Mets Fans Treat Piazza Like One of Their Own  —  Mike Piazza knew the ovation was coming, but he did not think it would be so intense.  There had been hints that Mets fans still missed him as he traipsed around Manhattan yesterday, and there were louder signals that they still adored him once …

Wallace Returns After Surgery  —  Resumes Duties As Pitching Coach  —  KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Dave Wallace was hoping he didn't have to make any trips to the mound Tuesday night, because it would mean the pitcher was struggling.  Yet it was a welcome sight to the Red Sox to see Wallace, a Waterbury native, make that familiar short walk.

Yankees Fall After Rivera Blows Save in 9th  —  Ten months later, the Yankees finally made it to Chicago.  They had packed their bags for a trip here last October, and even sent a pitcher ahead of the team.  The Yankees needed only to win the final game of their playoff series in Anaheim …

Girardi on market?  Cubs may sniff  —  MILWAUKEE — The aftershocks of Joe Girardi's reported dispute with Marlins owner Jeffrey Loria could be felt as far away as Chicago, where the Cubs have yet to decide whether to bring back manager Dusty Baker in 2007.

Fantasy leagues can use baseball stats  —  A federal magistrate judge ruled Tuesday that the names and statistics of Major League Baseball players are part of the public domain and can be used at no cost by fantasy sports game operators.  —  ON DEADLINE: What's your take on fantasy stats being of public domain?

Reds acquire Todd Hollandsworth from Indians  —  Send player to be named or cash to Cleveland  —  CINCINNATI — The Reds today acquired from the Cleveland Indians veteran OF Todd Hollandsworth in exchange for a player to be named later or cash.  —  To make room for Hollandsworth on the 40-man roster …

Reds Mulling Action On Majewski's Injury  —  One day after placing reliever Gary Majewski on the disabled list with a sore shoulder, Cincinnati Reds General Manager Wayne Krivsky continued to explore possible recourse for the fact Majewski apparently was injured at the time of the July 13 trade …

Edmonds says he's 'in limbo'  —  CINCINNATI — Cardinals center fielder Jim Edmonds insists he will play next season but says he has resigned himself to the probability that it will be in a different uniform.  —  His playing time diminished against lefthanded pitching …

AWOL HoJo puts Norfolk job in jeopardy  —  Howard Johnson's days with the Mets look numbered.  Sources say the Triple-A hitting coach was denied permission to attend his son Glen's competition in a Wilmington, N.C., tournament for rising high school seniors that's heavily scouted by major-league teams.

Gammons back at the ballfield  —  ESPN baseball analyst and Hall of Fame baseball writer Peter Gammons saw his first live baseball game in quite a while yesterday, taking in a few innings of Game 1 of the Cape League's West Division playoffs at Lowell Park.  —  Gammons, a huge fan of the Cape League …

No Bang Off the Bench?  —  A Closer Look at Pinch Hitting  —  A strong bench would seem to be one of those indispensable elements of a successful team.  After all, if you need to generate some offense late in a game, you need players on the bench you can count on.

Straw, Mets spar over $  —  NEW YORK — Darryl Strawberry and the Mets are no longer on speaking terms, because of a dispute over payment of his deferred salaries, according to a person familiar with the situation.  A recent break-off in negotiations led to Strawberry's decision to boycott the 1986 reunion at Shea Stadium on Aug. 19.

Astros RHP Hirsh to make much-anticipated debut Saturday  —  HOUSTON (Ticker) - The Houston Astros' season has not been pretty to this point, but the future should be getting brighter real soon.  —  The Astros are expected to recall top pitching prospect Jason Hirsh to make his major league debut Saturday against the San Diego Padres.

Cabrera controls Jays in O's win … TORONTO // He threw strikes, spotting his fastball and his curveball with pinpoint precision.  He was frequently dominant yet never wild.  And yes, Daniel Cabrera could have even been described as economical.  —  His first appearance after a 3 1/2 -week demotion …