Cubs trade catcher Barrett to Padres  —  CHICAGO — The Chicago Cubs traded embattled catcher Michael Barrett and cash to the first-place San Diego Padres on Wednesday for backup catcher Rob Bowen and minor league outfielder Kyler Burke.  —  Barrett, batting .256 with nine homers and 29 RBIs …

Sources: O's in negotiations with Girardi … SAN DIEGO // The Orioles are currently negotiating with Joe Girardi to become their new manager, two baseball sources confirmed this afternoon.  —  "There is ongoing communication with Baltimore," said Steve Mandel, the agent for Girardi.

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.

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.

White Sox owe Buehrle a legitimate offer  —  See if the durable lefty will take $75 million over five years to stay  —  Don't the White Sox realize what they have in Mark Buehrle?  —  If Buehrle isn't the second coming of Billy Pierce, he's the most consistently effective pitcher …

Yanks in Hunter's sights  —  Potential free agent likes N.Y.  —  It's such a natural, it could be the name of a movie.  And it would be the kind of headline-grabber the Yankees crave.  —  What if Spider-Man took New York?  —  Torii Hunter, a.k.a. Spider-Man, is the Twins' high flying acrobat …

The Boston Red Sox's Sultan of Statistical Analysis  —  After 25 years on the outside, Bill James was invited to take a seat at the center of the baseball universe.  Since Mr. James, the statistical oracle and author of the Bill James Baseball Abstracts, was hired by the Boston Red Sox in 2002 …

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 …

Random Thoughts  —  Just a few loose ends from a terrific Tuesday, and looking ahead . . .  - For the second straight year, the final four teams standing in college baseball are Oregon State, North Carolina, Rice and a Big West team (UC Irvine replaces Cal State Fullerton this year).

Pirates Notebook: Tracy sticks by Paulino as catcher  —  SEATTLE — To get more offense from their catcher, the Pirates could do one of two things:  —  1. Get Ronny Paulino to hit something approaching his .310 mark as a rookie last year.  —  2. Use Ryan Doumit instead …

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 …

Less Than Ideal  —  Is there an ideal pitcher's body?  There's some irony here since the pitcher who asked me that is 6'10" (as well as 3-0 with an 0.64 ERA), but ignore that for a moment.  Scouts often say there's a type that's "durable" or "ideal.  " In fact, the evidence suggests …