Devil Rays deal Gathright to Royals for LHP Howell … The Kansas City Royals have traded left-handed pitcher J.P. Howell to the Tampa Bay Devil Rays for center fielder Joey Gathright, ESPN.com has learned.  —  The Rays also sent minor league second baseman Fernando Cortez to the Royals in that deal.

Sox Dealt An Ace In Arroyo  —  NEW YORK — Almost two hours before the first pitch Monday, Bronson Arroyo sat inside the visitors clubhouse at Shea Stadium scanning MLB.com and glancing at the College World Series on television.  —  Dressed in a white, button-down shirt adorned with loopy brown circles …

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.

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.

Weaknesses Finally Catching Up To Yanks  —  PHILADELPHIA — For five weeks the Yankees have hung in with their shell of a lineup, but the holes are beginning to show and the possibility of falling far behind looks more real than ever.  —  Playing in National League parks with no DH …

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.

It's A-Rod Season!  —  I just noticed the following entry over at NoMaas.org - … Related, Peter Abraham has an A-Rod "clutch" stat in his blog today: … Around three weeks ago, I looked at A-Rod's numbers this season in a different light.  —  And, I thought that I would re-look at them today.

Under The Knife  —  Game Seven/Game Six  —  Powered by a furious Game Seven from one of the most evenly matched Stanley Cups in history, on to Game Six of the NBA Finals ... oh, and on to the injuries:  — Call it a cascade if you want.  There hasn't been much discussion of Pedro Martinez …

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.

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.

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 …

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.

All-Star winner keeps homefield  —  World Series edge still decided by midsummer classic  —  Winning the All-Star game will still be worth something in October.  —  Home-field advantage in the World Series this year will again go to the league that wins the July exhibition, owners and players agreed Tuesday.

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 …

Left in the dark  —  There is a hilarious commercial playing on the radio these days.  It is for Major League Baseball's online video-streaming service, and the announcer states with all the zeal of a snake-oil salesman: "Sign up for MLB.TV and never miss a game again!"  —  Bill Reed is the punch line.

The Pirates' Nutting family buying Seven Springs  —  CHAMPION, Pa.— The Nutting media empire, part owner of the Pittsburgh Pirates, soon will be the sole owner of Seven Springs Mountain Resort, Pennsylvania's biggest ski resort.  —  The Nuttings are buying the resort from the Dupre family …