Yost dismisses detractors  —  He says staying cool better than yelling  —  thaudricourt@journalsentinel.com  —  When local fans take aim at Brewers manager Ned Yost - and he was dodging fire right and left during his club's recent 10-game slide that ruined its playoff hopes - the complaints often have a similar theme.

Player Profile  —  Bill Hall  —  Looking back, Bill Hall's minor league career and his initial major league playing time suggest that his success the past two years seemingly came out of nowhere.  After all, he was almost completely disregarded during his time in the minors.

No field day for Matsui:  —  He'll come back as DH  —  KANSAS CITY - Hideki Matsui began his minor-league rehab assignment yesterday in Trenton as the designated hitter, and that is a position he is going to be in a lot once he returns to the Yankees.  —  Joe Torre put to rest any thoughts …

Hafner an AL Aaron Award finalist  —  Secret to designated hitter's success is in preparation  —  CLEVELAND — In the strictest sense, the job description calls for him to come up to bat between three and five times a game.  Nothing more, nothing less.  —  If he really wanted to …

Notes: Guillen not panicking  —  Manger holds closed-door 'talk' before series finale in Boston  —  BOSTON — One of the many theories believed in by Ozzie Guillen is that bad teams have meetings and good teams win games.  —  So, the 15-minute, closed clubhouse session the White Sox …

Lester is prepared to fight  —  Rookie pitcher's spirits are high as he gets set to begin chemotherapy treatments  —  Red Sox rookie pitcher Jon Lester paid a visit to Fenway Park yesterday afternoon after calling to say he was coming, and spent about an hour visiting with teammates …

Green now a real toe-tapper  —  Shawn Green was in the batting cage in Houston last week trying to find the power stroke he used to hit 192 home runs between 1998 and 2002, when teammates Carlos Delgado and Julio Franco and Mets hitting coach Rick Down approached him with some strange advice - start tapping his toes.

Notes: Maldonado makes the big time  —  Catcher's perseverance pays off with callup  —  CHICAGO — Carlos Maldonado's road to the big leagues has not been short, and it has not been easy.  —  The 27-year-old catcher finished his 11th Minor League season before joining his first Major League team on Wednesday.

He seems to be the real deal  —  Sanchez shows right stuff with no-hitter  —  The trade was made back in the days of the gorilla suit and Pearl Jam concerts in South America, when Jim Beattie was being courted by Red Sox CEO Larry Lucchino as Theo Epstein's possible successor …

No-hitter just the latest in Marlins' season of surprise  —  MIAMI GARDENS — The biggest baseball story of the year doesn't concern the Yankees and Red Sox or Barry Bonds and steroids.  —  It's right here in South Florida, the tale of The Little Team That Could — and the market that couldn't care less.

Hicks clarifies radio comments  —  OAKLAND, Calif. - Rangers owner Tom Hicks attempted in a phone interview Wednesday to clarify some comments he made in a radio interview on KTCK/1310 AM (The Ticket) on Tuesday.  The most important clarification Hicks made is that he never meant to criticize shortstop Michael Young.

Sanchez pitches majors' first no-hitter in two years  —  Anibal Sanchez restored a forgotten feat to major league baseball: a no-hitter.  —  The rookie ended the longest period without a no-hitter in major league history, leading the Florida Marlins over the Arizona Diamondbacks 2-0 Wednesday night in just his 13th career start.

Job News ... Finally  —  A couple weeks ago, I discussed the contract negotiations I was going through regarding a new job.  I had to keep the actual details quiet, because things were still going on behind the scenes in order to get everything finalized.  I initially expected to get the go-ahead …

Atlanta fades, but Smoltz's anger only grows  —  It comes with the territory of a 15-game Mets lead that there should be such a decided absence of both passion and people for this September series with the Atlanta Braves.  —  And yet, if the Mets and their fandom were looking …

fantasy baseball  —  here are some good things jason isringhausen has done :  — he converted 17 of 19 save opportunities in april and may this season  — he went more than a month without being scored upon —  july 4 through august 5, a span of 14 appearances / 14 innings

Notes: Stults could be starting option  —  Left-hander candidate to replace Hendrickson in rotation  —  MILWAUKEE — When Eric Stults entered the Dodgers' game against Milwaukee on Tuesday, he was making his Major League debut, and maybe also an audition.  —  With the ineffectiveness …