Bonilla backs Bonds  —  Longtime friend says boos at Shea won't upset Bonds  —  So the Barry Bonds Road Show comes to Shea Stadium tonight, and don't expect the Mets fans' reception to faze him.  So says a former Met who knows Bonds, and rude treatment in Flushing, about as well as anyone.

Giants put Matheny on disabled list  —  NEW YORK (AP) — Barry Bonds' first game in the Big Apple this season was washed out, but his San Francisco Giants were more concerned about their Gold Glove catcher.  —  The Giants put Mike Matheny on the 15-day disabled list Friday with a concussion …

Phils option struggling Floyd to Minors  —  Right-hander sent down to Triple-A, replaced by southpaw Brito  —  LOS ANGELES — Enough was enough.  —  Gavin Floyd's performance on Thursday was enough for the Phillies to option the struggling right-hander to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.

Rocket could put the Astros in the red  —  There's one obvious drawback to the Astros' re-signing of right-hander Roger Clemens for more than $12 million:  —  The team's 2006 payroll likely is at its limit.  —  The Astros were slightly over budget when they opened the season with $92.1 million payroll …

Future Shock  —  NL Draft Preview  —  Scouting Director: Mike Rizzo.  Rizzo is one of the senior scouting directors out there, having been in charge of the Arizona drafts since 2000.  His last three drafts have consistently been among the best in baseball.In 2003, he selected Conor Jackson …

Brewers make changes to roster  —  Eveland sent down to Triple-A following Friday's loss  —  MILWAUKEE — After Friday night's 10-4 loss to the Nationals, the Brewers made a series of roster moves.  —  Left-handed pitcher Dana Eveland was optioned to Nashville following his unimpressive performance.

Reitsma understands upset fans  —  Like most of us, Braves reliever Chris Reitsma would prefer not to take problems at the job home with him.  Lately, that hasn't been easy.  —  A few days ago, he was walking in his Newnan neighborhood with his two daughters, ages 4 and 2, who were on their bikes.

Dawn of the Dead  —  If we have learned anything from the past few seasons, it's that it's always too early to count a team out.  How many of us know-it-all instapundits believed the Astros were dead and buried last season when they began 15-30?  On June 15, Houston was 26-38.  And they weren't even a good 26-38.

Gagne returns to Dodgers; Kent goes on DL  —  LOS ANGELES — Infielder Jeff Kent went on the 15-day disabled list Thursday because of a sprained left wrist, becoming the latest in a series of Los Angeles Dodgers who have been hurt.  —  Kent's stint is retroactive to May 28 …

Rangers' aim in draft is bigger, younger  —  Time will tell if quality pitching staff will come of new draft philosophy  —  It sounds so simple: Draft talented pitchers, develop them in the minor league system and watch them become important major league arms.

EXPLORING THE ORIGINS OF THE DROPPED THIRD STRIKE RULE  —  One night last week, my girlfriend and I were watching a Yankee game when Alex Rodriguez struck out but reached first on a dropped third strike.  My girlfriend turned to me and asked me a question I had never before considered …

Lincicome: Revival due to more than church and stats  —  When, inevitably, the Rockies settle into their natural position as either footstool or doormat, somewhere down there at the bottom of things, the judgment will be that someone up there does not, after all, like them.