Bonds Smiles Aboard All-Star Welcome Wagon  —  The host of the 2007 All-Star Game can be charming, thought-provoking and funny.  He can also be aloof, irritable and a little bit mean.  —  Barry Bonds has served Major League Baseball in many capacities over the past two decades — as icon, villain and almost everything in between.

Vlad captures first Derby crown  —  Angels slugger bests Blue Jays' Rios in final round  —  SAN FRANCISCO — It was State Farm Home Run Derby night at AT&T Park on Monday and Vladimir Guerrero was the finest of Major League Baseball's slugging stars.  —  The Angels right fielder outdueled Alex Rios …

Where will A-Rod land?  —  News takes look at which could be next A-team  —  He's pulled off a successful switch to third base, won an MVP and is now taking aim at a hallowed home run record owned by Roger Maris.  But Alex Rodriguez's tenure in the Bronx also is pockmarked with boos, poor Octobers and racy tabloid tales.

Future Shock  —  Risers and Fallers, National League … Continuing from Friday's piece, we move on to the prospects of the prospects in the National League.  —  Arizona Diamondbacks  —  Great Leap Forward: It took a year longer than expected, but Justin Upton is living up to the promise …

Notes: Rotation about set for post-break  —  El Duque the early favorite to start against Reds on Thursday  —  HOUSTON — The Mets' starting rotation, subject to change as New England's weather, has been established — sort of — for the games following the All-Star break.

Government and Union Are on Same Side of Suit  —  In separate court filings yesterday, the United States attorney's office in the Northern District of California disclosed that it had not provided George J. Mitchell the names of current and former major league players linked to two cases involving performance-enhancing drugs.

Trade talks fail, so Hillenbrand released  —  The Angels, unable to trade Shea Hillenbrand in the 10-day period after he was designated for assignment June 29, had no choice Monday but to release the former designated hitter, who is now a free agent.  —  In a similar position last season …

Is Ichiro pleased enough to re-sign?  —  SAN FRANCISCO — To Ichiro, the Mariners' tree is finally healthy and back in full bloom.  And that bodes extremely well for his extended future in Seattle.  —  The diseased roots he alluded to at last year's All-Star Game seem to have been magically cured.

Papelbon: Closing thoughts  —  Four months ago, when Jonathan Papelbon [stats] was switched back from starter to closer during the final weeks of spring training, the move was met with applause - and trepidation.  —  The worry, of course, was about his shoulder, and the wear and tear …

Shoulder Surgery for Randolph  —  Mets Manager Willie Randolph had rotator cuff surgery on his right shoulder yesterday, which means he will begin the second half of the season Thursday with one arm in a sling.  —  Randoph had the operation at the Hospital for Special Surgery in Manhattan.

Agent gets 5 years for smuggling Cubans  —  KEY WEST, Fla. (AP) — A California sports agent was sentenced to five years in prison for smuggling five Cuban baseball players into the United States.  —  District Judge K. Michael Moore issued the mandatory minimum sentence Monday to agent Gustavo "Gus" Dominguez.

'Wingman' Okajima takes flight  —  SAN FRANCISCO — Truth be told, he voted for himself.  At home with his wife last week, he went online and clicked next to the name "Hideki Okajima."  Ten times in all.  —  He'd accumulated more than 4.3 million votes when the final results were tabulated …

Notes: Chilling by the bay  —  With his legs aching, Big Papi sits back to enjoy Derby  —  SAN FRANCISCO — David Ortiz has come to represent Major League Baseball every bit as much as the Dominican Republic and Red Sox Nation.  And that's why Ortiz refused to let his nagging legs give …

Boras wants defense to be recognized  —  Agent proposes a new stat, 'EP' or 'Exceptional Play,' to be given to players who make sensational plays on defense during a game.  —  SAN FRANCISCO — In a sport packed with statistics, is there room for another?  With a nod to the best defenders in baseball …

Stars align to praise Reyes  —  NL foes learn thing or two from Met professor  —  SAN FRANCISCO - Jose Reyes attended last year's All-Star festivities in Pittsburgh with seven stitches in his sliced left pinkie.  So the Mets shortstop had to watch from the dugout as Edgar Renteria started at his position.

Must-see TV  —  Want a real sense of the '77 Yankees?  Try these DVDs  —  After Reggie Jackson hit three home runs on three consecutive pitches in Game 6 of the 1977 World Series, giving the Yankees their first championship since 1962, New York third baseman Graig Nettles said …