Ortiz returning for tests  —  He cites heart problem again; Red Sox get routed by Oakland  —  OAKLAND, Calif. — A season slipping away took another crushing turn last night, even before a ragtag team of Red Sox was beaten, 9-0, by the Oakland Athletics.  —  About 20 minutes before the first pitch …

Nationals' Escobar out for season  —  Outfielder expected to be ready for start of Spring Training  —  WASHINGTON — Nationals center fielder Alex Escobar had an MRI on his right shoulder on Monday and it revealed that he has a tear in his right labrum and will have surgery within the next seven to 10 days.

Rangers: from so close to so long  —  Season of opportunity dashed by intangibles and inconsistency  —  ANALYSIS: Sunday afternoon showers sent the Rangers scrambling for cover.  They went deep, deep, deep under cover.  —  Less than 24 hours after falling nine games behind Oakland in the AL West …

A Whiff of Futility, and Rodriguez Can't Breathe Easy  —  Alex Rodriguez went 10 years without striking out four times in a game.  Then he did it last month in Toronto, and again Friday night in Anaheim.  Naturally, Rodriguez's inner competitor did not take this well.

Aching Webb stumps Padres  —  PHOENIX - The Padres needed a big game from their offense last night.  They didn't get it and suffered another defeat in a rival's ballpark where they seldom win.  —  Padres newcomer Russell Branyan hit two solo home runs, including one that went an estimated 456 feet …

Pavano a pain in wreck  —  Pitcher hides accident and injury as Cashman fumes  —  Carl Pavano's mouth was the last thing the Yankees had to worry about.  —  Until now.  —  The Yankees announced yesterday that the constantly injured $40 million pitcher was in a car accident while rehabbing …

Columbus, Ga. 2, Kawaguchi City, Japan 1  —  SOUTH WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. (AP) — With his team clinging to a one-run lead and pitcher Kyle Carter in a jam, Columbus, Ga. manager Randy Morris visited the mound to give his ace a pep talk.  —  A Little League World Series championship hung in the balance.

Little action upon roster deadline  —  With Rowand lost for season, Phillies consider adding Pierre  —  This might be the calm before Thursday's deadline storm, but with two days to go until the deadline for teams to add players who will be eligible for postseason play, there was little action on the waiver wire front.

Randa, Burnitz possibly GM's last mistakes  —  Jeromy Burnitz and Joe Randa represent all that went wrong with what might have been Dave Littlefield's final off-season as the Pittsburgh Pirates' general manager.  —  Littlefield gave Burntiz a one-year contract with a mutual option for 2007 …

Melting pot of on-field success  —  The Amazins are New York's one, big happy family … New York - At 11:30 a.m. at Shea Stadium recently, approximately an hour before first pitch, nearly half of the New York Mets were hanging around their lockers.  —  Jose Reyes was sorting through mail with a smile.

Greenspun Has Sympathy but No Solutions, Yet, for Lines  —  Fans exasperated by the long concessions lines at Dodger Stadium can get in line behind Marty Greenspun, the senior vice president in charge of business operations.  —  Greenspun recognizes the problem and has been visiting other stadiums for solutions.

1. Philip Hughes, rhp, Double-A Trenton (Yankees) … IN THE TEAM PHOTO … THE NOT-SO-HOT SHEET … BLAST FROM THE PAST … HELIUM WATCH