Angels designate disgruntled DH Hillenbrand for assignment  —  ANAHEIM, Calif. — Shea Hillenbrand wants out and the Los Angeles Angels are granting his wish.  —  The team told Hillenbrand after Wednesday's 1-0 loss to Kansas City that he will be designated for assignment Friday …

Notes: Gonzalez may now learn first  —  Utility player may have another position on deck  —  ST. PETERSBURG — During Tuesday night's postgame talk with the media, White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen mentioned his idea to have Andy Gonzalez play first base during this upcoming offseason in winter ball.

A New Low for Clemens and the Yankees  —  It feels like falling off a cliff, Joe Torre said Wednesday night after another loss, and the metaphor is appropriate.  The Yankees had reached a high point before this trip, but suddenly they are plunging to depths never experienced in Torre's 12 years as manager.

Glavine's 297th win a rain-shortened one  —  NEW YORK (AP) — Tom Glavine nearly gave the New York Mets their first no-hitter — with a major explanation attached.  —  Glavine earned his 297th win, pitching one-hit ball for six innings in a rain-shortened shutout to lead New York past the St. Louis Cardinals 2-0 on Wednesday night.

Well-deserved headache  —  Lopez delivers walk-off double as Seattle sweeps Boston  —  SEATTLE — Jose Lopez knew his former teammate, Joel Pineiro, was going to throw him fastballs.  —  That knowledge translated into a sweep — and a headache.  —  Lopez's double in the 11th inning …

Diamondbacks eke past Dodgers  —  Bob Melvin's hands were tied Wednesday night, so all the Diamondbacks manager could do was stand behind the railing in the dugout and watch the drama unfold just like everybody else.  —  Normally, when the less-dependable components of his bullpen falter …

Bats erupt for 22 hits as Smoltz wins ninth  —  Four days after they feuded, John Smoltz and Chipper Jones returned to the business of leading the Braves to victories — in this case a seriously one-sided win.  —  Order was restored on several fronts Wednesday night, as Smoltz got …

Falling Rox drop sixth straight  —  Chicago - What began as a road bump has become an awful road trip.  The Rockies dropped their sixth-straight game today, falling 6-4 to the Chicago Cubs at muggy Wrigley Field.  —  At this point, the Rockies are sitting on the median with hazards flashing.

The best unemployed GM in baseball  —  In his 18-month tenure as Dodgers' GM from February '04 to October '05, Paul DePodesta did all of the following things:  — Helped construct a roster that produced the 2004 NL West Divison title, the Dodgers' first playoff berth in eight years.

Sosa might be Rangers' only All-Star  —  egrant@dallasnews.com  —  DETROIT - Sammy Sosa's remarkable return to baseball could take another dramatic turn this weekend.  He could end up as the Rangers' lone representative to the All-Star game, to be played July 10 in San Francisco.

Notes: Purpura ready to make changes  —  General manager could make changes as team returns home  —  MILWAUKEE — Manager Phil Garner described his closed-door meeting with general manager Tim Purpura and the coaching staff Wednesday morning a "good, open exchange of ideas."

Geren gets A's going before win  —  Cust has career-high five RBIs as Oakland ends skid  —  CLEVELAND — A day after the players-only meeting that was called for Tuesday was called off and the A's suffered a crushing loss when the Indians scored five runs in the bottom of the ninth inning …

Major league shame  —  You think steroids are a plague in the baseball universe, right?  My sense is that most Hardball Times readers are angry that so many players took steroids, while Major League Baseball, the union and the media looked the other way.  Heck, I'm angry about it too.