Rockies finish rare sweep of N.Y. teams  —  DENVER (AP) — If they can do it against New York, the Colorado Rockies figure they can knock anybody around.  —  Todd Helton and Garrett Atkins both drove in a season-high five runs and the Rockies pounded out 20 hits and routed the Mets again Wednesday night …

So, who said there's no clock in a baseball game?  —  Betancourt gets penalty for taking too much time  —  DETROIT - Twelve seconds seems like long enough to throw a pitch.  —  Then again, nobody actually put a stop watch on it until Tuesday night, when Indians reliever Rafael Betancourt …

Angels offense kept quiet in loss  —  Two-run fourth not enough to give the Halos a win  —  ARLINGTON — To Jered Weaver, it's "a little funk."  To Mike Scioscia, it's nothing more than a "soft spot."  —  Whatever you call it, everyone agrees on the antidote: hard shots, one after another, generating noise and energy.

Williams to start 1st-half finale  —  DENVER - The Mets expect Dave Williams to start Sunday's first-half finale in Houston.  Jason Vargas originally had been listed as the starter, but he was sent back to Triple-A New Orleans after allowing nine runs in 3-1/3 innings in Tuesday's 11-3 loss to the Rockies.

The Kazmir conundrum  —  It may well be the most lopsided trade ever made: On July 30, 2004, trailing the Atlanta Braves by seven games in their division with a 49-53 record, the New York Mets decided to pull the trigger to send top prospect Scott Kazmir to Tampa Bay for veteran pitcher Victor Zambrano.

Notes: Padilla works toward return  —  Team aims to send pitcher to Double-A Frisco by July 12  —  ARLINGTON — The Rangers have set a schedule for pitcher Vicente Padilla, who was put on the disabled list on June 25 with triceps inflammation behind his right elbow.

Halfway Home (Part 2: The Offense)  —  Tuesday in this space I examined how the Twins' pitching staff performed through exactly one half of the season, concluding that they have a "championship-caliber" group that's capable of improving in the second half.  Today I'll take the same type …

Notes: To trade or not to trade?  —  Players, management have differing philosophies on direction  —  CHICAGO — The White Sox were not planning having a 36-44 record through the first 80 games of the season.  The disappointing first half has left the Chicago front office …

Wolf placed on 15-day DL  —  LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Dodgers' pitching staff took another hit Wednesday when Randy Wolf, one of three starters with at least eight victories, went on the 15-day disabled list because of soreness in his left shoulder.  —  Wolf joins starter Hong-Chih Kuo …

Notes: Astros' Burke finding swing  —  Recent recall hitting ball hard, though average not high yet  —  HOUSTON — A cursory look at the numbers reveals Chris Burke as a struggling hitter over the past month in his attempt to prove himself as the Astros' second baseman for 2008 and beyond.

Rogers, Tigers end Indians' 6-game run  —  DETROIT (AP) — Kenny Rogers wasn't at his best Wednesday.  —  Thanks to Detroit's defense and a friendly bounce, it didn't matter.  —  Rogers allowed two runs — one earned — in 5 1-3 innings as the Tigers snapped Cleveland's six-game winning streak with a 6-4 victory.

BoSox unite with Valentine's Japan team  —  TOKYO (AP) — The Boston Red Sox have formed an alliance with Bobby Valentine's team, the Chiba Lotte Marines of Japan's Pacific League, to share player evaluations and statistical analysis.  —  The Marines are managed by Valentine, a former manager of the New York Mets and Texas Rangers.

PADRES  —  SAN DIEGO (AP) -During his pre-game media session, Florida Marlins manager Fredi Gonzalez kept telling anyone and everyone that Hanley Ramirez would be available to pinch hit.  —  Ramirez, the 2006 National League Rookie of the Year, had tweaked his left hamstring legging out a double Monday night.

Column: Littlefield's dubious distinction  —  PITTSBURGH - Dave Littlefield, barely more than a week away from the sixth anniversary of his hiring as the Pittsburgh Pirates' general manager, has provided more than his share of memorable moments during that time.  —  Sadly, most of those moments have been bad ones.

Betemit gets back at Braves again  —  Los Angeles — Wilson Betemit hasn't lived up to expectations most nights with the Dodgers, but the ex-Braves infielder certainly steps it up against his former employers.  —  He hit a two-run homer and a two-run double in the first three innings …