Milledge trying to last as long as he can  —  Dazzling Mets rookie could be headed back to Minors soon  —  PHOENIX — There's a fun story behind the strange first name of Lastings Milledge, that energetic and enthusiastic rookie outfielder who has burst on the scene for the Mets over the last few weeks.

Yanks' Pregame Huddle Doesn't Prevent Sweep  —  This time, it could be said without exaggeration.  All of the Yankees really were in the trainer's room before yesterday's game.  —  They were not all there for treatment, though plenty are still hurt.  They gathered for a team meeting at noon …

Corps providing little relief  —  It's very easy to understand the problem with the Red Sox bullpen.  It's inconsistent.  And the issues were never more evident than in yesterday's doubleheader against the Texas Rangers.  —  From the 3 2/3 scoreless innings in relief of Josh Beckett …

Guillen Returns, Hill Stops Phillies  —  Long after the Washington Nationals closed out a 6-0 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies yesterday afternoon, thousands of fans milled around the field at RFK Stadium, asking questions of and receiving autographs from the men who are, somehow, on as good a roll as any team in baseball.

Billingsley Appears Close to Debut  —  DENVER — Next up in the kid queue: Chad Billingsley.  —  The Dodgers are engaged in serious discussions about promoting the hard-throwing right-handed pitcher to make his debut either Thursday against the San Diego Padres or Friday against the Oakland Athletics, a high-level source said.

Royals turn bizarre triple play  —  Unconventional feat KC's first in over a decade  —  KANSAS CITY — The Royals' first triple play since April 3, 1996, was certainly unconventional.  —  "I've never seen any triple play quite like that," manager Buddy Bell said.  —  Here's how it happened:

Clemens enjoys smooth sailing in Corpus  —  6 shutout innings thrill record crowd for Class AA team  —  CORPUS CHRISTI - They packed into every inch of Whataburger Field on Sunday night, lured by the opportunity to see Roger Clemens pitch at one of the most picturesque Class AA stadiums in America.

HE'S NO LONGER GOING, GOING, GONZO  —  June 12, 2006 — FRIDAY on SNY, as the D-Backs' Luis Gonzalez batted, Howie Rose noted that Gonzalez was nearing 160 consecutive at-bats without homering.  Then, in a flat, non-judgmental tone, Rose added that Gonzalez, who has five home runs this season, in 2001, hit 57.

Under The Knife  —  Heads Will Roll  —  The Jason Grimsley case continues to percolate.  Behind the scenes, the owners and Players Association are prepping for a fight over the retiring Grimsley's pay and the likely 80-game penalty that will be levied against him.

Pedro not fully sound  —  PHOENIX - Lost amid yesterday's double-digit blowout was that Pedro Martinez has not been himself lately, and his five-inning exit had more to do with health concerns than the Mets initially let on.  —  Martinez (6-2) allowed five hits and one run …

Zany reliever who set World Series record dead at 70  —  Moe Drabowsky, the prankster pitcher who delighted in putting pythons in teammates' shoes and wound up as a World Series star for the Baltimore Orioles when they won their first championship in 1966, is dead.  He was 70.

Evolving Draft Strategies  —  Last Tuesday, 1,502 young ballplayers were selected in Major League Baseball's first-year player draft.  A few talented guys will move quickly through farm systems and contribute to a major league team as soon as next year.  Many more will spend …

Time may be up for Ortiz  —  Jason Grimsley might not be the only pitcher who gets his contract terminated by the Diamondbacks today.  —  If Russ Ortiz isn't careful, the same fate may await him.  The difference is, the Diamondbacks know they'll have to pay Ortiz - in one form or another.