Barrett's 10-game suspension upheld  —  Cubs catcher begins to serve penalty Monday in Cleveland  —  CHICAGO — Major League Baseball arbitrator John McHale Jr. upheld the 10-game suspension issued for Cubs catcher Michael Barrett, who was to begin serving the penalty Monday night when the team opened a three-game series in Cleveland.

Warning path isn't quite enough  —  Unpadded concrete danger to outfielders  —  ANAHEIM - Why is there exposed concrete at the base of the outfield walls at Angel Stadium, such as where Dave Roberts slammed his right knee yesterday?  —  Angels officials were trying to answer that question …

Check Reveals Royal Background  —  ATLANTA — Red Sox manager Terry Francona doesn't know much about pitcher Kyle Snyder other than he's tall - 6 feet 8 - right-handed and was released by the worst team in baseball last week.  —  The Red Sox hope the Nationals, whom Snyder faces …

Huge Incentive To Play Baseball  —  If Jeff Samardzija's career works out the way he and the Cubs hope, he will end up receiving one of the largest signing bonuses ever given to an amateur player.  —  Samardzija, a fifth-round pick out of Notre Dame, agreed in principle with the Cubs …

Tough plays or not, Tracy says Pirates must change thinking, execution  —  Tough plays or not, Tracy says Pirates must change thinking, execution  —  PITTSBURGH (AP) — Pittsburgh Pirates manager Jim Tracy said Monday he never intentionally reprimands a player in public …

Great eighth (six runs) lifts Sox  —  ATLANTA — With just one Rudy Seanez pitch, delivered at 86 miles per hour with next-to-no movement, except for the arc it traced on its way out of the ballpark, this looked like a 2-4 road swing through Minnesota and Atlanta.

Effort on Play Questioned  —  The Press-Enterprise  —  OAKLAND - Lost somewhere in the middle of the Dodgers' 17-inning marathon with the A's on Saturday night was a veteran showing up a rookie.  —  In the eighth inning of the game that ended with Jae Seo walking in the winning run …

Rotation shift irks R. Lopez … NEW YORK // An agitated Rodrigo Lopez declined to endorse the decision of Orioles manager Sam Perlozzo to push the right-hander's start back from tomorrow to Friday, saying yesterday that he's "not OK with it."  —  Perlozzo emphasized that he wasn't skipping Lopez.

Friendship transcends diamond  —  White Sox owner, former manager remain close friends  —  CHICAGO — Somewhere in Chicago on Monday night, at a restaurant featuring good food and a place for good conversation, Jerry Reinsdorf and Tony La Russa will sit down for dinner.

Soriano and Bay break into top three outfield spots; Reyes winning voting race for shortstop  —  Alfonso Soriano of the Washington Nationals and Jason Bay of the Pittsburgh Pirates have advanced into second and third place, respectively, among outfielders while Jose Reyes of the New York Mets …

Tools to build a fine future  —  Powerful Place to get to work  —  ATLANTA — No official announcement has been made, but the Red Sox have signed their top draft choice, outfielder Jason Place.  If he isn't already in Fort Myers, Fla., ready to embark on his professional career in rookie ball …

Mailbag: Looking at moving Mench?  —  Beat writer T.R. Sullivan answers fans' questions  —  Are the Rangers thinking about trading Kevin Mench for anyone?  He is my favorite player and I don't want to see him gone.  If you do, who would you get and why?  —  Mench remains an intriguing and enigmatic player.

Notes: Jays welcome return of Burnett  —  Pitcher is expected to return for Thursday start  —  MIAMI — A.J. Burnett is coming back to the Blue Jays and not a moment too soon.  —  Burnett, who has been on the 60-day DL since April 21 with a sprained ulnar collateral ligament …

Mailbag: How to make room for Mitre?  —  Reporter Joe Frisaro answers Marlins fans' questions  —  What are the Marlins going to do when Sergio Mitre comes off the disabled list?  Is he going back in the rotation?  Everybody else is pitching great.  —  Because Mitre is on the 60-day disabled list …

Patterson May Pitch On Friday  —  The wait for John Patterson and the Washington Nationals could finally end Friday, when the right-hander is scheduled to be activated from the disabled list and pitch his first major league game since April 21.  —  Patterson, on the disabled list …