Notes: Alou, Pedro take a step back  —  NEW YORK — The Mets were relatively confident in early June that Moises Alou would be a full-time participant by early July.  That, general manager Omar Minaya said, would afford the ample time to judge his readiness for late stages of the division race …

Wednesday Update  — Detroit feels that adding another late-inning reliever is the last piece to its puzzle, which is why the Tigers have been scouting Texas closer Eric Gagne.  However, the Tigers are one of the teams Gagne can block in a potential trade to as part of the limited no-trade clause in his contract.

Just like his average, Crisp movin' on up  —  CLEVELAND — Back when Coco Crisp was mired in a deep slump, he didn't mind taking breaks from the questions of the media horde.  But, he joked with a reporter, he would be more than happy to talk on the record once he was hitting well enough to be placed in the cleanup spot.

Another Pitcher Hurt, And Nats Feel the Pain  —  Pitchers aren't used to sprinting across the skin of the infield, planting their foot on a base and sucking it up for 90 more feet.  "Everybody here is an athlete," Washington Nationals Manager Manny Acta said Tuesday night.

BOMBERS DEBATE PLAN FOR DEADLINE  —  KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Yankees brass met in Tampa yesterday for 3½ hours.  Though they came away knowing what they would like to improve the club with before Tuesday's trade deadline, it doesn't mean the Yankees will make a move.

Sox scouting Vegas  —  Red Sox special assistant Allard Baird has been scouting the Las Vegas 51s, the Los Angeles Dodgers Triple-A affiliate.  Baird was recently in Tacoma watching he 51s which are a talented team.  —  The Sox have always liked third baseman Andy LaRoche …

Disputed home run triggers rout  —  PHOENIX — It wasn't exactly Jeffrey Maier in the 1996 playoffs or Steve Bartman in the 2003 playoffs.  But the Marlins were left to wonder what might have been if umpires had called fan interference on a home run that sparked Arizona's 9-3 win Tuesday.

Ripken on his way  —  O's greats, mayor, fans give send-off before induction  —  He's considered the most prepared player to wear an Orioles uniform, perhaps the most prepared athlete in the history of the game.  —  So it's fitting that days before he'll stand on a dais in Cooperstown …

Slumping Mariners drop nightcap  —  Seattle swept in doubleheader despite Washburn's effort  —  ARLINGTON — The Mariners have experienced enough difficult times so far this season that they say pushing the panic button anytime soon is not an option.  —  But the third losing streak …

Trade Winds: Teixeira out of Texas?  —  Boston appears to be the front runner to land first baseman  —  With less than a week to go until the trade deadline, it's looking more and more as though Mark Teixeira's days as a Ranger are numbered in single digits.

Trade deadline looming, but it's still wait-and-see  —  White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen still refers to it as a ''talk'' rather than a meeting, but there he was again Tuesday morning, huddled in his office with general manager Ken Williams, discussing the roster and what moves could be made to improve it.

Latest trade talk: Mets interested in Grudzielanek  —  Royals veteran Mark Grudzielanek is believed to be on a short list of second basemen eyed by the New York Mets as a possible replacement for injured Jose Valentin.  —  The Mets showed interest in Grudzielanek as a free agent after the 2005 season before opting to sign Valentin.

Stockings void of Shaq-Kobe  —  After three years, the NBA and ABC wisely concluded the novelty has worn off Shaq vs. Kobe/Heat vs. Lakers on Christmas.  Instead, word is the NBA will have the Heat play in Cleveland on Christmas, creating a Dwyane Wade vs. LeBron James matchup.