Unpredictable Dodgers Find a Steady Rookie  —  Andre Ethier is comfortable being uncomfortable, so he is comfortable playing for the Los Angeles Dodgers.  Ethier said he stayed motivated by not letting himself feel that he was in a firm position.  So these unpredictable Dodgers are the perfect team for the rookie outfielder.

Izzy done?  Bad hip could end his season  —  PHOENIX — Cardinals closer Jason Isringhausen will not pitch in this weekend's series against Arizona, and he expects to miss at least the next week as he attempts to alleviate pain and inflammation in his left hip that is at the root of his inconsistency.

Young was a 'growing cancer'  —  Source: Designated hitter, who was released by Tigers on Wednesday, didn't care about team.  —  MINNEAPOLIS — Why did the Tigers really release Dmitri Young?  —  "To put it bluntly," said a source within the organization, "he was a growing cancer …

A Rotation Makeover?  —  Yankees Will Face Decisions On Mussina, Wright, Lidle  —  BALTIMORE — The Yankees did not make many moves with their starting pitching this season and, to this point, have made the right choices.  —  Their one addition, Cory Lidle, has worked …

ESPN GETS A RE-PHIL  —  STEVE INKS NEW FIVE-YEAR DEAL  —  In a move that will push Steve Phillips even more into the forefront of ESPN baseball coverage, the network has signed the former Met GM to a new five-year contract.  —  Phillips, who is in his second full year on ESPN …

Notes: Manuel tells team to relax  —  Skipper wants his players to loosen up for the final 23 games  —  MIAMI — If manager Charlie Manuel has one message for his team over the final 23 games, it's this:  —  Relax.  This game is supposed to be fun.  —  Though not citing any specific players …

Padres try to sneak into hunt for Zito  —  Imagine a 2007 Padres' rotation featuring twin aces, right-hander Jake Peavy and left-hander Barry Zito.  —  The Padres can.  —  The consensus around baseball is that Zito will land with either one of the New York teams or the Dodgers as a free agent.

Great Leap Forward, NL  —  This is part three of a four part series in which we'll look at which players saw their stock rise and fall the most in each organization.  We continue today with the National League, and the good.  —  Arizona Diamondbacks  —  A 16th-round pick in 2004 …

Teixeira rediscovers his power after the break  —  SEATTLE — Mark Teixeira is well aware he fell short of many people's expectations, including his own, in the first half of the season.  —  The 26-year-old Rangers first baseman was coming off one of the best offensive seasons ever by a Ranger …

Pirates Q&A with Dejan Kovacevic  —  Q: Dejan, with the Bucs now playing above-.500 baseball since the break, coupled with the September expansion of rosters, I was wondering what the Pirates consider more important the rest of the year, evaluation of players or winning games?

LUGO IN N.Y. STATE OF MIND  —  A top second baseman could end up being the Mets' main winter offensive acquisition, and Julio Lugo, the Dodgers' future free agent, said the Mets would be attractive to him.  —  Lugo, who was traded from Tampa Bay to the Dodgers on July 31, is someone the Mets have had trade talks about in the past.

He's in for a mound of work  —  Hansen will get chances to shine  —  Reliever Craig Hansen, who began the season at Double A Portland and has been promoted to the Sox three times this summer from Triple A Pawtucket, has had a rough baptism in his first full season of pro ball.

Etkin: Smith seeing clearly now after surgery, self examination  —  Double-A Tulsa right fielder Seth Smith went home to Brandon, Miss., during the Texas League all-star break.  And for the better part of three days, Smith pondered his disappointing first half and thought long and hard about how to improve.

Laird showing he's finally catching on  —  SEATTLE — The Rangers have had a luxury this season that few teams enjoy — two catchers they could rely on to contribute.  —  Making the situation more rare is that Rod Barajas, who has done the bulk of the catching, and Gerald Laird haven't been griping about the split duty.

Cash can see Bat-sui only  —  The Yankees may actually be at the point where they are expecting Hideki Matsui to be back in their lineup before the end of the season, but they do not expect his return to push Melky Cabrera out of the outfield.  —  Yanks GM Brian Cashman said last night …