New life in this old rivalry  —  It's been a long time since the Tigers and Red Sox were contenders in the same summer.  That's why this mid-August clash of American League charter members easily holds our attention as we await the arrival of You Know Who Friday.

Ortiz and Nationals Battered by Braves  —  Washington Nationals Manager Frank Robinson would've liked to have sat back in the dugout last night at RFK Stadium, set aside the mounting concerns about his last-place team and admired another outstanding effort by Ramon Ortiz, his most reliable starting pitcher of late.

Castilla back with Rockies  —  Original Rockie signs minor league deal, will end career here  —  For all practical purposes, Vinny Castilla said, his big league career began with the Rockies.  —  It is going to end with the Rockies, too.  —  Castilla, whom the Rockies took from the Atlanta Braves …

Even Near-Miss Hits the Spot for the Yankees  —  The record will show that Alex Rodriguez came through when the Yankees needed him last night, driving in the go-ahead run with a bases-loaded sacrifice fly in the seventh inning.  Yet the moment left Rodriguez and the crowd craving more.

Martínez Is Hurt and Then Routed  —  After missing nearly a month with a hip injury, Pedro Martínez had again become a master of reinvention for the Mets, using his cunning and guile to replace the speed lost on his fastball.  —  But he will be 35 in October and, like an old house …

Nationals Try To Toss Aside Controversy  —  The day after a pair of chair-slamming incidents, the Washington Nationals clubhouse was quiet again yesterday at RFK Stadium.  —  Catcher Brian Schneider, who got upset with reporters before storming off after Sunday's 3-1 loss to the Mets …

With faith in friends' approach, DeRosa emerges as a hitter  —  ARLINGTON - Mark DeRosa's cellphone buzzed Saturday with a familiar voice:  —  "I don't even feel like I know you anymore," old teammate and friend Chipper Jones said.  "Who are you?"  —  Good question.

Hairston keeps positive outlook despite lack of playing time  —  ARLINGTON — Before he was traded to the Rangers on May 31, Jerry Hairston Jr. had played in 682 career games and had started 592 of those.  —  With the Rangers, he's an afterthought — valuable because of his experience and talent …

S. Florida may need to bid farewell to Loria  —  Jeffrey Loria is at it again.  —  The Florida Marlins owner has proved adept at embarrassing himself and the game of baseball, but his latest misstep is an uncharacteristic one.  As you may have heard, Loria was reportedly a hairsbreadth …

Prospectus Matchups  —  The Loneliness Factor  —  Biggest Mismatchup (opponents with greatest difference in Prospectus Hit List rankings): Kansas City Royals (30th) @ Chicago White Sox (4th)  —  Can I get an amen on something here?  Are you as sick to death as I am of hearing the following bulls**t …

Rodriguez Says Injuries Led to Change in His Mechanics  —  The important thing, Alex Rodriguez says, is that he is healthy now and has been for a while.  —  "Let's put it this way: For the last three or four weeks, I feel 100 percent," Rodriguez said yesterday.  "I feel good to play that way.

Notes: Frandsen recalled  —  Utility infielder takes roster spot of departing Vizcaino  —  SAN DIEGO — You know a ballplayer is a "gamer" when he shows up in the clubhouse smiling despite a still-healing scratch on his face and swollen left cheek and jaw from being hit by a 90-something-mph pitch only the night before.

Esprit de clubhouse  —  Current Mets laud title team for camaraderie; choirboys need not apply  —  The 1986 World Series was referred to in Boston and Queens as George Steinbrenner's worst nightmare.  At least one of the Yankees, however, couldn't help but appreciate what was going on across town during that magical season.

For Drew, It's a Living With Very Little Life  —  The other day, J.D. Drew singled in the first inning, and while that should've been enough to stop the game and award him the ball, he drove in a run.  —  And I swore, as Drew rounded first base and came to a stop, I saw him clap both hands together almost as if he were excited.

Hit List Factor Trend Comment  —  Hold That, Tiger: after running their AL Central lead to double digits, the Tigers drop five in a row to the Twins and White Sox—the latter a sweep—to put the division back into play.  But even the new ELO-adjusted version of our Postseason Odds …

Who or what is really to blame for Ameriquest Field being a hitter's paradise?  —  Until a certain wide receiver landed in the area, the resident media whipping boy was a poor, beleaguered figure known as Ameriquest Field.  —  The Rangers play in one of the nicest parks in Major League Baseball …

Betemit's Full-Time Work Is Exemplary  —  So this is what Wilson Betemit can do as an everyday player.  —  Stuck behind Chipper Jones and Rafael Furcal for years in the Atlanta Braves system, Betemit has blossomed given regular playing time with the Dodgers.