Sorry Sidney serves 'em up  —  Pen no help as Jays nip 5 homers  —  TORONTO - It would be hard to blame this one on Alex Rodriguez.  —  Not when Sidney Ponson got blasted over 2-1/3 innings.  Not when Kris Wilson was nearly as bad as Ponson.  Not when Vernon Wells did his best to put a hole in the …

Pedro starts day with cheer  —  Pedro Martinez bounded into the Met clubhouse yesterday morning with a wide grin and greetings for teammates, reporters and everyone else inside.  —  "Happy morning, everyone," Martinez exclaimed.  His buoyancy was the first sign that he was OK after Saturday's 80-pitch throwing session.

Paul's rule of thumb: play hurt  —  While Paul Lo Duca thinks he may have a broken bone or an injured ligament in the hand he slips into his catcher's mitt, he has no intention of finding out exactly what the problem is anytime soon.  —  "It doesn't matter," Lo Duca said.

Widger dumped, Alomar returns as No. 2 catcher  —  Another of the key clubhouse components of the White Sox's 2005 World Series team, backup catcher Chris Widger, was designated for assignment Sunday and replaced by a very familiar face.  —  Sandy Alomar Jr., obtained from the Dodgers …

Sox can't get handle on Seattle  —  SEATTLE — Manny Ramírez may have done the smartest thing any Red Sox outfielder did yesterday afternoon when he took advantage of a break in the action in the sixth inning — reliever Craig Hansen was trotting in to pitch — to grab a seat in the Sox bullpen.

Delgado slump is long gone  —  Before the Mets started getting sloppy yesterday, Carlos Delgado got the day off to a rousing start, offering further proof he finally is in the midst of a trademark power surge.  Delgado homered for the third time in four games, a three-run blast in the first inning.

Padres-Dodgers Preview  —  The San Diego Padres are in first place in the NL West, but they have been struggling since the All-Star break.  They will face the worst team since the break Monday when they open a three-game series against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium.

Just win, baby  —  Like Valenzuela, Weaver wins first seven starts  —  KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Even without his best stuff, Jered Weaver won again.  —  Struggling early with his breaking ball, the 6-foot-7 right-hander still became the first rookie in 25 years to win his first seven starts Sunday …

Girardi: Willis won't be traded  —  MIAMI GARDENS - Expect pitcher Dontrelle Willis to finish the season with the Marlins, and expect his teammates to stick around all year, too.  —  "I really believe we're done trading for the year unless something happens in the off-season," …

Nats Win, Soriano Watch Escalates  —  Kasten Weighs In On Slugger's Status : Nationals 7, Cubs 1  —  He draws the loudest cheers, hits the longest home runs, smiles the brightest smile.  When Alfonso Soriano launched a ball deep toward left field yesterday at RFK Stadium …

Johjima's Play Bridges the Communication Gap  —  When he was signed by the Seattle Mariners to a three-year contract for $16.5 million before this season, the concern about Kenji Johjima was whether he could communicate with the pitchers as the first Japanese catcher in the major leagues.

Showalter hospitalized for dehydration  —  Rangers manager misses Sunday's loss to White Sox  —  CHICAGO - Rangers manager Buck Showalter missed Sunday's game while being treated at a Chicago hospital for dehydration symptoms.  —  Showalter, 50, said he felt a fluttery heart Sunday morning …

Pirates Notebook: Littlefield expects more than one trade  —  MIAMI — Pirates general manager Dave Littlefield expressed confidence that he will make more than one deal before the July 31 non-waiver trading deadline, reiterating that his counterparts covet the veterans he is offering.

No storybook ending for folk hero Fasano  —  Backup catcher Sal Fasano's magical ride in Philadelphia has come to an end as the Phils designate the 34-year old journeyman for assignment.  —  Fasano became the first player since Rollie Fingers to gain recognition for ironic facial hair.

Zaun tells his side of Hillenbrand saga  —  Comments by former teammate prompt catcher's response  —  TORONTO — Gregg Zaun didn't want to get involved.  When he was approached in Toronto's clubhouse on Wednesday night and asked about Shea Hillenbrand, the typically vocal catcher decided he didn't want to comment on the situation.