Snow no longer in forecast  —  He's designated for assignment  —  The call, which came yesterday, could not have been entirely surprising to J.T. Snow.  Of anyone, he was most aware of the truth of his stint with the Red Sox: Though he might have been needed once, he was no longer quite so useful.

Baker: 'Are you guys going to miss me?'  —  Manager knows extension in doubt  —  CLEVELAND — Cubs manager Dusty Baker finished talking about his uncertain future in Chicago Monday at Jacobs Field when he turned the tables and asked reporters a question.  —  "Why, are you guys going to miss me?" he said.

Offense strands Johnson  —  Yankees leave 11 on, wasting Unit's effort, and drop third in a row  —  PHILADELPHIA — The frustration level in the Yankees' clubhouse, already on the rise before last night, reached what has to be a season high after a forgettable night.

Unpowered but effective  —  He has long been accused of being older than he admits to, a little detail that may or may not make Orlando "El Duque" Hernandez older than his 40-year-old Mets teammate, Tom Glavine, but definitely in possession of less tread on his arm than 34-year-old Pedro Martinez …

Elbow pain deals Dotel's comeback a setback  —  PHILADELPHIA - When Octavio Dotel walked through the door of the visitors' clubhouse yesterday, several Yankees wondered if perhaps the reliever had been activated because his rehab from elbow surgery had gone so well.

Prospectus Hit List  —  Week of June 18th  —  Team  —  Overall W-L  —  Week W-L  —  Hit List Factor  —  Trend  —  Roaring Back: winners of eight out of nine, the Tigers restake their claim on the top spot by beating two of the Hit List's weakest sisters.

A visit from a National treasure  —  Sweating, ever-stoic, now 70 years old, Frank Robinson took a tour around Fenway Park at 2 o'clock yesterday afternoon.  —  He first came here in 1961 as a member of the National League All-Star team, and in 1966 — his Triple Crown/MVP season with the Orioles …

Samardzija deal raises Selig's ire  —  CLEVELAND — Notre Dame right-hander Jeff Samardzija may or may not become the next Bo Jackson, but just like Bo, he knows money.  —  Baseball America reported the Cubs plan to give their fifth-round draft pick a $7.25 million bonus if he winds up making baseball his primary sport over football.

Managers not an endangered species in '06  —  The last time that an entire season passed without a managerial dismissal was 2000.  —  It could happen again.  —  Eight managers are beginning their first full seasons with new clubs, and only four are in the final years of contracts.

Infielders share Player of Week honors  —  Wright, Reyes anchored Mets' offensive attack in past week  —  The ways Jose Reyes and David Wright contributed last week were as different as the tunes resonating from a soprano and a bass.  But inevitably the result was the same — the Mets keep winning, and winning convincingly.

Beltre having hard time living up to lofty expectations  —  As the Dominican Republic advanced to the World Baseball Classic semifinals in March, one particularly potent batter stood out in a fearsome lineup that included Albert Pujols, David Ortiz and Miguel Tejada:  —  Third baseman Adrian Beltre.