Once again, life is good at Shea  —  After two rough weeks, nothing but good news for the Mets  —  NEW YORK — Willie Randolph has taught his first two Mets teams not to fret, not to sweat the small stuff — or the big stuff — if any of it is beyond their control.

Squandered Opportunities Cost Yankees  —  Joe Torre did not say it to his players because he did not feel he had to.  Three thousand miles and one day removed from completing a five-game sweep of the Red Sox at Fenway Park, Torre expected his tired Yankee team to understand the sweep …

A bad deal for Sox: Front office caught in a mess with trade for Lopez  —  ANAHEIM, Calif. - Now, somewhat astonishingly, this is not solely about the deals that Red Sox officials failed to make at the annual trading deadline.  It is also about a trade the Sox did make that has blown up in their face like a trick cigar.

Phillies CF Rowand could miss rest of the year with broken ankle  —  CHICAGO (AP) — Philadelphia Phillies center fielder Aaron Rowand is hoping to emulate former Eagles receiver Terrell Owens by coming back from an ankle injury to shine in the postseason.  —  Rowand could miss the rest …

Rangers GM talks to his future free agents  —  GM begins early discussions with club's impending free agents  —  ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - General manager Jon Daniels has begun talking with agents representing the club's impending free agents but said he doesn't want it to become a distraction in the clubhouse.

Girardi Doesn't Dodge Query On Hit Batters  —  Florida Marlins Manager Joe Girardi said Tuesday that he does not instruct his players to stay in the way of breaking pitches to get on base, an accusation levied by Washington Nationals Manager Frank Robinson following Monday night's 3-1 Florida victory.

Peavy aims to bring stability to Padres  —  San Diego (63-62) vs. Los Angeles (66-59), 7:05 p.m. PT  —  If they could, the Padres might keep Tuesday's starter Jake Peavy in a protective bubble where nothing could harm him.  —  Should Peavy make it past the first inning in the middle …

Byrnes re-establishes his value at a good time  —  Giants notebook  —  SAN FRANCISCO — Although it's questionable whether Eric Byrnes will return to the Arizona Diamondbacks next season, there's no question that he has re-established his value.  —  Byrnes entered Tuesday batting .277 batting …

In College Football, Big Paydays for Humiliation  —  The University at Buffalo football team went 1-10 last season and did not score a touchdown until the fourth game.  For nearly a decade, it has been considered one of the worst teams in college football.  —  Buffalo is just the kind …

Their tools of ignominy  —  A baseball box score adds up as neatly as an accountant's ledger.  For every home run, walk or strikeout in a hitter's column, there is an accompanying mark for the pitcher.  For every winner, there is — as every Cubs fan knows — a loser.

St. Louis Cardinals slugger Pujols gets Babe Ruth test at Washington University  —  Baseball purists, especially those of Yankee allegiance, might argue that St. Louis Cardinals homerun-hitting superstar Albert Pujols is simply not in the same league as legendary New York Yankees slugger Babe Ruth.

Notes: View from the top  —  Hart adapting well to role as team's leadoff hitter  —  cgardner@journalsentinel.com  —  Corey Hart is getting his chance to play every day in the outfield, and the 24-year-old is trying out a new spot in the batting order.  —  Milwaukee Brewers manager Ned Yost …

Reds prepare grievance vs. Nats  —  Could take case to Bowden, or MLB, to settle matter  —  General manager Wayne Krivsky's standard answer about the Gary Majewski controversy lately has been: "We're having internal discussions."  —  But the Reds are doing more than simply talking.

Clinton visits Cards' clubhouse  —  NEW YORK — After telling a gathering of people at Shea Stadium on Tuesday how he listened to Cardinals baseball as a boy in Arkansas, former President Bill Clinton stopped in for a pregame clubhouse visit with manager Tony La Russa and the players.

Hacking Bernie  —  What About The Children (And Their Wallets)?  —  At first the idea sounds nuts, like barbecuing in the nude, or a Madonna concert.  But then when you think about it ... why shouldn't kids get paid for playing in the Little League World Series?

Being Julio Franco  —  Were this story to start with my stomach doing a loop-de-loop, it would not sufficiently explain how I tried to stifle the aging process, so let's instead begin with the two-pound omelet and work from there.  —  Every morning, Julio Franco takes 20 or so eggs …

Looper hears familiar jeers  —  The setting and greeting were familiar for Braden Looper, only this time the uniform and result were different.  —  Last night Looper returned to the Shea mound for the first time as a St. Louis Cardinal and, much like in his two seasons as Mets closer, was roundly booed.