Quentin hits 1st homer; Bonds hits No. 722  —  Barry Bonds moved within 33 home runs of career leader Hank Aaron and left the ballpark without talking to the media.  Carlos Quentin moved within 754 of Aaron and was talking up a storm.  —  Bonds hit his 722nd career home run hours …

E-Rod here to stay  —  After another Alex error, Jays smack Mo, Yanks in 11  —  TORONTO - Not long after watching the unlikeliest of endings, Alex Rodriguez stood in front of his locker and answered what ought to be the unlikeliest of questions.  —  Across the room, Mariano Rivera …

'It was either him or me'  —  Jays manager challenged Hillenbrand to a fight  —  TORONTO (AP) — After Shea Hillenbrand wrote on the clubhouse bulletin board that the "ship was sinking," Toronto Blue Jays manager John Gibbons challenged him to a fight.  —  There was no brawl …

Guillen's Trade Value Takes a Hit  —  Elbow Soreness Sends Right Fielder to the DL  —  MIAMI, July 20 — Washington Nationals right fielder Jose Guillen was placed on the disabled list Thursday with an elbow injury that could cost him the rest of the season, and General Manager Jim Bowden spent part …

Braves trade for closer Wickman  —  Minor league catcher Ramirez sent to Indians  —  The resurgent Braves were off Thursday but stayed busy, filling their most glaring need by trading for veteran Cleveland Indians closer Bob Wickman in a deal that cost Atlanta only a low-level minor league catching prospect …

Nationals unveil RFK changes  —  Fans for weekend series will get red-carpet treatment  —  WASHINGTON — Trying to spread the word about the "Grand Re-opening" of Robert F. Kennedy Stadium, the Washington Nationals hosted roughly 30 members of the media as they offered a tour around their newly improved ballpark.

Abreu trade unlikely  —  CINCINNATI - While industry buzz was that the Mets and Phillies were engaged in talks that would include a Bobby Abreu-for-Lastings Milledge swap, Mets insiders said yesterday that deal seemed unlikely.  —  Still, Mets GM Omar Minaya has shown a willingness in the past to trade away top prospects.

Endy extra good!  —  Double in 10th lifts Mets  —  CINCINNATI - Some fast thinking by Endy Chavez helped cap the Mets' successful road trip with a victory.  —  Chavez, facing Gary Majewski in the 10th inning yesterday, knew his former Expos and Nationals teammate's propensity for high-octane fastballs.

From worst...to first: Making the most of empty seats at a Marlins game  —  "Blue seats," my editor says.  "That's the challenge."  —  The glee in his voice is usually reserved for assignments such as asking five "wacky questions" of Barry Bonds, but I'm calling his bluff.

Going to bat for housing  —  Ex-Met Vaughn a developer  —  Mo Vaughn, who struck out as a New York Met, is hoping to be a bigger hit now for the city.  —  The hulking first baseman, who retired from baseball because of a wrecked knee, is fixing up run-down low-income housing as his second career.

TBS may pitch to Costas  —  Could the arrival of a new player - Turner Broadcasting System (TBS) - on Major League Baseball's national TV landscape signal the return of Bob (Rapping Roberto) Costas, one of the game's marquee play-by-play practitioners, to the broadcast booth?

Notebook: Mets check out Batista, Cruz  —  The New York Mets have scouted the starts by Miguel Batista and Juan Cruz the last two days amid reports they were looking for more pitching for the stretch run, and the teams have had preliminary conversations about a possible deadline trade.

Lines remain open, but no urgent need to deal  —  CINCINNATI — Pedro Martinez is a week away from rejoining the rotation, rookie Mike Pelfrey continues to impress and the Mets have scored the most runs in the National League.  —  For all those reasons, the front office is not overly anxious …

Pirates Notebook: Randa not entirely without destinations  —  MIAMI — Joe Randa is skeptical he will be traded, no matter how hard the Pirates try.  —  And he has cause: There is not much demand for third basemen around Major League Baseball as the July 31 trading deadline nears.

Prospectus Q&A  —  Tom House … Baseball Prospectus: You last spoke to BP a couple of years ago.  Just to get started, what's new at NPA since then?  —  Tom House: Probably our relationship with Titleist golf.  They have 30,000 golfers in the computer with the same technology we have …

Connecting on all fronts  —  Zambrano's pitching, rare back-to-back homers ignite win  —  For those still counting and for those who believe it matters, the Cubs have won eight of their last 14 games.  —  What really matters is that Carlos Zambrano has four of those eight victories during a career-high seven-game winning streak.

Moehler's return will create jam in rotation  —  MIAMI GARDENS — A decision about the starting rotation is looming for manager Joe Girardi.  —  With injured starting pitcher Brian Moehler expected back by July 30, Girardi will have to pick between putting Moehler back in the rotation or sending him to the bullpen.

Cards Minor League Report: Memphis Blues  —  Searching for ways to spur a club that has struggled by way of an overtly inactive offense and an overactive roster, Class AAA Memphis manager Danny Sheaffer has convened his coaches to brainstorm approaches.  —  They tried guys in unexpected spots in the lineup.