Rookie pitcher has lymphoma  —  BOSTON (AP) — Boston Red Sox rookie left-hander Jon Lester has a form of lymphoma and will start treatment in the coming week, the team announced Friday.  —  Enlarged lymph nodes were identified when Lester, 22, was tested to determine the cause of back pain …

Red Sox beat Jays, lose Papelbon  —  Closer leaves in ninth, starter Snyder strikes out eight  —  BOSTON — The Red Sox won Friday night's game, but the nightmarish injury bug hit again with Jonathan Papelbon leaving in the ninth inning.  Boston's closer held his right shoulder after a pitch to Lyle Overbay.

SOMEDAY, YANKEES WILL HAVE TO REPLACE IRREPLACEABLE  —  MO  —  THE BULLPEN door opened Wednesday night and so did a scary window into the Yankee future.  Scott Proctor, not Mariano Rivera, emerged and a Yankees' lead disappeared.  —  It was yet another reminder that some time soon …

997 At-Bats, and the Twins' Tyner Can't Buy a Round-Tripper  —  The running gag on the Minnesota Twins about Jason Tyner's lack of power reached a high point Aug. 13.  That is the day the willowy Tyner, the Twins' fill-in left fielder and a former No. 1 draft pick of the Mets, had a single …

Wells: 'I don't plan on coming back'  —  SAN DIEGO — David Wells blew into his hometown on Friday evening and let on that this is more than likely going to be the last season of successful, colorful big-league career.  —  Wells, obtained Thursday by San Diego from the Boston Red Sox for the stretch drive …

With Respect, Leyland Argues His Point  —  Nothing, it would seem, could stop an ornery baseball manager from arguing with an umpire.  Nothing, that is, except the voice of Kate Smith.  —  Detroit Tigers Manager Jim Leyland was ejected from yesterday's game after the second to last pitch of the top of the seventh inning.

The best young tandem in baseball?  Tough call  —  A scout last week asked me this question:  —  "Who would you take, the Mets' Jose Reyes and David Wright or the Phillies' Ryan Howard and Chase Utley?"  —  Without giving the topic much thought, I responded, "Howard and Utley."

Schrodinger's Bat  —  The Curious Case of Mark Teahen … —Former Royals General Manager Allard Baird, perhaps with an "I told you so" when asked about the third baseman's breakthrough season.  —  On August 22nd of this season, Mark Teahen, Royals third baseman and former centerpiece …

Tulowitzki, Iannetta up  —  Rockies trying something new at shortstop, catcher … Troy - I appreciate loyalty and giving a guy a chance, but what's the deal with Clint Hurdle and Clint Barmes?  The minors are full of flashy-glove, no-bat guys.  Their middle fielders are killing them at the plate.

The Nevin Trade  —  One of the Twins' biggest weaknesses this season has been the complete lack of production they've received from designated hitters.  That spot in the lineup has batted a combined .264/.311/.371, which is good for a .682 OPS that ranks dead last among AL teams.

Twins RHP Radke out indefinitely due to shoulder injury  —  BRONX, New York (Ticker) - The Minnesota Twins postseason hopes took a hit on Friday when it was announced Brad Radke could be out until late September with a right shoulder injury.  —  Radke was diagnosed with a stress fracture of the glenoid in his throwing shoulder.

Under The Knife  —  Thank You  —  It's not a normal day in these parts.  I'll admit to being both tired and excited, nervous and even a bit scared, but mostly just grateful.  I'll be making my TV debut tonight at 5:30 p.m. Eastern as part of ESPN2's "The Fantasy Show" and I hope you'll watch, since you're a big reason I'm there.

Signings decrease pool of free-agent starters  —  Major league clubs have been so successful signing their starting pitchers to contract extensions, the free agent market for 2006 is starting to look awfully bare.  —  And for that matter, so is the 2007 market.