Latest blow may be the lowest of all  —  How could it get worse?  —  Here's how it could get worse.  The Red Sox can't hold a 5-3 lead entering the eighth.  Derek Jeter fists a two-out game-tying single to right in the ninth.  The Red Sox can't score after getting the first two men on in the ninth.

Cook can relate to Glavine's situation  —  New York - The news greeted Rockies pitcher Aaron Cook like a punch in the face.  Suddenly, his deepest concerns weren't about a bad pitch, but taking his last breath.  Two years ago this month, Cook nearly died on the mound from blood clots in both lungs.

Rangers' bullpen depleted  —  DETROIT — While the Rangers were thrilled with three victories in four games against the Tigers, their pitching staff has been taxed.  —  Ron Mahay has pitched the past two days, and Akinori Otsuka has pitched three straight days.

Duque delivers, Mets sweep  —  Orlando Hernandez felt sore while warming up yesterday, so the Mets dispatched Darren Oliver to the bullpen in case they were about to lose yet another starting pitcher.  —  In the end, however, not only did Hernandez take the mound at Shea …

Nats' Late Rally Falls Just Short  —  The last several innings of the Washington Nationals' nearly unwatchable 12-10 loss to the Philadelphia Phillies were just intriguing enough to force the simple question, based on an elementary move in which one man replaced another in the lineup.

Braves question LaRoche's bunt, thinking  —  Miami — Adam LaRoche surprised everyone in the Braves dugout when he bunted in the ninth inning Sunday — and this wasn't a pleasant sort of surprise.  —  With runners at first and second, none out, and the Braves trailing by one run …

Reply to where Perez is playing: Detroit  —  The oft-asked question—"Why is Neifi playing today?"—finally was answered Sunday when the Cubs dealt Neifi Perez to Detroit for a low-level catching prospect.  —  The Tigers, who had been seeking help at second base since Placido Polanco separated …

Future Shock  —  A couple of pieces of housekeeping before we get going;  —  Numero Uno.  I will be taking an oh-so brief vacation this week, but will return at the end of the week, so no crying.  There's no crying in baseball (prospectus).  —  Numero Dos.

From Out of Left Field, A Lifesaver for Yanks  —  When they first worked out Melky Cabrera, the Yankees wasted no time signing him.  It was the fall of 2001, and Cabrera was 17 years old.  The Yankees invited him to their academy in the Dominican Republic, knowing another team would watch him the next day.

Only 100 at-bats?  Lee would go batty  —  Derrek Lee could have called it a season and rested his right wrist for next year, but he doesn't want to sit if he still has a chance to play.  What does Lee hope to accomplish by coming back for the final month of meaningless games?

OMAR GETS MOTA; GREEN MAY BE NEXT  —  While Omar Minaya added another power bullpen arm, yesterday, trading for the Indians' Guillermo Mota, the Mets' GM has also made progress in importing Shawn Green from Arizona to play right field, The Post has learned.  —  Green has decided to waive …

Barrett still feeling effects of home-plate collision  —  A collision at home plate Friday between Cubs catcher Michael Barrett and St. Louis Cardinals shortstop David Eckstein has had a lingering impact for both clubs.  —  Both players didn't start the games Saturday and Sunday in the wake of the third-inning collision.