Ryan has successful surgery  —  The TORONTO BLUE JAYS announce that LHP B.J. RYAN underwent surgery today to repair the ulnar collateral ligament (Tommy John Surgery) in his left elbow.  The surgery was performed by Dr. Timothy E. Kremchek in Cincinnati and was deemed successful.

Bay leads Pirates by Zambrano, Cubs 6-4  —  CHICAGO (AP) — Jason Bay homered and drove in three runs against Carlos Zambrano to help the Pittsburgh Pirates beat the Chicago Cubs 6-4 Thursday.  —  Bay hit a two-run single in the first and led off the fifth inning with his fifth homer to help the Pirates …

Patriotism, Defined and Enforced  —  The most patriotic moments at Yankee Stadium can also be the most confining.  —  Seconds before "The Star-Spangled Banner" and "God Bless America" are played, police officers, security guards and ushers turn their backs to the American flag in center field …

Around the horn: Griffey to start in right  —  Items from around the majors:  — When the Reds' Ken Griffey Jr. makes his Grapefruit League debut, it will be in right field, according to a source with knowledge of his situation.  Griffey, recovering from a broken left hand …

HOME OF THE BRAVES?  —  50 years after the Boston Braves' departure, it's worth asking: did the wrong team leave town?  —  Fifty years ago this fall, a Boston team beat the Yankees in the World Series.  Fifty-five years ago, a Boston team signed the greatest home-run hitter who ever lived.

A's complete land transactions to construct new Cisco Field Ballpark and village  —  Application process to begin with city of Fremont on 226 acres  —  OAKLAND — Oakland Athletics owner Lew Wolff, Cisco and ProLogis announced today that they have signed land agreements enabling the Cisco Field ballpark process to move forward.

Brewers Not Looking Like Perennial Losers  —  He used to be one of them.  Craig Counsell grew up a Milwaukee Brewers fan in Whitefish Bay, Wis., partly due to location, and partly because his father, John, worked for the team's community relations department.

Reds demote 3B Encarnacion to minors  —  CINCINNATI (AP) — Third baseman Edwin Encarnacion was sent to the minors Thursday by the Cincinnati Reds, who grew weary of his inconsistent hitting and fielding.  —  Encarnacion was optioned to Triple-A Louisville a day after his two throwing errors set …

MLB whiffs by allowing Clemens' deal  —  The sports world can shut up now.  —  It can shut up the second the next athlete reminds us that humility is neither a part of his vernacular nor a part of his lifestyle.  It can hush whenever the next athlete illustrates a departure from established tradition …

Roger snaps at photog  —  LEXINGTON, Ky. - Roger Clemens went from George Steinbrenner's pulpit at the Stadium on Sunday to his own bully pulpit yesterday.  —  After watching his son Koby play in the Class-A Lexington Legends' 5-3 loss to Lake County yesterday morning …

Schrodinger`s Bat: Phil Hughes, Pitch by Pitch by Dan Fox  —  "We are approaching a new age of synthesis.  Knowledge cannot be merely a degree or a skill... it demands a broader vision, capabilities in critical thinking and logical deduction without which we cannot have constructive progress."

Notes: Green suffering haircut remorse  —  Minaya joins bald brigade; Reyes considering getting buzzed  —  SAN FRANCISCO — It was the morning after the night before, and Shawn Green was suffering with hair hangover.  The Mets right fielder, aka Shorn Green, was no more comfortable …