Sox flex their muscles in Miami  —  Ramírez, Ortiz provide power in rout of Marlins  —  MIAMI — Dolphin Stadium, which by name alone reminds the Marlins of their secondary status here to the football team, is not exactly waterfront property.  It's almost as close to the Everglades as it is to the Atlantic Ocean.

International Signing Season Set To Open  —  As the July 2 start date for international free agent signings approached, word continued to spread through the scouting community that clubs were ready to spend significant amounts once again in Latin America for premium talent.

Don't sell farm for one plum  —  Seattle - They are delightful delusions of supremacy.  —  For the better part of a decade, Rockies fans have watched their team struggle to be competitive.  Now, with their team panting down first-place San Diego's neck, they want upgrades.

Giants-Padres Preview  —  The San Diego Padres think that starter Chris Young deserves a spot on the All-Star team.  The way he's been pitching, he just might end up there.  —  Young tries for his fifth straight victory when the Padres wrap up a four-game series with the San Francisco Giants Sunday at Petco Park.

First half of season 'fun' for rookie upstart Kinsler  —  ARLINGTON — Rangers second baseman Ian Kinsler wrapped up the first half of his rookie season Saturday.  Aside from the dislocated thumb that put him on the disabled list for six weeks, he couldn't complain about his year to date.

Tough loss to KC may spur shake-up  —  The "we're-still-in-first-place" Cardinals encountered another (false) bottom Saturday night against the going-nowhere Kansas City Royals.  —  What might have passed for inspiration instead became another installment of a division leader's six-week slide.

Tomorrow's All-Stars, Today  —  I've been watching shop.mlb.com for the past week or so, because they always tend to jump the gun on upcoming sales items (who could forget this little nugget of goodness):  —  (and if you really believe the MLB bulls**t that this was actually a "hoax" you need your head examined)

Do you hate this man?  —  Seems like everybody despises A-Rod  —  Is Alex Rodriguez the most-hated man in sports?  —  Short answer: No way.  Not when Barry Bonds and Terrell Owens and Kobe Bryant and Isiah Thomas are still masquerading on courts and fields wearing their own personal costumes of evil.

Meeting of the minds  —  When Twins lefthander Johan Santana pitches, hitters usually are in for a rough day.  The 2004 A.L. Cy Young Award winner and last year's major league strikeouts leader is on pace for another big season.  —  On June 13 at the Metrodome, Santana matched …

Gagne Sure He'll Return  —  The Dodgers and Eric Gagne were not on the same page Saturday, such as when Manager Grady Little told reporters that the club was uncertain of Gagne's whereabouts although, unbeknown to Little, Gagne had slipped into the clubhouse.

Baker's time getting short in already long season  —  Ozzie Guillen blustered on May 21 when the White Sox and Cubs last met that pitcher Rich Hill was going to get Dusty Baker fired.  Ozzie left out quite a few names in that assessment, although he was quite perceptive in seeing that Baker's job status was teetering clear back then.