Rod Beck dies at 38  —  Rod Beck, who saved 286 games in a 13-year major league career, has died at the age of 38.  —  The cause of death is unknown at this time.  —  Beck, who played for the Giants, Cubs, Red Sox and Padres, was a three-time All-Star and saved a career-best 51 games with the Cubs in 1998.

Sox hold all the power: Buehrle move in their court  —  SAN DIEGO - The Red Sox [team stats] have the best record in the major leagues and one of the best pitching staffs in baseball, and the 2007 season is now nearly halfway complete.  And if you are Theo Epstein, less than six weeks …

Griffey Says: "I want to retire a Mariner"  —  Written by The Staff  —  Prior to Sunday afternoon's Mariners-Reds game, Fox Sports Northwest's Angie Mentink scored an exclusive one-on-one with former Seattle Mariner and current Cincinnati Red Ken Griffey, Jr.

Miller, Tigers cruise to shutout of Braves  —  Lefty tosses six-plus strong frames as Detroit finishes sweep  —  ATLANTA — A Tigers left-hander battles out for out with his Braves counterpart through five scoreless innings.  The Tigers put him up for good with a sixth-inning outburst.

Pirates Notebook: Littlefield says team's basics are 'better'  —  ANAHEIM, Calif. — The Pirates have improved at the basics since last season, general manager Dave Littlefield said, but there remains work to do.  —  "I think it's better," he said yesterday of the team's fundamental play …

Resilient Nationals Top Indians  —  Cordero Recovers From Bad Outing to Post Save: Nationals 3, Indians 1  —  By the time Chad Cordero headed out of RFK Stadium on Saturday night, carrying the weight of a game-blowing three-run home run with him, Manny Acta had already spoken with him.

Injuries put Guzman, Colome on DL  —  Shortstop hurts thumb; old injury resurfaces for reliever  —  WASHINGTON — The Nationals received potentially devastating news after their 3-1 victory over the Indians on Sunday afternoon when they were forced to place shortstop Cristian Guzman …

Nationals acquire right-hander Levale Speigner from Minnesota  —  The Washington Nationals today acquired right-handed pitcher Levale Speigner from the Minnesota Twins in exchange for outfielder Darnell McDonald.  Following the transaction, the Nationals outrighted Speigner to Columbus of the Triple-A International League.

Maine pitches Mets to sweep of A's  —  NEW YORK (AP) — A blooper to right, an inexperienced outfielder and Jose Reyes' speed became a messy combination for the Oakland Athletics.  —  Reyes led off the bottom of the first inning with a popup down the line that Jack Cust, normally a designated hitter, couldn't run down.

Pro baseball league kicks off in Israel with broadcast culture shock  —  PETAH TIKVA, Israel (AP) — Puzzled broadcasters calling the first professional baseball game in Israeli history struggled with rendering baseball lingo into the holy tongue of Hebrew.  —  After a valiant effort …

Morneau is expected to leave hospital today; return uncertain  —  MIAMI - Twins first baseman Justin Morneau remained hospitalized for a second night Saturday after leaving Friday's game because of a bruised right lung.  —  After seeing a specialist Saturday, Morneau is expected …

A rare visit becomes San Francisco treat  —  SAN FRANCISCO - There might not be a better place in all of America to forget your worries.  The city by the bay is all about reinvention, revitalization.  It's drowning in thick layers of fog one moment, brilliantly sunny the next …