Ichiro's extension with Mariners worth $90 million  —  SEATTLE — Great week to be Ichiro Suzuki.  —  The Seattle leadoff man signed a $90 million, five-year contract extension Friday, three days after he was the unanimous MVP of the All-Star Game.  —  The deal ensures Seattle …

Moves by Mets reek with panic  —  If a blink can make a sound, that sound you heard Thursday was the Mets blinking.  A first-place team fired its hitting coach and added to its staff one of the biggest Me-Firsters in the long history of baseball.  A first-place team sought to quiet …

Sheffield: Yankees treat black players differently  —  Gary Sheffield asserts black and white players are treated differently under Yankees manager Joe Torre, says Derek Jeter "ain't all the way black," and denies he ever has used steroids because "steroids is something you shoot in your butt" …

Hendry confident 'Z' deal can get done  —  When Tribune Co. put up the for sale sign on the Cubs and reportedly clamped down on any new contract for Carlos Zambrano at the end of spring training, it left the financial doings of one of baseball's highest-salaried teams in question.

Royals acquire Colon from Tigers  —  Club will send player to be named later to complete deal  —  CLEVELAND — Roman Colon, a pitcher who was suspended this season for punching a Minor League teammate, was obtained on Friday by the Royals from the Detroit Tigers.

Phillips' 6 RBIs spark Reds past Mets  —  NEW YORK (AP) — With do-it-all cleanup batter Brandon Phillips leading the way, the Cincinnati Reds are playing much better than a last-place team under interim manager Pete Mackanin.  —  Phillips hit a first-inning grand slam and drove in six runs …

Giants Give Sabean Extension  —  The San Francisco Giants have signed Senior Vice President and General Manager Brian Sabean to a two-year contract with a club option for the 2010 campaign, club President and Managing Partner Peter Magowan announced this morning.

Giambi Meets with Mitchell Investigation  —  Jason Giambi of the New York Yankees met with Senator George Mitchell and members of his law firm, DLA Piper, today, Baseball Commissioner Allan H.  (Bud) Selig said this afternoon.  —  Details of the conversation, which was not recorded, were not released.

M's could make a run at the playoffs  —  The Seattle Mariners, ESPN.com's consensus pick for last place in the AL West, are just two games out of first place entering the second half and sit at 14 games over .500.  They're on pace to win 94 games, a total the M's have exceeded just once in their 30-year history.

Kazmir gets 500th whiff, beats Yanks  —  Rays lefty defeats Clemens for first home win since July '06  —  ST. PETERSBURG — Scott Kazmir faced his crisis moment in the sixth inning on Friday night.  —  The pitch count of the Devil Rays southpaw had climbed past 100, and the Yankees …

Notes: Ledezma placed on restricted list  —  Lefty's return to U.S. delayed due to damaged visa  —  ATLANTA — Braves general manager John Schuerholz had no problem with Wil Ledezma heading back to his native Venezuela during the All-Star break.  But he would have liked for the left-handed reliever …

Notes: Lewis added to Tribe bullpen  —  Move from starter to relief role accelerates development  —  CLEVELAND — The summons Jensen Lewis had dreamed of receiving since he was a little boy growing up in suburban Cleveland came late Thursday night at a restaurant in Durham, N.C.

Carpenter experiences setback in rehab  —  By  —  PHILADELPHIA — Rehabilitating starter Chris Carpenter's next start is "undetermined" after the 2005 NL Cy Young Award winner suffered renewed stiffness and swelling of his right elbow following Sunday's three-inning start for Class A Palm Beach.