Bonds won't return with Giants for '08 season  —  The San Francisco Giants won't be bringing back Barry Bonds for 2008, the team confirmed with ESPN's Pedro Gomez on Friday.  —  The slugger first reported he won't be returning on his Web site.  The Giants planned an

Pirates deny hiring Huntington as GM  —  PITTSBURGH (AP) — The Pittsburgh Pirates denied Friday they've chosen Cleveland Indians special assistant Neal Huntington as their next general manager, saying their search is ongoing.  —  Pirates president Frank Coonelly, on the job slightly more than a week …

Right now, team is fourth-rate  —  If there is any set of fans who should know, it's the people right here in New England, where professional baseball has been a passion for more than 130 years.  —  Baseball is not like the other sports.  More than basketball, more than hockey …

Under The Knife  —  September Strains  —  No intro today, as I'm finishing up work on getting the next BP Conversation up and ready.  I spoke with Dr. Olivier Rabin, the Science Director for the World Anti-Doping Agency.  He's one of the men who has been at the forefront of the fight …

Mets' Beltran bruises knee after fall  —  New York Mets center fielder Carlos Beltran left Friday night's game at Florida in the fifth inning after bruising the patellar tendon in his left knee when he fell on the warning track chasing an extra base hit.  Beltran walked off the field with a slight limp and was replaced by Endy Chavez.

Holliday credits Big Mac for recent HR surge  —  DENVER (AP) — Fans serenaded Matt Holliday with chants of "MVP!  MVP!" as he circled the bases with his 11th homer in 12 games.  —  "I'm very humbled by that and honored," said Holliday, whose latest moon shot Thursday helped Colorado complete …

Kennedy scratched from Saturday start  —  Rookie Ian Kennedy, who is 1-0 with a 1.89 ERA after three starts in the majors, has been scratched from tomorrow's start against Toronto with what the team is calling a muscle strain in his upper back.  —  Since the team has been using six starters …

Arizona League Top 20 Prospects List  —  Subscribers can read scouting reports on all 20 players (Click here to subscribe)  —  The Rookie-level Arizona League has only a few veterans: the managers and coaches who return to the league year after year.  Ruben Escalera was in his sixth season …

I Don't Gotta Believe Anything  —  No doubt some tried and true sportswriter somewhere has referred to Thursday night's apocalyptic meltdown as a heartbreaker for Mets fans.  —  Your heart broken?  Mine isn't.  Not really.  —  I'm not gonna feed you some line about there are more important things …

Drehs: Diverse groups line up to bid on Cubs … CHICAGO — From the third seat in the fifth row of Wrigley Field Section 105, Thomas Mandler seems to have everything any Cubs fan could ever want.  —  To his right, his 26-year-old son Jason.  To his left, his 31-year-old daughter Amy …

Ramirez's pair of 3-run HRs lift Cubs  —  CHICAGO (AP) — The wind whipping out on a warm afternoon, the Chicago Cubs found the perfect conditions to pad their home run total and maintain their lead in the NL Central.  —  "It was a good day to hit.  But you can't blame the wind.

Notes: Uggla sets club record  —  Slugger first Marlins second baseman to hit 30 home runs  —  MIAMI — If someone makes Dan Uggla a cake to commemorate his sophomore season, they'd better have 30 candles ready.  —  Uggla became the first second baseman in Marlins franchise history …

Goodbye, RFK: Not too many tears shed by Nationals as they prepare to leave ballpark  —  WASHINGTON (AP) -Oh, sure, there are some fond memories for those Washington Nationals who played at RFK Stadium in 2005, back in the days when even if the ol' ballpark might not have been much of a home, at least it was a home.