No Relief From the Nationals' Starter  —  Hernandez Lasts Only 12/3 Innings: Red Sox 11, Nationals 3  —  BOSTON, June 20 — Here were the two guys to defy any obsession with radar guns, who respond to urges for harder and faster with softer and slower.  Tim Wakefield took the mound Tuesday night …

Practice Helps Nady Find His Timing, and It's Right on Time  —  Xavier Nady returned to the Mets' lineup Monday, but he went hitless in four at-bats.  Nady said that his timing was off, the result of not playing in the majors since the end of May.  He pledged to spend some extra time in the batting cage to sharpen his swing.

When Cora's time comes, he makes most of it  —  It's a given that Alex Cora will do the little things every time he steps on the field.  But lately he's been doing the big things, too.  —  Last night that meant going 3-for-3 with a walk, steal, RBI and three runs scored in the Red Sox' 11-3 victory over the Washington Nationals.

Teixeira says call by umpire not fair  —  ARLINGTON — Mark Teixeira already had his arms raised to celebrate his walkoff home run.  He had hit the pitch off Padres closer Trevor Hoffman so hard and so high and so far that the ball soared over the top of the right-field foul pole.

Guillen crosses line with latest slur  —  Ozzie Guillen was wearing a White Sox uniform.  He was talking to a bunch of reporters, maybe 20 of them taking notes or holding tape recorders.  He was sitting in the White Sox' dugout.  —  And these are the words that came from the face …

The Mets Are In The Zone  —  FLUSHING, NY - Michael Jordan had it and Tiger Woods may have lost it, but at one time or another, great players experience what they call "The Zone."  —  It's something David Wright felt on occasion this season.  —  "Everything slows down," Wright explained.

'It's like playing with fire' … Paxton Crawford was a top pitching prospect who went 5-1 in 15 games for the Red Sox in 2000 and 2001.  Then back problems — which he blames on steroid use — derailed the right-hander's career, which ended in the minors in 2005.

Rangers' Francisco could return by end of June  —  ARLINGTON - Right-hander Frank Francisco was in the Rangers' bullpen Tuesday.  He could be on the roster by the end of the month.  —  In a move designed to make Francisco available to the Rangers earlier than planned …

Yanks' eye on Jacque  —  PHILADELPHIA - It's no secret the Yankees have several glaring needs, but they are finding it increasingly difficult to fill them on the trade market.  —  One source said GM Brian Cashman is running into the same wall on almost every call he makes …

Prospectus Matchups  —  In a Pinch  —  Closest Matchup (opponents closest to one another in the Prospectus Hit List rankings): Minnesota Twins (20th) @ Houston Astros (23rd)  —  Back when interleague play was just a bad idea floating around the ether, the most popular argument in its favor went like this …

Zambrano takes on the Tribe  —  Chicago Cubs (27-43) at Cleveland (32-38), 6:05 p.m. CT  —  CLEVELAND — Manager Dusty Baker hopes to see the economical Carlos Zambrano against the Indians on Wednesday night.  —  Zambrano got a no-decision in his last start, on June 15 against Houston.

Call to arms  —  Call to arms  —  Somewhere, among all the rumors circulating throughout baseball and in the myriad of general managers' telephone conversations, a pitcher's name is mentioned.  —  And then, almost as soon as it begins, the talk stalls and nothing worthwhile comes of it.

Baseball Smarts: The Best Percentage Players in the Game  —  Who do you think is the smartest player in baseball?  That's kind of a difficult question to answer, because it depends on what you mean by "smartest."  Miguel Batista writes poetry and reads books on Mahatma Gandhi and Josh Phelps …

Notes: Izturis back, but at new spot  —  Coming off Tommy John surgery, shortstop set to start at third  —  LOS ANGELES — As the day of Cesar Izturis' return to the active roster drew near, the speculation grew.  —  Izturis' return from Tommy John surgery — an injury he wasn't expected …

Wood could be done for the year  —  CLEVELAND — After running smack into another pitching wall Tuesday, Kerry Wood's future is more stalemated than ever.  No one is prepared to say when he will pitch again for the Cubs this season.  The possibility exists that he has pitched his final game in a Cubs uniform.

Charles likes Gnarls  —  CHARLES BARKLEY says he's "flattered and honored" to be the namesake of Gnarls Barkley, the hip-hop/rock duo comprising Danger Mouseand Cee-Lo.  —  The Round Mound of Rebound says he has their CD "St. Elsewhere," and "it's pretty good, an interesting mix of rock and rap."

O's clubhouse wasn't alone in discussing amphetamines  —  While everybody waits for the remaining names in the Jason Grimsley affidavit to be revealed, the Orioles are trying to proceed as if they aren't all aware that the other shoe is going to land right in the middle of their clubhouse.

Rookie Nolasco faces off against O's  —  Florida (30-37) at Baltimore (32-40), 7:05 p.m. ET  —  Different opponent.  Same results.  —  After beating the Orioles, 6-2, on Tuesday, the Marlins matched their franchise winning streak of nine, now achieved three times.

Indians send Johnson to Red Sox  —  The Red Sox have acquired right-hander Jason Johnson from the Indians, apparently for cash considerations, FOXSports.com has learned.  —  Johnson, 32, was designated for assignment by the Indians on Tuesday as part of a team-wide shakeup.