Notes: Rangers still not selling  —  GM intends to keep club intact despite recent slide  —  ARLINGTON — The Baltimore Orioles traded veteran outfielder Jeff Conine to the Philadelphia Phillies on Sunday, a sign that at least some players are getting through waivers and can be traded.

Carter ready for big jump  —  KERNAN'S CORNER  —  Sometime, maybe in the near future, someone will ask Gary Carter to manage in the big leagues.  —  Could that someone be Chicago Cubs general manager Jim Hendry?  —  It will be a wise GM who gets Carter.

Guillen praises Gload, vows to play him more  —  What happens to Ross Gload once Jim Thome returns?  He might get some time in left field if Scott Podsednik doesn't step up his offense, though Podsednik has been on base in six of his last eight plate appearances.

Bleeding deeply - Spiraling Sox spin way toward Quits-ville  —  SEATTLE - No one can truly know what ever burns in another man's soul.  But from the outside, at least, the 2006 Red Sox certainly look like they are starting to quit.  There is just no way to prove it.  —  "He said he couldn't play.

Without Paul, it's wild pitch  —  Unsung Met is staff's hero  —  John Maine learned quickly.  It's generally foolish to ignore Paul Lo Duca.  —  "My first game," Maine said, "he wanted a curveball and I wanted a fastball.  It turned into a base hit."  —  That was back in May, at home against Washington.

Notes: Izturis improving at third base  —  Angels benefiting from better defense in second half  —  ANAHEIM — With one barehanded grab on Saturday, Maicer Izturis showed how far he has come as a third baseman.  —  Playing a position he learned only last season, Izturis one-handed …

Keppinger finally joins team  —  Infielder was called up from Omaha on Friday, but travel issues delay his arrival to majors.  —  TORONTO |  Infielder Jeff Keppinger finally made it.  He was in uniform Sunday when the Royals closed their three-game weekend series against the Toronto Blue Jays …

Notes: Callups could come in waves  —  Triple-A playoffs may delay some players' ascension to Majors  —  PHOENIIX — With Sept. 1 less than a week away, the Diamondbacks front office will have some decisions to make when big-league rosters expand from 25 to 40 players.

Notes: Bowden has faith in Church  —  GM pleased with outfielder's commitment to getting better  —  ATLANTA — General manager Jim Bowden said this is not Ryan Church's last chance to prove to the Nationals that he is an everyday player.  Bowden is one of Church's biggest supporters …

Future Shock  —  The best offensive prospect in baseball?  One could certainly make the argument.  In his last 50 games, the number two overall pick from last year's draft has slugged 19 home runs and driven in 59.  With home runs in three of his last four contests, he's batting .415 in his last 15 games with eight home runs.

Smoltz waiting for word on future  —  Two years after he was generally mocked and lampooned for claiming his arm would be better off throwing 100 pitches every five days than a dozen every couple, John Smoltz is the only starting pitcher the Braves can depend on.  That his arm hasn't fallen off, therefore, is a given.

Numbers tell tale about feats of Cla  —  DENVER - Cla Meredith's run of 20 2/3 scoreless innings isn't the only impressive statistic involving the rookie sidearmer.  —  During the streak, opponents have batted .103 against Meredith (7-for-68).  And the right-handed reliever has thrown …

Pirates Notebook: Littlefield confident 2007 payroll will be 'plenty'  —  By Dejan Kovacevic, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette  —  The Pirates' owners, managing general partner Kevin McClatchy and chairman Bob Nutting, have yet to determine the payroll for 2007.  But general manager Dave Littlefield …

Padilla's gem helps Rangers win, 3-0  —  ARLINGTON - If there is one thing on which the Rangers can count on from Vicente Padilla, it is that he will make things difficult.  —  Sometimes he does it to opponents.  Sometimes he does it to the Rangers.  —  Sunday, he did it to both.