Padres-Giants Preview  —  The San Diego Padres continue their pursuit of first place in the NL West by trying to fend off a couple of teams pursuing them.  —  Boasting a five-game winning streak, the Padres begin perhaps their most important stretch of the regular season's final month Friday …

Notes: Carroll touches base  —  Current Rockie gets reacquainted with former teammates  —  DENVER — Before a heavy late-afternoon rain began falling, cutting short pregame drills for both teams, a procession of Nationals made their way over to the batting cage to touch base with former teammate Jamey Carroll.

Royals head to Fenway  —  Kansas City (52-89) at Boston (75-65), Friday, 6:05 p.m. CT  —  It's back to Fenway Park on Friday for the Royals.  Things didn't go very well there in July when the Royals lost three one-run decisions, 5-4, 1-0, 1-0.  —  Matter of fact, in the last four years …

Back problem sidelines Crede  —  White Sox third baseman Joe Crede could be sidelined until Saturday because of lower back stiffness that could necessitate the promotion of Triple-A Charlotte star Josh Fields.  —  Crede also could need off-season surgery.  —  "His is more of a chronic problem …

Halos stifle Jays, win sixth straight  —  Rookie hurler Saunders tosses gem as Angels roll  —  ANAHEIM — Joe Saunders started the Angels' current winning streak and on Friday he gave the Angels exactly what they're going to need to catch the A's.  —  The left-hander tossed …

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.

Rangers recall reliever who once threw chair  —  SEATTLE (AP) — The Texas Rangers on Friday recalled right-hander Frank Francisco, who pleaded no contest to misdemeanor assault for throwing a chair that broke the nose of an Oakland Athletics female fan two years ago.

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 …

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DAN LEBATARD ON JOE GIRARDI  —  With the end of the season fast approaching and the Dusty Era (hopefully) coming to a close, Cub fans far and wide have been looking toward next season.  One big question on everyone's mind is, "who will the Cubs' manager be in 2007"?

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 …

Notes: Tigers move on without Young  —  Clubhouse issues may have triggered release  —  MINNEAPOLIS — For the second time this season, the Tigers moved on without Dmitri Young.  This time, it's for good.  —  Craig Monroe moved into perhaps the most prominent spot in the lineup …