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.

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 …

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.

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.

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 …

Jays hand slumping M's 7th straight loss  —  TORONTO (AP) — This is the way things are going for Seattle: a bases-loaded smash in the ninth inning Friday night turned into a game-ending double play.  —  The slumping Mariners lost their seventh straight game as Troy Glaus hit a two-run homer …

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.

Wakefield scratched; Tavarez to start  —  Tim Wakefield has been scratched from tonight's start because of a sore back.  Julian Tavarez will move from his scheduled tomorrow to tonight.  Kevin Cash will remain in the lineup at catcher.  —  Wakefield, according to Red Sox PR honcho John Blake …

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.

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.

Orioles break it open  —  Turns out 1,000 wasn't a lucky number for Mike Timlin, as his string of 11 1/3 scoreless innings ended with a thud.  —  Timlin gave up a couple of line drive singles to start his night, loading the bases, then Jay Payton hit a sacrifice fly to right.

Twins' Baker took perfect game into 9th  —  LIKE THIS STORY?  —  MINNEAPOLIS (AP) - Scott Baker came within three outs of a perfect game and two outs of a no-hitter, falling short of history but leading the Minnesota Twins over the Kansas City Royals 5-0 in the second game of a doubleheader Friday night.

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.