Agent: Aybar dealing with 'drinking and drugs'  —  Suspended Braves infielder Willy Aybar is in Boston, struggling with substance abuse and trying to get his life and baseball career back in order, his agent told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.  —  The agent, Luis Valdez …

Mets will play it safe with Heilman  —  MIAMI - The Mets say they will walk a fine line of being cautious with Aaron Heilman's surgically repaired right elbow, but not overly protective.  —  Heilman underwent surgery last winter and was shut down a week in spring training with a mild case of tendinitis.

Wakefield, power overwhelm Jays  —  Knuckler's flutterer flummoxes Toronto; Sox hit three homers  —  TORONTO — Overshadowed by Curt Schilling's intensity, Josh Beckett's electric stuff and Daisuke Matsuzaka's hype, Tim Wakefield has little interest in getting attention anyway.

Felix injured early  —  Hernandez struggles, leaves in first with tightness in elbow  —  He is the boy who would be king.  Felix Hernandez has been anointed and nothing in his early season oeuvre would seem to dispute that.  —  A little over a week after he turned 21 …

White Sox's Buehrle tosses no-hitter  —  'I could feel my knees shaking' in Sox's 1st no-no since '91  —  Mark Buehrle continued his rebound season in historic fashion Wednesday night, pitching the 16th no-hitter in White Sox history and the major leagues' first of 2007 in a 6-0 blanking of the Texas Rangers.

Forbes Releases '07 MLB Franchise Valuations  —  Forbes Magazine has just released its annual valuation rankings for all 30 of the MLB clubs (http://www.forbes.com/lists/2007/33/ 07mlb_The-Business-Of-Baseball_ Rank.html) today, with the Yankees chiming in at a cool $1.2 billion.

Ten Things I Didn't Know Last Week  —  Every act of terror and murder, such as this week's tragedy at Virginia Tech, is always a kick in the gut.  No matter how many desperate and depraved acts we have seen on TV or the Internet, each one feels like something terribly new …

Nationals Go 13 Innings, Win on Lopez's Fly Ball  —  If there is a game going late, and the Philadelphia Phillies and Washington Nationals are on the schedule, chances are they are the teams left on the field, long after the children are in bed, the stands have emptied, the local news has started.

Hernandez still loves New York City  —  NEW YORK — Indians relief pitcher Roberto Hernandez always feels tugs at the heartstrings when his baseball travels bring him to New York City.  —  Although he was born in Puerto Rico, the 42-year-old Hernandez grew up in Manhattan.

Howard might need MRI on sore leg  —  First baseman pulls up lame running bases, but stays in game  —  WASHINGTON — The postgame limp paled in comparison to the pained look on Ryan Howard's face as the injured first baseman tried to block out the agony.  —  Howard stood, then dragged …

Owens set to close as bullpen reshuffles  —  · Struggling reliever Jorge Julio was placed on the 15-day disabled list Wednesday, and right-hander Henry Owens, the Barry graduate, will get a chance at the closer's role.  —  Julio strained his right calf against Houston on Tuesday.

Capellan takes unauthorized leave  —  Reliever missed two Sounds games  —  Reliever Jose Capellan took his unhappiness with the Milwaukee Brewers to a level deemed unacceptable by going AWOL at Class AAA Nashville for two games.  —  General manager Doug Melvin announced Wednesday that Capellan …

Carpenter will resume his efforts to rehab  —  SAN FRANCISCO — Cardinals ace Chris Carpenter will resume an exercise and throwing program today as a hoped-for first step toward returning to the mound next month.  —  Carpenter, on the disabled list retroactive to April 2 due to persistent swelling …

A 7-2 victory for Rockies overshadows loss of RHP Lopez  —  Lopez is out, but Rockies savor win against Dodgers  —  Box score  —  Tempered by the loss of right-handed starter Rodrigo Lopez for at least a couple of weeks, the Rockies still got some satisfaction out of their 7-2 victory against the Dodgers on Wednesday night.