White Sox keep ace Buehrle with four-year deal  —  Mark Buehrle won't be the biggest ticket available at the trading deadline.  —  The White Sox ace agreed to a four-year, $56 million contract with Chicago on Sunday, taking the most attractive pitcher on the rumor mill off the market.

Dodgers prospect named Futures MVP  —  Shortstop in LA's system shines on World Team at AT&T Park  —  SAN FRANCISCO — The 2007 Futures Game turned out to be quite a growth experience for Chin-Lung Hu.  —  The Dodgers' little shortstop prospect from Taiwan became a bigger prospect …

Tigers hit 3 HRs off Dice-K, sweep BoSox  —  DETROIT (AP) — Gary Sheffield and the Detroit Tigers made Daisuke Matsuzaka pay for his lackluster location.  —  Sheffield hit one of Detroit's three homers off the Japanese star, Curtis Granderson took a home run away from Boston and the Tigers beat …

Fight Saves a Run?  —  A very weird play just happened in Oakland.  With the Mariners trailing 3-2 in the top of the seventh, Seattle loads the bases against Joe Blanton.  Ibanez then hits a double to left field.  The throw comes in to Crosby, who throws home trying to get Lopez.

A-Rod, Yankees power past Angels 12-0  —  NEW YORK (AP) — Alex Rodriguez and the New York Yankees held their own home run derby Sunday.  —  Rodriguez, Hideki Matsui and Robinson Cano hit three-run homers and the Yankees hammered their way into the All-Star break, routing the Los Angeles Angels 12-0.

Rios final AL participant in HR Derby  —  Blue Jays right fielder named before Indians game Sunday  —  TORONTO — Blue Jays right fielder Alex Rios has agreed to be the final American League participant for the 2007 State Farm Home Run Derby in San Francisco.

Striking performance … ARLINGTON, TEXAS // When he recorded his last strikeout on a night full of them, Erik Bedard pounded his glove with his fist and then hugged his catcher, Ramon Hernandez.  It was a display of emotion the Orioles have rarely seen from the stoic Bedard, but it certainly was fitting for the occasion.

Bay's 4 RBIs lift Bucs over Cubs 6-2  —  PITTSBURGH (AP) — Jason Bay's All-Star break got a lot better with only two swings of his bat.  —  Bay, slumping for more than a month, hit a two-run home run off Cubs ace Carlos Zambrano while driving in four Pirates runs and left-hander Shane Youman held Chicago …

Astros top Mets 8-3 behind Oswalt, Burke  —  HOUSTON (AP) — Chris Burke has been waiting all year to get into an offensive groove.  —  Now that he finally has, capping a big weekend with a two-run homer in Houston's 8-3 win over the New York Mets on Sunday, he's not happy about waiting until …

WAGNER: I'D BENCH LOAFER REYES  —  Jose Reyes is lucky he doesn't have Billy Wagner meting out his punishment.  —  "I think speaking only as if I was the manager - not Willie - he wouldn't play," Wagner said before last night's 5-3, 17-inning victory over Houston.

Mets' Maine misses out on another All-Star avenue  —  HOUSTON - John Maine was snubbed again yesterday.  Not by National League All-Star manager Tony La Russa, but by his fellow players.  —  Maine was passed over for a spot on the All-Star team when Arizona righthander Brandon Webb was named …

Manny to SF?  —  Manager Terry Francona told the media (or, rather, us) that Manny Ramirez is suffering from a bout of "intestinal turmoil" and will not be in the lineup today.  The intestinal turmoil apparently started yesterday.  —  Francona did say that he didn't think it would affect …

July 7 — WHY NOT MADSON?  —  DENVER — That, ladies and gentlemen, is not a happy Charlie Manuel.  —  This picture was taken a few moments after Yorvit Torrealba's two-out single gave the Rockies an improbable 7-6 win last night.  Improbable, I say, because the Phillies were leading 6-1 in the sixth inning.