Brewers acquire Linebrink from Padres  —  Milwaukee sends three pitching prospects to San Diego  —  CINCINNATI — They had to part with three valuable pitching prospects to do it, but the Brewers accomplished their primary trade deadline goal by acquiring reliever Scott Linebrink from the San Diego Padres on Wednesday.

Bonds shoots back at HBO piece  —  SAN FRANCISCO — In a rare occurrence, Giants slugger Barry Bonds took his shots on Wednesday night at the steroids controversy surrounding him that evidently won't go away.  —  Speaking to a small group of reporters by his locker only about an hour …

Possible Teixeira trade sets clubhouse abuzz  —  San Francisco — There was a buzz in the Braves' clubhouse, and it had nothing to do with Barry Bonds.  —  Players were excited to hear the Braves have been discussing a possible trade for Texas Rangers slugger Mark Teixeira …

Notes: Podsednik prefers top of order  —  Outfielder expresses desire to bat first or second  —  CHICAGO — Excelling from the leadoff position made Scott Podsednik an All-Star in 2005 and played a strong contributing role in the White Sox first World Series title in almost 90 years, achieved that very same season.

Grudzielanek Leaves Game  —  UPDATE: Turns out Grudz is just day-to-day with knee soreness.  The Mets deny any rumor that they've traded for him.  Two Royal false alarms today, sorry about that.  —  A friendly emailer tells me that Royals second baseman Mark Grudzielanek was in the original lineup …

A-Rod gets No. 499 off Meche in KC  —  Another blast will make slugger 22nd member of 500 HR club  —  KANSAS CITY — For some time, it hasn't been a matter of if, but when.  Now, Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez sits just one home run shy of joining baseball's prestigious 500 home run club.

Six-Run Lead Helps Glavine Earn 299th Win  —  It is time.  The phone calls can be made, the airplane tickets purchased, the seats at Miller Park in Milwaukee confirmed.  Tom Glavine's family is no longer on alert.  The next time he pitches, scheduled to be Tuesday against the Brewers, Glavine will go for career victory No. 300.

Kendall to split time with Hill  —  Piniella aims to get veteran's 'bat going'  —  ST. LOUIS — Cubs manager Lou Piniella said Wednesday he will split the playing time behind the plate between Jason Kendall and Koyie Hill for the time being.  —  When Kendall arrived in a trade from Oakland on July 16 …

At 88, Bob Feller is still living the baseball dream  —  GATES MILLS, Ohio — Seventy-one years after leaving Iowa to begin his pro baseball career, Bob Feller relives his boyhood farm days on a wooded driveway in a quaint Cleveland suburb.  —  Wearing jeans, sneakers and polo shirt …

Lowe goes out early with groin injury  —  He joins list of injured pitchers, leaving early with strain in Astros' win.  MRI exam is set for today.  L.A. gets just six hits for second game in a row.  —  HOUSTON — The Dodgers were nearly out of a period that Manager Grady Little had likened …

Notes: Vlad not worried about drought  —  Outfielder still extremely productive without hitting home runs  —  ANAHEIM — Consider it the mark of truly gifted athlete; an ever-swinging pendulum that sways equally between Gift and Curse.  Vladimir Guerrero exists in this realm.