Seven things must happen for path to postseason  —  The object, former Red Sox manager Jimy Williams was fond of saying, is to play in the cold twice: once in April and once in October.  —  The Red Sox have played pretty good baseball since April and, now, with summer settling in …

Tigers get schedule break in second half  —  A team-by-team preview of the second half of the season:  —  TEAM-BY-TEAM: National League outlook  —  BALTIMORE ORIOLES  —  •Schedule: Although Baltimore has little chance of winning the American League East, it will have a say in who wins the division.

Failure?  The Possibility Exists  —  It may be a fallacy, this notion that the Yankees have a mandate to win a championship every season.  For five years, they have not done it.  And what has changed?  —  Joe Torre is still the manager.  Brian Cashman is still the general manager.

This Rangers edition needs additions  —  It wasn't so much the moment when Michael Young drilled the triple into right-center field that would win the All-Star Game for the American League on Tuesday night.  —  It was a minute or two later when, the inning over, Young ran down the dugout steps …

Astros fire Gaetti, promote Berry from minors  —  HOUSTON (AP) — The Houston Astros shook up their slumping offense Wednesday night by firing hitting coach Gary Gaetti.  —  The Astros have the second-worst batting average in the National League and their run totals (408) ranks 23rd in the majors.

Ruined Friendship Could Imperil Bonds  —  The former best friend and business partner of Barry Bonds has told federal investigators that Bonds was a heavy steroids user and flew into "roid rages," his lawyer, Michael Cardoza, said yesterday.  —  The man, Steve K. Hoskins, 44, of Redwood City …

On Letterman, Mets' David has Wright stuff  —  David Wright became a baseball star in the first half of this season.  During the All-Star break he went supernova.  —  Wright capped his break, in which he finished second in the Home Run Derby, started in his first All-Star Game and hit …

Hot ticket sales — even for the Royals — greet 2nd half  —  DETROIT — Between the weather and Detroit's baseball team, it's hot out there, and hottest of all might be a Tigers ticket at Comerica Park.  —  Even as the challenged Kansas City Royals arrive for a four-game weekend series at Comerica …

Prospectus Notebook  —  Tigers, Nationals  —  DETROIT TIGERS  —  With rookie sensation Justin Verlander likely to set a career high in innings pitched this year, the Detroit Tigers know they need to do something to reduce his workload.  This is not 2003 with Jeremy Bonderman …

Big Hurt sues 2 of Sox's doctors  —  Claims foot fracture missed in diagnosis  —  Former White Sox slugger Frank Thomas alleges in a lawsuit he filed Wednesday that two of the team's doctors failed to detect he had broken his foot in 2004—an injury that subsequently led to his departure from Chicago.

Reds get Majewski, Bray, Clayton, Harris, Thompson from Nationals  —  Send Kearns, Lopez, Wagner to Washington in eight-player deal  —  CINCINNATI — The Cincinnati Reds today acquired from the Washington Nationals RHP Gary Majewski, LHP Bill Bray, SS Royce Clayton, IF Brendan Harris …

Empirical Analysis of Bunting  —  Baseball analysts have been near universal in their condemnation of the overuse of the sacrifice bunt.  While acknowledging it as the correct strategy in a small number of cases, most feel that any gain in moving players around the bases is more than offset by giving up an out, the "clock" in baseball.

Nationals acquire Austin Kearns, Felipe Lopez and Ryan Wagner as part of eight-player deal with Cincinnati  —  The Washington Nationals today acquired outfielder Austin Kearns, shortstop Felipe Lopez and right-handed pitcher Ryan Wagner from the Cincinnati Reds in exchange …

Wills advocates lost art  —  It is an old-time baseball staple that has become something of a lost art.  —  Of course, in today's modern game, there is good reason.  —  If chicks dig the long ball, they definitely don't dig the bunt.  —  Nothing glamorous about laying one down.

Roger Clemens Award Chat: July 12  —  Moderator: The four finalists for the Roger Clemens award, given to the top college pitcher in the country, will be available to answer questions beginning at 4 p.m. ET.  Ask your questions for Rice's Eddie Degerman, Washington's Tim Lincecum …

Reds Bloggers Roundtable (July 2006 edition) Part I  —  It's time once again for that most celebrated of blogging traditions, the Reds bloggers roundtable.  Eight of us got together in a virtual setting on Monday night, to discuss the state of the Reds.  The parts of the discussion …

TBS drops Braves games, joins Fox in rich TV deal  —  Last season Major League Baseball staged its lowest-rated All-Star Game, followed by its lowest-rated World Series, followed by lots of offseason publicity about its stars and steroids.  —  But hey, in the ever-splintering media world …

Your jersey is talking  —  Tuesday's All-Star Game in Pittsburgh allows for two rare happenings: actual baseball talent in Pittsburgh and a chance for fans of different major league teams to congregate since they last saw each other at Tampa-area strip clubs during spring training.