Orioles trade Trachsel to Cubs  —  Club receives former first-round pick Moore, reliever Cherry in exchange for veteran pitcher  —  BOSTON - The Orioles today traded veteran right-hander Steve Trachsel to the Chicago Cubs for Triple-A reliever Rocky Cherry and Triple-A third baseman Scott Moore.

New York's Chamberlain disciplined  —  New York Yankees pitcher Joba Chamberlain has been suspended for two games and fined an undisclosed amount for his inappropriate actions during the top of the ninth inning of yesterday's game against the Boston Red Sox at Yankee Stadium.

Mariners Notebook: Short-armed M's nearly turn to Felix  —  McLaren was set to use Hernandez out of the bullpen  —  TORONTO — Felix Hernandez, bullpen ace?  —  That was the possible scenario for the Mariners on Friday as they struggle to find pitchers who can get outs.

MLB: Francona uniform check unfortunate  —  BOSTON (AP) — The timing was unfortunate when Boston Red Sox manager Terry Francona was checked during an inning to see if he was wearing his jersey under a blue team pullover, a baseball official said Friday.  —  Executive vice president Jimmie Lee Solomon …

Washington extended through 2009  —  First-year skipper has option picked up despite team's woes  —  ARLINGTON — The Rangers picked up manager Ron Washington's contract option for 2009 on Thursday.  —  "It was an easy decision," general manager Jon Daniels, who signed a one-year extension through 2009 earlier this season, said.

Mets' John Maine baffles Braves to snap skid, keep lead at 2  —  ATLANTA - Step back from the ledge.  For one day, at least.  —  Carlos Delgado and Jose Reyes homered and John Maine took a scoreless effort into the sixth as the Mets recovered from a gut-wrenching four-game sweep in Philly …

Mike Pelfrey (0-7) starting over for Mets  —  ATLANTA - Mike Pelfrey will start today's game against the Braves, while the Mets also will add righthanders Philip Humber and Willie Collazo to the bullpen as rosters expand.  —  Willie Randolph said Pelfrey's major-league experience …

Mussina, Schilling being stalked by mortality … When the New York Yankees won the 2000 World Series, David Justice, a midseason acquisition from Cleveland, was the difference.  —  The next year, when the Yankees lost the Series in seven games to the Arizona Diamondbacks, Justice went 2-for-12 with nine strikeouts.

Padres get the drop on L.A.  —  They win opener of showdown series, helped along when Pierre loses track of pop fly that falls in to key three-run first inning.  Wells, rookie Cassel pitch to a standoff.  —  SAN DIEGO — Three weeks ago the San Diego Padres decided they'd rather have Jack Cassel …

Martinez could rejoin Mets' rotation next week  —  ATLANTA — Pedro Martinez threw so well in a bullpen session on Friday that he may return to the New York Mets next week without making another minor-league rehab start.  —  With New York's NL East lead down to two games following a four …

Notes: Guillen hard on self, team  —  Skipper vows to return to roots and not soften any words  —  CLEVELAND — White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen issued an apology on Friday evening in relation to his profanity-laced rants coming during the last two days in Texas, concerning his team's miserable on-field performance.

Gallardo, Brewers inch closer in Central  —  MILWAUKEE (AP) — Yovani Gallardo was way more fired up about escaping a big jam than he was about his second career homer.  —  The rookie right-hander pitched seven sharp innings and went deep in the fourth inning, helping the Milwaukee Brewers beat …

Buchholz to make second career start  —  Baltimore (59-74) at Boston (80-55), Saturday, 7:05 p.m. ET  —  The Red Sox will be out to avoid a season-high five-game losing streak when they host the Orioles in the middle game of their three-game series.  —  Boston dropped the opener Friday night …

Notes: Wolf to miss rest of season  —  Loaiza arrives, is activated; Garciaparra remains sidelined  —  SAN DIEGO — Randy Wolf's season, which started with nine wins before the All-Star break, will end Wednesday with exploratory arthroscopic shoulder surgery.

White Sox Targeting Eckstein  —  According to Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times, shortstop David Eckstein is the #1 target of the White Sox this offseason.  An Eckstein signing would then result in the team paying $300K to buy out Juan Uribe's $5MM option for '08.

JOBA CHAMBERLAIN REQUESTS PERMISSION TO BUZZ THE TOWER  —  So you're the Yankees.  I know, I know- God help you... but just imagine.  You're in the 9th inning against your hated rivals, you're ahead in the third game 5-0 and you're about to sweep the series at home.