes up this morning with his right shoulder feeling better than it has in three weeks, the Padres' ace right-hander likely will have his next start delayed by three days.  —  Instead of pitching as scheduled Saturday in Pittsburgh …