Pineda's folly could sink the season  —  Fenway's funny scene won't be so funny if Yankees miss playoffs by one game  —  BOSTON — Just in case Michael Pineda never makes it as a New York Yankee, he decided to prep himself for a second career as a stand-up comic.

A's A.J. Griffin to get second opinion; elbow issue not improved  —  Shutting A.J. Griffin down for more than a month does not seem to have resolved the discomfort the A's starter was feeling.  The right-hander will get a second opinion on his elbow from Dr. Thomas Mehlhoff in Houston next Tuesday.

Wrigley's 100th birthday cake uneaten, disposed by Field Museum; Cubs ‘disappointed’  —  Wrigley and the Cubs had their birthday cake, and now it's in the trash.  —  The 400-pound Cake Boss-created birthday cake for Wrigley's centennial was a spectacle at Wednesday's celebration.

Up Close on Baseball's Borders  —  Steve Rushin of Sports Illustrated has called the line running through Connecticut that separates Yankee fans and Red Sox fans the Munson-Nixon line.  Mr. Rushin came up with the name — in honor of the late Yankee catcher Thurman Munson …

John Henry and the Making of a Red Sox Baseball Dynasty  —  It's Opening Day at Fenway Park, more than an hour before game time, and the seats are already jammed.  No surprise here.  Boston Red Sox fans feed on emotion.  Today's capacity crowd skipped work and school for the chance to mainline …

Brewers could have Rule 5 gem in lefty reliever Wang  —  I remember sitting in the crowded room at the 2013 Winter Meetings Rule 5 Draft.  I had a fairly good sense of almost every potential player who could be selected early that morning.  —  The Brewers selected Wei-Chung Wang, a left-handed pitcher from the Pirates organization.

Darren Oliver appointed as Texas Rangers Special Assistant  —  Recently retired major leaguer will focus on pitching assignments  —  The Texas Rangers today announced that longtime major league pitcher Darren Oliver has been appointed as a Special Assistant to the General Manager.

Colon, Mets shut down Cardinals in matinee  —  NEW YORK — Chris Young homered to start New York's comeback and slumping Curtis Granderson singled in a run as a pinch hitter as Bartolo Colon and the Mets beat the St. Louis Cardinals 4-1 Thursday to send Lance Lynn to his first career loss in April.

Miguel Cabrera, Max Scherzer lead Tigers by White Sox  —  DETROIT — Miguel Cabrera drove in three runs, Max Scherzer struck out 10 and the Detroit Tigers beat the Chicago White Sox 7-4 Thursday.  —  Cabrera hit a pair of two-out singles for his RBIs.  Rajai homered, doubled, singled and drove in two runs.

Sosa to ‘clear it up,’ sad to miss Cubs party  —  The Chicago Cubs feel like Sammy Sosa owes them an apology, and the former slugger told ESPNDeportes.com on Thursday that he's willing to sit down with the club to make amends.  —  “I think there is something that has to be resolved” he told ESPNDeportes.