The Other Left Fielder at Shea  —  As a flood of reporters swarmed Lastings Milledge after the Mets' 13-inning victory Wednesday night, Cliff Floyd stood alone by his locker observing his latest pupil.  Milledge answered each question patiently (like Floyd), mixing self-deprecating humor …

Notes: Back spasms sideline Rivera  —  Torre hopes closer's injury doesn't linger  —  DETROIT — The Yankees' injury report got a little longer on Thursday, but New York is hoping that the newest name on the list won't be there for long.  —  Mariano Rivera experienced spasms in his lower …

From Way Out in Right Field  —  Yankees Fan Who Beat O's in Stands Could Join Them in Dugout  —  This is a story about fate, a story about a curse — if you care to believe in such things.  It is a story about coming to grips with them, and maybe, just maybe, reversing them.

Hey fake fans: Make like Damon and leave  —  They show up like every day is Christmas, and you know what that means: You just lost your seat at church.  You have shown up week after week, year after year, and now you have to stand behind the last pew because of some lady with an obnoxious pink hat.

Padres don't see trade imbalance  —  Bay's statistics better, but Giles leads in intangibles  —  PITTSBURGH - Any time the Padres and Pirates meet these days, subject one on the table is The Trade.  —  Sports talk shows in Pittsburgh were abuzz with the subject yesterday.

Smoltz set to face D-Backs  —  Arizona (31-22) at Atlanta (28-26), 7:35 p.m. ET  —  After dropping the first game of a four-game series with Arizona, Atlanta will look to get back on track and even the series as John Smoltz takes the mound on Friday night at Turner Field.

Prospectus Notebook  —  Rockies, Dodgers  —  COLORADO ROCKIES  —  Historically, the most significant problem in Rockies baseball is the lack of pitching talent.  The lineup has never really been as potent as it is believed to be—the 1995 playoff squad made it as far as it did on the strength …

Come July, Nationals Could Be a Top Seller  —  Over the next two months, fans will scan the baseball standings trying to figure out which teams are true playoff contenders and which are not.  Baseball executives are no different.  But depending on the day or the week, the health of one team or another …

Lords of the stance  —  Individuality proves it's not how you start, but how you finish  —  "The one unbreakable rule about hitting is this: If a batter hits well with his own particular stance and swing, think twice — or more — before suggesting a change."  — Stan Musial

Delgado slumping but won't shift blame  —  It almost seems unfair.  When Carlos Delgado steps into the batter's box and surveys the field in front of him, he probably feels as if someone has changed the rules in the middle of the game.  —  Nobody is standing within 20 feet of third base …

Asian-American group decries North remark  —  Mike North's detractors are split.  —  Many advocate ignoring the WSCR-AM 670 morning man, while others wish to see him reprimanded for the occasionally insensitive things that roll off his tongue.  —  North said something Tuesday that drew …

Rockies report, June 2  —  Scouting report: Florida Marlins  —  Series history: The Rockies lead the all-time series 62-59, including 40-20 in Denver and 34-14 at Coors Field.  The Rockies swept a three- game series April 28-30 at Florida for the first time.