Giants close book on closer Benitez  —  (05-31) 21:25 PDT New York — There was one unusual sight in the Giants' clubhouse after their 4-2 loss to the Mets on Thursday night.  As 24 players scurried to dress for the two-hour bus ride to Philadelphia, Armando Benitez's locker was abandoned, his chair folded and stored.

Did A-Rod put foot in mouth?  —  Bush league or smart play?  —  Sometimes the answer depends on the individual involved.  It almost always depends on which team you like.  —  The reeling New York Yankees come to Fenway tonight, and Red Sox fans can't wait to mock the pathetic millionaires from the Bronx.

PEDRO NEARS NEXT STAGE  —  Four days from now, Pedro Martinez is scheduled to throw off a mound for the first time this season.  —  Martinez, who's recovering from a torn rotator cuff in his right shoulder, is scheduled for his initial bullpen session on Tuesday.  He also will long toss that day.

Mitre's status still undetermined  —  MILWAUKEE — Starter Sergio Mitre will attempt to throw a bullpen session today before a decision is made about his availability next week.  —  "We'll see how it feels when I push off,'' he said.  —  Mitre strained his right hamstring against the Cubs …

Detour on the Scott Boras Expressway  —  For any young ballplayer who thinks he should have been drafted higher, treated better, offered more, there is a place where he can still go and get the signing bonus of his dreams.  —  LaGrave Field is on the banks of the Trinity River, between the stockyards and the skyline.

Infection sends Duncan home  —  DENVER — Cardinals outfielder Chris Duncan was admitted to a St. Louis-area hospital Thursday night and is expected to meet with a specialist to determine what kind of infection has taken root in his injured left knee, the club said.

Theo pities Cashman  —  BOSTON - If the buzz about this three-game series between the Yankees and the Red Sox feels a little different, it should.  —  The distance in the standings between first-place Boston and the fourth-place Bombers is an astonishing 13-1/2 games, the furthest apart the teams have been since September of 2001.

Youkilis Is Removing Any Doubt  —  Critics Provide Motivation  —  BOSTON — During the course of his ascent to a top major league hitter, Kevin Youkilis has always considered his toughest critics his biggest allies.  —  The more Youkilis perceives he is being doubted, the harder he plays to prove them wrong.

Mariners begin special series  —  Texas (19-34) at Seattle (25-24), Thursday., 7:05 p.m. PT  —  A series that includes the induction of designated hitter extraordinaire Edgar Martinez into the Mariners Hall of Fame begins Thursday night at Safeco Field with right-hander Cha Seung Baek opposing the last-place Rangers' Vicente Padilla.

Kelvim Escobar, RHP (6-2, 2.64)  —  Scouting Report:  —  Orioles: Burres returned to the rotation on Saturday after missing his last scheduled start due to an off-day and pitched a and career-high six innings in a three-hit win over Oakland.  He retired the first 10 A's to step to the plate …

Ankle sprain will keep Hughes out  —  TORONTO - The Yankees might be adding Roger Clemens to their rotation on Monday, but don't look for Phil Hughes to rejoin them anytime soon.  —  Hughes, who has been in Tampa rehabbing a strained left hamstring for most of May, suffered a Grade 3 sprain …

What we've learned from May … It's almost June.  So is all this really happening?  —  Do the Yankees really have the same record as the Devil Rays?  Are the Cardinals really eight games under .500?  —  Does J.J. Hardy really have more home runs than Albert Pujols and Alfonso Soriano combined?