Sox head south for Interleague series  —  Boston (36-28) at Atlanta (30-37), 7:35 p.m. ET  —  The Boston bullpen, which has struggled this week in tight situations, may be under even more pressure in the National League environment over the next 15 games.  —  For the Red Sox …

Bullpen Coach Wetteland Is Given the Boot  —  The Washington Nationals fired bullpen coach John Wetteland yesterday, a move made at the behest of Manager Frank Robinson, who said he could no longer put up with what he considered to be a long line of transgressions and insubordination that was affecting the chemistry of his relief corps.

Another Rookie Mistake by Milledge  —  PHILADELPHIA, June 15 — At the end of this feel-good trip, as the Mets exchanged hugs and high-fives, Manager Willie Randolph wrapped Lastings Milledge in a long headlock.  —  Randolph was having fun with Milledge, not punishing him.

Not a 'Character Guy,' Bradley Still a Character  —  OAKLAND — Milton Bradley playing on the same field here as the Raiders, now tell me that isn't apropos, and the easy cheap shot.  —  But then I've always liked Bradley, find him engaging and competitive and still maintain he could have become …

Same old scenario: Cubs lose  —  With Zambrano gone, Astros rally to complete sweep  —  Carlos Zambrano's arm was feeling heavy Thursday afternoon at Wrigley Field, while a crowd of 40,236 was feeling somewhat nauseated.  —  In a scene that has been replayed over and over this season …

Big names not likely to get traded … Two weeks left until July.  And you know what that means.  —  Rumorfest 2006 is about to erupt, any minute now.  —  So we want you to be ready.  We want you to be educated.  We want you to know the truth about all those names you've been hearing and reading and fantasizing about.

Padres fire Magadan as hitting coach, hire Rettenmund  —  SAN DIEGO - With the worst team batting average in the NL and the third-fewest homers in the majors, the San Diego Padres fired Dave Magadan as hitting coach on Thursday and replaced him with the popular Merv Rettenmund.

With rebuilt mechanics, Rogers rolling  —  Former first-round pick succeeding at Advanced Class A  —  MILWAUKEE — At some point in mid-May, the Brewers' top pitching prospect stepped onto the mound and finally felt like himself again.  —  "I feel really confident now every time I step out on that mound …

Ross homers a day after being hit in jaw with pitch  —  MIAMI GARDENS — Outfielder Cody Ross was back in the starting lineup Thursday — and homered in his first at-bat — one day after getting hit in the jaw with a fastball.  —  Ross' jaw still was sore and his lower lip was swollen …

Under The Knife  —  Two Questions  —  I constantly get asked if I want a job in baseball.  (Seldom does someone in baseball ask it, you'll note.)  I say I have the best job in the world and remind people that I'm the least qualified person I know.  Sure, I dream like every …

Mets running away  —  End 9-1 trip ahead by 9 1/2  —  PHILADELPHIA - Omar Minaya drove down the New Jersey Turnpike for yesterday's crowning achievement on a historic road trip.  And after a 5-4 win that completed a sweep of the second-place Phillies, the Mets GM openly acknowledged …

Durham Bulls player arrested for DWI  —  CHAPEL HILL — Durham Bulls shortstop B.J. Upton was arrested early this morning in Chapel Hill and charged with driving while intoxicated.  —  Upton, whose given name is Melvin Emanuel Upton, Jr., was driving a 2007 Mercedes Benz sedan on East Franklin Street …

Floyd: Nothing like winning in New York  —  There's still a lot of baseball left, but there is no feeling like winning in New York.  Our fans here have been unbelievable and I look forward to giving them something to cheer about this season.  —  It's been hard for Mets fans in recent years, certainly since I joined the team in 2003.

Mr. Robert Kip Wells  —  Kip Wells is due back in the rotation before the end of the month after missing most of the first three months of 2006 coming back from a blood clot that had formed in his pitching shoulder.  We know that Kip Wells was a rather promising young pitcher in his first two years …