Order Is Restored: Yankees First, Red Sox Second  —  There are stretches when all the world seems pinstriped, and the Yankees are in one now.  They moved into first place in the American League East last night by beating the Toronto Blue Jays, 5-1, finding an invigorating way to cap three blissful days.

Report: Varitek to have surgery on injured knee  —  BOSTON — Boston Red Sox catcher Jason Varitek will have arthroscopic surgery for cartilage damage in the left knee he injured in Monday night's game, The Boston Globe reported.  —  The club gave no indication Monday how long Varitek …

Sanchez's injury was devastating for Mets  —  If you're a really optimistic person, then you say Duaner Sanchez's timing could've been worse.  At least his stunning shoulder injury, suffered in a taxicab crash early yesterday morning, occurred hours before the trading deadline rather than right after it.

So, what's the big deal?  —  Our crack staff of pixies, leprechauns, two really obnoxious gargoyles and an actual ogre has been hard at work trying to sift through the trading deadline haze to make big, bold assumptions about what took place.  —  Here's what we've got:  —  • The Rangers made "chicken soup" trades.

Familiar Faces Lift Nationals Past S.F.  —  After Deadline, Team Makes Do: Nationals 4, Giants 1  —  Livan Hernandez used to do this all the time.  He pitched seven innings every time out, baffled batters with his ridiculously slow curveball, shrugged his shoulders as he walked off the mound, as if to say, "Hit that!"

First pitch, August 2  —  HUMIDOR, CONTINUED  —  Former Rockies third baseman Jeff Cirillo, now with Milwaukee, is complaining about the baseballs stored in the humidor at Coors Field, saying they are "mushy."  Brewers manager Ned Yost isn't buying Cirillo's conspiracy theory …

Ortiz goes on Foxx hunt: Wants to know who he's chasing  —  It has become a disturbing trend in sports: Modern-day athletes not only are ignorant of the history of their sport, but they seem almost blissfully ignorant.  —  Not only are they unfamiliar with those who came before them, they simply don't care.

Liriano scratched from start with pain  —  Left-hander taking precautionary measures  —  MINNEAPOLIS — The Minnesota Twins are scratching pitcher Francisco Liriano from Wednesday's start against the Rangers because of discomfort in his left forearm.  The decision was made after Liriano threw …

Duaner Sanchez's night of terror  —  Police say taxi was broadsided & bounced off a concrete barrier  —  Shortly after checking into his team's Florida hotel late Sunday night, Mets setup man Duaner Sanchez showered and told his younger brother that he was hungry.

McClatchy: Savings from trades will go back into team  —  By Dejan Kovacevic, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette  —  The Pirates' ownership will take the money saved by the four trades Monday and reallocate it to general manager Dave Littlefield's budget for 2007, managing general partner Kevin McClatchy said last night.

Injuries made Stocker's career come up short after Abreu deal  —  It appeared to be just another innocuous baseball trade.  —  On Nov. 18, 1997, the Phillies, coming off a 68-94 season, dealt shortstop Kevin Stocker to Tampa Bay for Bobby Abreu, the Houston Astros outfielder the Devil Rays …

D-Backs fall to homer-happy Cubs  —  Chicago uses four long balls on way to victory  —  CHICAGO — The wind was blowing out for a second straight night at Wrigley Field, but this time it brought ill tidings for the Diamondbacks.  —  One night after setting a club record with six homers …

Ramirez outta here?  —  Internet report suggests he could opt out of contract  —  The Cubs weren't worried about an Internet report that said the organization has received "indications" Aramis Ramirez will opt to become a free agent in November, though the possibility exists Ramirez could leave.