Coco Crisp snaps out of slump as A's stop skid at 5  —  OAKLAND, Calif. — Oakland Athletics leadoff hitter Coco Crisp tinkered with his swing for a few days and finally got the results he had been looking for.  —  That is critical for a team trying to hang on in the American League West …

Veteran mentor is high on Cubs' shopping list  —  NEW YORK — By now, anybody who follows the Cubs has heard the front office's vow to aggressively pursue pitching over the next two winters to catch up to the quality of young Cubs hitters believed to be coming down the pipeline.

Cardinals edge Reds with walk-off HBP in 9th inning  —  ST. LOUIS — Jon Jay was hit by a pitch from J.J. Hoover with the bases loaded in the ninth inning, lifting the St. Louis Cardinals to a 5-4 win over the Cincinnati Reds on Tuesday night.  —  Matt Holliday drew a leadoff walk to start the winning rally.

CarGo has surgery, might not be ready by spring  —  DENVER — Rockies outfielder Carlos Gonzalez had the middle third of the left patella tendon repaired and a bursa sac removed in a surgery on Monday.  Head athletic trainer Keith Dugger cautioned that it won't be known for months if Gonzalez …

Carter's three-run homer in ninth leads Astros over Yankees  —  NEW YORK, N.Y. - Chris Carter snapped a ninth-inning tie with a colossal three-run homer, extending his second-half power surge and sending the Houston Astros to a 7-4 victory over the New York Yankees on Tuesday night.

McCutchen activated, in lineup vs. Braves  —  PITTSBURGH — Andrew McCutchen's fractured rib is healed.  The reigning National League MVP is hoping his return will have the same effect on the reeling Pittsburgh Pirates.  —  The Pirates activated the star center fielder off the 15-day disabled list on Tuesday.

Phils president: GM Amaro ‘not on the hot seat’  —  PHILADELPHIA — The Phillies might have the third-highest payroll in baseball, but they are going to miss the postseason for the third consecutive year.  —  But Phillies president David Montgomery's support for general manager Ruben Amaro Jr …

Infante has three doubles, Royals rally late to beat Rockies  —  DENVER - Omar Infante had three doubles and drove in four runs to help the streaking Kansas City Royals beat the Colorado Rockies 7-4 on Tuesday night.  —  James Shields pitched six solid innings to get the win for the Royals …

Leverage Matters: When to Invest in the Bullpen  —  Koji Uehara's value will differ depending on the team that signs him (via Keith Allison).  —  Who was the best pitcher in the American League in 2013?  —  By WAR, it was Max Scherzer, although teammate Anibal Sanchez had a better ERA, and Yu Darvish had more strikeouts.

Tigers Score 3 in 11th, Top Rays 8-6  —  ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Victor Martinez drew a tiebreaking bases-loaded walk during a three-run 11th inning and the Detroit Tigers beat the Tampa Bay Rays 8-6 on Tuesday night.  —  Ian Kinsler opened the 11th with a triple off Grant Balfour (1-5) …

Astros' Jose Altuve Doesn't Let Height Be a Disadvantage  —  The Houston Astros may be the most data-driven organization in baseball, or at least the one most willing to try new ideas.  Yet there are no statistical models that would project the smallest player in the majors to be the game's best hitter.

Labourt strikes out nine in win for Vancouver  —  Left-hander Jairo Labourt, the Blue Jays' No. 16 prospect, struck out a career-high nine batters in six scoreless innings on Tuesday as Class A Short Season Vancouver defeated Boise, 2-0.  —  Labourt scattered seven hits and one walk.

Yanks notes: Passing on Cuban star Castillo  —  Pass on Castillo  —  The Yankees have ended any pursuit of Cuban outfielder/second baseman Rusney Castillo, according to an industry source.  Castillo's power-and-speed element has him linked to interest by several other clubs …