LISTEN TO REINSDORF SING HIS SWAN SONG  —  How is Jerry Reinsdorf a loser?  Let me count the ways.  —  On second thought, I have neither the time nor the space to do a complete count.  I'll just hit a few highlights:  — In his career-long obsession with deflating players' salaries …

Willingham's 3 RBIs vs His Former Team Lead Royals  —  MINNEAPOLIS — Josh Willingham returned to Target Field and hit a bases-clearing double in Kansas City's five-run fourth inning, and the surging Royals hung on to beat the Minnesota Twins 6-5 on Friday night.

Tanaka ready to fire fastballs from mound  —  ST. PETERSBURG — Masahiro Tanaka is scheduled to throw 25 pitches off of a bullpen mound on Saturday at Tropicana Field, which will mark the right-hander's first time throwing from the rubber since a July 8 start against the Indians.

Cobb, Rays reach .500 by blanking Yankees  —  ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Alex Cobb pitched neatly into the eighth inning and the Tampa Bay Rays became just the fourth team in major league history to reach .500 after falling 18 games under in the same season, beating the New York Yankees 5-0 Friday night.

Dodgers Acquire Justin Germano  —  The Dodgers have acquired right-hander Justin Germano from the Rangers for future considerations, Rangers executive vice president of communications John Blake announces (on Twitter).  Germano has been added to the Triple-A Albuquerque roster to begin his tenure with the organization.

Freeman powers Braves to victory over Athletics  —  ATLANTA — Freddie Freeman hit a three-run homer, one of four by Atlanta, and the Braves beat the Oakland Athletics 7-2 on Friday night in the opening game of the interleague series.  —  Justin Upton and Evan Gattis hit homers off Jason Hammel (1-5) in the second inning.

Campbell homers, Wheeler strikes out 10 as Mets beat Cubs  —  NEW YORK — Zack Wheeler struck out 10 in a gritty performance, Eric Campbell hit a three-run homer and the New York Mets beat the free-swinging Chicago Cubs 3-2 Friday night.  —  Wheeler (8-8) threw a career-high 120 pitches in 6 2-3 innings …

Preller's long road trip led to Padres' GM office  —  Ex-scout loved searching for talent in Latin America; now set for new challenge  —  SAN DIEGO — Contrary to what you may have heard, tales of new Padres general manager A.J. Preller's itinerant past have been romanticized and overstated to some degree.

Is Buck Farmer the best baseball adult movie name in recent history?  —  We looked at names from the last 25 years to find out.  —  Buck Farmer made his Major League debut for the Tigers on Wednesday.  This means it's time to plow through the best adult-film names in baseball over the past 25 years …

Mets swept by power-hitting Nationals as Adam LaRoche, Bryce Harper go deep off Dillon Gee  —  The Mets righthander went six innings and allowed four runs on two home runs.  Gee gave up four hits, struck out three and tied a season-high by walking four.  —  The Mets may not have embraced Citi Field …

CarGo to have surgery on left knee on Monday  —  DENVER — One day after Troy Tulowitzki's season officially came to an end, the Rockies' next injury domino fell Thursday night as the team announced Carlos Gonzalez will undergo surgery on his left patella tendon on Monday.

Canada faces Mexico at Little League World Series on TSN  —  The South Vancouver All-Stars make their debut as Team Canada at the Little League World Series today against the Mexican team from Guadalupe, Nuevo Leon.  —  You can see all the action on TSN beginning at 1pm et/10am pt.

Cubs deal former first-round pick Jackson to D-backs  —  Chicago receives Minor League right-hander Cooper in exchange for outfielder  —  CHICAGO — The Cubs dealt 2009 first-round Draft pick Brett Jackson to the D-backs late Thursday for Minor League right-handed pitcher Blake Cooper.