Mets smart to keep excitement  —  In the old days, there was a saying that went, "Home run hitters drive Cadillacs."  The current addendum to that goes something like this: Triples hitters buy big houses.  —  Jose Reyes, master of the triple and sparkplug of the Mets …

In weak, weak West, a wheezer can win  —  ARLINGTON - The easy thing to do is to bury the Rangers.  —  The hard thing is going to be to do it in the graveyard known as the American League West.  —  Teetering at the foot of the division crypt on Tuesday, having lost four straight …

No timetable set for Liriano's return  —  The rookie has a ligament strain and shoulder weakness, and the Twins won't let him pitch again until he is pain-free.  —  Twins pitcher Francisco Liriano will be out indefinitely because of a mild chronic strain of the ulnar collateral ligament …

Broom and gloom for Red Sox  —  Schilling cannot prevent a stunning sweep by the lowly Royals  —  KANSAS CITY, Mo. — In these downtrodden times, veterans and youngsters should stand in front of the mirror and ask, ``Am I doing enough to help this team win?

Spilborghs could return in center  —  Los Angeles - The Rockies have searched everywhere but Google for a center fielder.  —  The journey from the trade market to the waiver wire has led back to Triple-A Colorado Springs.  There are strong indications that Ryan Spilborghs will be promoted …

Lo Duca yet to catch up to '86 Mets  —  Did you read about Paul Lo Duca's divorce?  —  Did you also read he actually hit on a younger woman?  —  Mercy me.  What is this world coming to?  —  This is an unusual story, right?  Certainly worthy of page one placement, right?

Bad outing, more doubts  —  Prior's health an issue following 3-inning stint  —  MILWAUKEE — Questions about Mark Prior's health surfaced again Thursday after another shaky outing in an 8-6 loss to Milwaukee, but the answers were as elusive as Prior himself.

Marlins Feast On Nats' Relievers  —  Loss Is Fourth In Past 5 Games: Marlins 9, Nationals 6  —  This is supposed to be happening in New Orleans or Harrisburg or some other minor league hamlet where pitchers can implode and it is labeled part of the learning process, not a disaster.

Best-built benches  —  Now that the non-waiver trade deadline has passed and making a deal almost requires an Act of Congress, don't expect much roster makeover in the coming weeks.  The waiver process being what it is, it's unlikely many players of note will pass through and be subsequently traded elsewhere.

Dead money a burden to teams, players  —  The player's gone, the club is still paying him - and everyone feels like a loser  —  It seems like a dream scenario - getting paid millions of dollars to do nothing.  —  But the reality of "dead money" - salaries given to players no longer on a team …

Ringolsby: Girardi may be losing control in Florida  —  LOS ANGELES - Baseball had its first managerial change of the season this week.  —  But it doesn't count because nothing really changed.  —  Florida owner Jeffrey Loria fired manager Joe Girardi on Sunday afternoon …

BUM HEEL PUTS FLOYD BACK ON DL  —  MET NOTES  —  Cliff Floyd was placed on the disabled list yesterday for the second time this season, this time because of tendinitis in his left Achilles.  —  Floyd, who was supposed to visit a doctor yesterday, had only one at-bat and one inning …

Pirates Notebook: Interleague will be Central affair again, plus Seattle  —  By Dejan Kovacevic, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette  —  HOUSTON — In many of Major League Baseball's 30 markets, interleague play brings plenty of excitement for the public and the participants.

Eager Kazmir ready for normal workload  —  OAKLAND, Calif. - It has been 19 days since Scott Kazmir last pitched in a game, but it might as well be an eternity.  —  Kazmir returns to the mound for the Devil Rays tonight, having been sidelined by inflammation in his left shoulder, and he can't get there soon enough.