Swisher, A's agree on 5-yr, $26.75M deal  —  OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Nick Swisher and the Oakland Athletics agreed Friday on a $26.75 million, five-year contract that also includes a one-year club option for 2012.  —  Swisher was hitting .286 with six home runs and 17 RBIs going into Friday night's game against Cleveland.

Peavy fans 10 as Padres rout Cardinals  —  SAN DIEGO (AP) — The San Diego Padres could have used this kind of performance against the St. Louis Cardinals the last two Octobers.  —  Ace Jake Peavy became the first pitcher in franchise history to strike out at least 10 in four straight starts …

Astros option Burke to Triple-A  —  Opening Day center fielder upset by demotion  —  HOUSTON — Chris Burke was on top of the world when he hit a solo home run in the bottom of the 18th inning to end the longest postseason game in Major League history and clinch Houston's National League Division Series over Atlanta on Oct. 9, 2005.

Mariners place RHP Jeff Weaver on 15-day disabled list  —  Mariners recall LHP Ryan Rowland-Smith from Tacoma  —  SEATTLE, Wash. — Seattle Mariners Executive Vice President & General Manager of Baseball Operations Bill Bavasi announced today that the Mariners placed right-handed pitcher Jeff Weaver …

Mets hit three HRs, hold off Brewers 5-4  —  NEW YORK (AP) — Buzz cuts have been a perfect tonic for the Mets.  —  David Wright, Carlos Delgado and Damion Easley homered, helping New York to a 5-4 victory over Milwaukee on Friday night that stopped the Brewers' six-game winning streak.

Reyes Resists a Buzz Cut but Could Be Wavering  —  José Reyes was the busiest man in baseball yesterday afternoon.  —  As the Mets prepared for their game against the Milwaukee Brewers at Shea Stadium, Reyes shot scenes for a music video, took batting practice, met with members of the news media …

Pirates' new lineup paves way for 6-4 win  —  Rare burst of offense, Maholm???s rebound put down Cubs  —  CHICAGO — Well, what do you know?  —  "We got some runs," manager Jim Tracy said.  —  The Pirates, an offensive mess barely 16 hours earlier, amassed their highest run total since …

Hot to Trot  —  ANAHEIM, Calif. - Trot Nixon, still wearing those camouflage undershirts and the scowl that conceals his warm-and-fuzzy side, didn't go through back surgery and come to Cleveland just to play it out.  —  Nixon is part-deity in Boston because of that very trait …

Nationals hitting coach Mitchell Page takes leave of absence, Lenny Harris named interim hitting coach  —  The Washington Nationals today granted hitting coach Mitchell Page a leave of absence for undisclosed personal reasons and named Lenny Harris interim hitting coach.

Starters Work Less Today, but No Less Hard  —  One of the worst consequences of the Yankees' recent pitching woes has been that they've created an opening for the nostalgist set to decry the weakness of the modern athlete and laud the virtues of antiquity.  You're familiar with the argument, which comes in many guises.

Bonderman out with blister; Tigers to bring up and start Vasquez on Sunday  —  MINNEAPOLIS - Jeremy Bonderman will miss his scheduled start Sunday night, and the Tigers will recall right-hander Virgil Vasquez to take his turn in the rotation.  —  Bonderman, the team's Opening Day starter …

Prospectus Matchups  —  Team Hopping  —  Best Matchup (opponents with best combined chances of making the playoffs according to the Baseball Prospectus Postseason Odds Report): Milwaukee Brewers @ New York Mets  —  For fun, we used the Postseason Odds Report to set the matchups today …

JOE'S CONCERNS MOUNT, ON AND OFF FIELD  —  THE homestand did not end well, and the 3,000-mile airplane trip that awaited promised to be even longer and duller than usual.  The final score was 14-2, and there was some shoddy defense all around, and five days after looking like the most unhittable man …

AN ORDER OF TEXAS TOAST  —  RANGERS WHACK YANKS ON WAY OUT OF TOWN  —  The Yankees only mustered one real rally yesterday, and it came long after a 14-2 rout to Texas.  —  Knowing that the blowout was indefensible, team leaders instead pointed to the Bombers' play during a 4-3 homestand that, frankly, should've been better.

Wakefield delivers knuckle sandwich  —  TORONTO — The petty bloggery, Barry blathering, and Papi peeving?  Excess baggage, the kind the Red Sox were more than happy to leave at the border.  —  When a trip has been as good as this one was for the Sox — five of six wins against the Twins and Blue Jays …