Hey Yankees, I got some free advice for you guys  —  The Yankees have won six straight games since the All-Star break, and at 56-45, they're at their high-water mark for the season.  —  They flicked aside the Twins yesterday, 5-1, at Yankee Stadium, allowing them to fully enjoy their day off today …

Kerry Wood still suffering discomfort  —  Blister might force closer to DL; Irish product in pipeline  —  PHOENIX - Kerry Wood's blister remains bothersome, if not yet disabling.  He had to ease his way through a scheduled bullpen session Wednesday, throwing only changeups …

Enough already  —  The Yankees are in town for a weekend series, and this would be a nice time to retire the stupidest chant in the world: Yankees suck.  —  Now, before you go all Hank Steinbrenner on me, hear me out.  —  I don't like the Yankees.  I never did, though as a kid I liked …

Nats GM says Cordero will hit market  —  Bowden reveals intention to non-tender injured closer  —  SAN FRANCISCO — The offseason is a little more than two months away, but the Nationals have already decided that reliever Chad Cordero will be non-tendered.  The news comes two weeks after Cordero had shoulder surgery.

Wilpon: I screwed up firing  —  Fred Wilpon said he learned something from firing Willie Randolph.  And it is this: The next time he fires a manager he'll do it in the light of day, when reporters are not sleeping.  —  Wilpon talked about his “lesson” in the studio of his SportsNet New York …

Do veteran players ‘know how to win’?  —  It was my first sabermetric argument.  At least, the first one I remember.  The year was 1984, and my beloved Mets were battling the Cubs for the NL East division lead.  I had a buddy who felt that the Cubs were going to take it …

N.Y. Yankees in the market for a catcher  —  TRADEWINDS  —  YANKEES BUZZ  —  Word as of Wednesday afternoon was that the Yankees were looking everywhere for a catcher.  Worried that Jose Molina might not be built to hold up the rest of the way as an everyday starter …

Red Sox looking to acquire Uribe in deal with Chicago  —  The Red Sox are deep in conversations with the White Sox on a trade that would send infielder Juan Uribe to Boston, according to sources.  —  Uribe is batting just .225 in limited playing time this season, but his three home runs …

Breaking down the draft: Picks 36-44  —  Continuing our “Breaking Down the Draft” series, today we break down draft picks 36-44.  In case you missed the previous three parts of this series, I have listed them below:  —  Breaking Down the Draft: Part One  —  Breaking Down the Draft: Picks 18 - 26

Lo Duca is conscious of potential move  —  Washington (38-63) at San Francisco (42-58), 3:45 p.m. ET  —  SAN FRANCISCO — Nationals catcher Paul Lo Duca said on Wednesday that he would be lying if he didn't take notice that the Yankees need a starting catcher because Jorge Posada suffered a right shoulder injury.

Not just a box score  —  Last week's item about blogging minor leaguers included some excerpts from San Diego Padres farmhand Dirk Hayhurst's “Non-Prospect Diaries” at Baseball America.  I had tried to reach Hayhurst without success before writing it, but he got in touch after the item appeared …

Going, Going, Gone ... Berserk: Pine-Tar Bat Incident Revisited  —  Twenty-five years later, it remains one of baseball's most riveting images: George Brett, eyes bulging with rage, bolting out of the visiting dugout at Yankee Stadium, intent on enacting a most primal impulse.  He wanted to kill the ump.

Mets looking closer at 'pen help through trade  —  With plenty of deals already made throughout the league, and exactly a week left before next Thursday's 4 p.m. trade deadline, the Mets are still deciding when — or if — to pull the trigger themselves.  The most obvious need is for a corner outfielder …