The AL East race still has juice, and so does rivalry  —  BOSTON - The Yankees and Red Sox have not given us the show we expected this season, because never in this world was a team as loaded as the Yankees supposed to be 14 1/2 games off the lead at the end of May.

Ryan steps down as Twins GM  —  Vice president/assistant GM Bill Smith to take over position  —  MINNEAPOLIS — Terry Ryan has often been lauded as one of the best talent evaluators in baseball.  —  And now he'll get a chance to fulfill his love of scouting talent, full-time.

Matsuzaka Running Out of Gas in the Fast Lane  —  Daisuke Matsuzaka slowed everything down Wednesday at Fenway Park, working on his pitching motion in slow motion.  Matsuzaka slowly, very, very slowly, brought the ball in his right hand from behind his back, past his shoulder and down below his knees.

Phils say wild card wouldn't be so bad  —  So much for Jimmy Rollins' choice as the NL East's team to beat fulfilling those expectations.  That is, unless the Phillies can somehow rally for the wild card and oust the Mets in the NLCS.  —  Only two weeks after sweeping the Mets in a four …

Peavy, Sabathia are Cy Young front-runners … Before we launch into our annual dissection of the Cy Young derby, let's play America's favorite game of the Rumblings and Grumblings set, Trophy Case Jeopardy.  —  Your Final Trophy Case Jeopardy category: Cy Youngs For Two Teams.  —  The answer: Gaylord Perry.

Quick fix turning into valuable asset  —  Since coming in a trade, Castillo has done wonders for Mets  —  NEW YORK — Luis Castillo stared down the line on a typical Monday and watched third-base coach Sandy Alomar Sr. relay a typical call.  A few moments later, Castillo had his orders.

For Hitters, Not Much to Miss  —  As Final Homestand Begins, Nats Ready to Bid Farewell to RFK  —  It hosted Livan Hernandez's fastball for strike one against Arizona's Craig Counsell, the moment — 7:06 p.m., April 14, 2005 — when baseball returned to Washington.

Trachsel, 4 HRs give Cubs Central lead  —  HOUSTON (AP) — The Chicago Cubs used a simple formula to regain the NL Central lead Thursday night.  If only they can follow it in St. Louis this weekend.  —  Steve Trachsel earned his first win with the Cubs in eight years and Chicago hit four home runs …

Ankiel confirms meeting with baseball officials  —  CINCINNATI — Cardinals outfielder Rick Ankiel acknowledged Thursday that he met with officials from Major League Baseball earlier this week about a report linking him to human grown hormone.  —  "I think it was a good thing to do and I was happy to help," Ankiel said.

Veteran showdown on tap for finale  —  San Diego (78-66) at Los Angeles (76-69), 7:10 p.m. PT  —  Well, well, well.  It will definitely be one for the books when Padres starter Greg Maddux duels with former teammate and current friend, David Wells, in the series finale at Dodger Stadium on Thursday.

Hundreds see Marlins pull out win  —  MIAMI GARDENS — It would have been a great crowd for a spring training game.  Played on a back field.  In the rain.  —  But not for a major-league baseball game on a sunny Wednesday.  —  Forget the announced attendance of 10,121 for the Marlins-Nationals game at Dolphin Stadium.

Guillermo Mota gives no relief for Mets - again  —  The boos cascade down regardless of the situation for Guillermo Mota, usually beginning before he even unleashes a single pitch.  —  In what might have been a Shea first, Mota was booed even when he was announced as the winning pitcher during …