Quest for calm?  Cubs ship Barrett to Padres  —  Embattled Chicago Cubs catcher Michael Barrett was traded to the San Diego Padres on Wednesday for backup catcher Rob Bowen and minor league outfielder Kyler Burke.  —  The Padres also will receive cash considerations from the Cubs.

It's bobblehead night for Mets  —  Make 4 errors in defeat  —  And now back to the free-fall ...  Jorge Sosa turned in the shortest start by a Met in eight weeks and his teammates committed a season-high four errors in a 9-0 loss to the Minnesota Twins last night.

MacPhail gives franchise fresh perspective … For once, they didn't have to open the windows on the sixth floor of the B&O Warehouse to get some fresh air.  —  New Orioles president of baseball operations Andy MacPhail took the podium this morning and took charge of this floundering franchise and …

Bravo for Beckett and Sox  —  Atlanta is blanked for righty's 10th win  —  ATLANTA—It was one of those just-between-slugger moments: David Ortiz huddling with Barry Bonds when the Giants visited Fenway Park last weekend.  —  "One of the things he told me," Ortiz said, "is that once you hit 50 home runs, forget about it.

Schilling says MRI exam shows shoulder normal  —  Associated Press, Updated 19 minutes ago  —  LIKE THIS STORY?  —  BOSTON (AP) - Curt Schilling's right shoulder was normal, according to an MRI exam, but the Boston Red Sox likely won't take his next turn in the rotation following a cortisone shot.

Nationals Suffer An Early Knockout  —  Simontacchi Equals Dubious Club Mark: Tigers 15, Nationals 1  —  In the detritus of the Washington Nationals' 15-1 lambasting at the hands of the Detroit Tigers last night, there were scarcely any subtleties to dissect.

Reds ride Bailey's gem to victory  —  Griffey crushes 582nd career homer to help put away A's  —  OAKLAND — Homer Bailey took the mound Tuesday as just another guy in the gray visitor's uniform.  —  Pitching in the first road game of his brief big-league career against the A's …

Nationals tab Watson to fill in for Fick  —  First baseman to go on bereavement list on Wednesday  —  WASHINGTON — Nationals first baseman Robert Fick was informed on Tuesday afternoon that his mother, Gloria, had passed away from lung cancer.  About 30 minutes after hearing the news …

A Taste of the Big Leagues  —  JUPITER — The recent injuries to the Florida Marlins have provided some welcomed nourishment to the Jupiter Hammerheads.  —  One of baseball's unwritten rules, along with not talking to a pitcher throwing a no-hitter, is that major-league players …

Rockies fans could use a pitcher (baseball, not beer)  —  They partied at Coors Field like it was 1995.  —  But it was a weird scene Tuesday night in a packed house, as thousands of patrons wearing Derek Jeter jerseys paid Big Apple prices to watch the Rockies beat their beloved Yankees 3-1.