Reds swap Kearns to Nats for Clayton, pitchers  —  CINCINNATI — The Cincinnati Reds overhauled their rickety bullpen Thursday, getting Gary Majewski and Bill Bray in an eight-player trade that sent outfielder Austin Kearns and shortstop Felipe Lopez to the Washington Nationals.

Yankees add Ponson to help fill out rotation … Right-hander Sidney Ponson, who became a free agent when he was released by the St. Louis Cardinals, has reached agreement on a deal with the New York Yankees, ESPN.com has learned.  —  Ponson, 4-4 with a 5.24 ERA in 14 appearances with St. Louis this season …

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.

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 …

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 …

Cubs will not dismantle team with trades  —  Hendry isn't looking to dump players to prepare for 2007  —  CHICAGO — There will be no fire sale at Wrigley Field.  No white-flag deal.  —  The Chicago Cubs may be double-digits under .500, but general manager Jim Hendry said he won't be dumping players …

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.

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.

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 …