Yanks send best wishes to Lester  —  KANSAS CITY - It sometimes seems as if the rivalry between the Yankees and Red Sox knows no bounds, but there is always a time for perspective.  The Bombers sent a bouquet of flowers to ailing Sox pitcher Jon Lester last week, sending along their best …

Notes: Hicks praises Young  —  Owner clarifies comments he made in a radio interview Tuesday  —  OAKLAND — Rangers owner Tom Hicks said he has nothing but the highest admiration for shortstop Michael Young and made it clear he wasn't singling him out or criticizing him in a Dallas radio interview Tuesday.

Future's Cliff hanger  —  Floyd: Achilles just won't heal  —  Cliff Floyd would have been out of the Mets' lineup for the second consecutive game last night had heavy rains not made their scheduled game a doubleheader against the Braves today.  —  Floyd, who was activated last week …

For Bucs, numbers don't lie  —  TRIBUNE-REVIEW  —  CHICAGO - Jason Bay had never heard of the statistical category called "runs created," so he had no way of knowing that his total of 90 paced the Pirates.  —  "That's great ... if it's even a stat people put stock into," …

Zambrano OK, but on close watch  —  MRI reveals no major back damage, but next start undetermined  —  CHICAGO — Carlos Zambrano may pitch again this season, depending on how his back feels.  —  The Cubs right-hander underwent an MRI on Tuesday after complaining of stiffness in his back the day before.

Building a contender on the cheap like the Marlins will be tough to duplicate  —  What the Mini Marlins have done this summer has been historical, uplifting, unprecedented and inexplicable.  —  But will it be trend setting?  —  Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery …

Free-Range Ryan  —  Ryan Howard's prodigious and prolific home run hitting is beginning to draw national attention.  The clear majority of it is praise, however, some of the attention — sometimes subtly, sometimes bluntly — questions whether or not Howard is natural or chemically enhanced.

Notes: Mulder to undergo surgery  —  Second opinion confirms shoulder and rotator cuff problems  —  WASHINGTON — The second opinion on Mark Mulder's shoulder confirmed the first.  The Cardinals announced on Wednesday that Mulder will undergo arthroscopic surgery to repair his left rotator cuff.

Top minor leaguers for each MLB team  —  AMERICAN LEAGUE  —  Baltimore: RHP Brandon Erbe: Erbe's win-loss record (5-9) didn't get much help from a weak low-A Delmarva team, but the rest of the 18-year-old's performance was impressive, including 133 strikeouts in 114 2/3 innings.

Enjoy it for what it's worth  —  Another strange night in the ``let's-take-a-year-off-from-the- playoffs" Red Sox season.  Good news all around at Fenway.  Almost perfect, in fact.  —  The first great development came when David Ortiz returned to the lineup for the first time since Aug. 27.

Cardinals group visits Bush  —  WASHINGTON — On the same day that he gave a major speech regarding the nation's war on terror, President George W. Bush hosted a contingent of Cardinals in the Oval Office on Tuesday morning.  —  Bush, former general partner of the Texas Rangers and a close friend …

Tigers sunk by Mariners after delay  —  Offense silenced late as Miller takes first Major League loss  —  DETROIT — The one-hour, 23-minute rain delay on Tuesday night knocked out Tigers starter Jeremy Bonderman.  The Tigers offense seemingly left the game before the rain arrived.

Notes: Guardado done for year  —  Reds move closer to 60-day DL, call up Johnson to take spot  —  CINCINNATI — It turned out that Reds closer Eddie Guardado's sore left forearm was more than just a nagging tendinitis injury.  —  Much more.  —  Guardado was diagnosed on Wednesday …

A tale of 2 Mets' rookies  —  NEW YORK — One is hoping to earn a spot on the postseason roster.  The other really is just happy to be here.  —  Among the six players the Mets recalled from the minor leagues Tuesday were two rookies who have very different viewpoints on the final month of the 2006 regular season.