Mets blank Nats in rain-shortened game  —  NEW YORK (AP) — With the rain coming down steadily and no end in sight, John Maine knew he had to be efficient.  It's a good thing he was.  —  The Mets starter made quick work of Washington, allowing only a first-inning single in five innings …

D-backs looking to upgrade offense  —  FOXSports.com, Updated 48 minutes ago  —  LIKE THIS STORY?  —  *The Diamondbacks have shown "some" interest in Rangers first baseman Mark Teixeira, according to one industry source, but their offer is not as strong as those of the Braves and Angels, according to another.

LA Minors hitting coach Robinson dies  —  Ex-big leaguer was in second year in Dodgers organization  —  DENVER — Bill Robinson, the Dodgers' Minor League hitting coordinator, died Sunday, the club announced.  He was 64, and cause of death was not known.  Memorial services are pending.

Royals notes: Dotel main focus of trade talk  —  Scouts continue to flood into Kauffman Stadium as Tuesday's non-waiver trading deadline draws closer.  —  Most of the interest remains centered on veteran closer Octavio Dotel, with Seattle believed to be making a renewed push.

Gwynn, Ripken enter Hall of Fame  —  LIKE THIS STORY?  —  Cal Ripken Jr. and Tony Gwynn took their place in baseball's shrine Sunday, saluted as much for their Hall of Fame careers as their character off the field.  —  Commissioner Bud Selig and a record crowd came to cheer them and all that was good about the game.

Dye has tools Sox need  —  ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Of all the rumored deals you've heard associated with the Red Sox at the upcoming trade deadline, the one that has fallen through — at least for the time being — is probably the one that might have helped the Sox most.

The Vision Thing  —  The Washington Nationals, last in the National League East, in dire need of an influx of younger talent at every level of the organization, have taken one of their top trade chips—a player having a fluke season at age 33—off of the market.

Rogers to DL with tender elbow, Tata to start Monday in Oakland  —  ANAHEIM, Calif. — Kenny Rogers is back on the disabled list, this time because of a tender left elbow.  The Tigers are hopeful he'll only miss a couple of starts.  Jordan Tata has been called up from Triple-A Toledo …

Phils sweep Bucs for 1st time since '01  —  PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Jimmy Rollins had three hits and Kyle Kendrick tossed seven strong innings as the Philadelphia Phillies beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 5-1 on Sunday to complete a three-game sweep.  —  The Phillies, winners in eight of their last nine …

Stats: Trade Arroyo, keep Dunn  —  So, you think straightening out the Reds is a daunting task?  Let's try the same method as the extreme makeovers you see on TV - by using the opinions of our three stat gurus to sort players into lists of whom to keep, whom to jettison and whom to target:

Chamberlain moved to AAA bullpen  —  The Yankees today took a significant step toward making Joba Chamberlain a part of their bullpen down the stretch when they took him out of the rotation at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.  —  Chamberlain, who struck out 10 over five innings Wednesday …

Teixeira's new Brave world?  —  Atlanta seems the front-runner to acquire Rangers' slugger, which would shore up its weakest position and mean another run at the playoffs.  —  On July 18, 1993, Atlanta General Manager John Schuerholz acquired San Diego's Fred McGriff, a power-hitting …

Ensberg designated for assignment  —  Astros GM hoping to trade veteran third baseman  —  HOUSTON — The Houston Astros designated Morgan Ensberg for assignment on Sunday morning, meaning the team has 10 days to trade, release or send the third baseman to the Minor Leagues.

Bonds Performs A Role Reversal  —  No Homers, but Plenty of Interest in A-Rod's Chase  —  The slugger on the verge of a major milestone was in the batter's box, and one emotionally invested fan, having waited for this moment, sat up straight and leaned forward on the edge of his seat, watching intently.

Brett Butler recovering from mild stroke  —  MOBILE, Ala. (AP) — Former major leaguer Brett Butler was recovering from a mild stroke Sunday, two days after he became ill.  —  Butler, who is managing the Mobile BayBears — the Double-A affiliate of the Arizona Diamondbacks …

Hall's Vet Committee votes for changes  —  COOPERSTOWN - In response to the five shutouts thrown by the Veterans Committee since its revision in 2001 - three on the former players ballot and two on the managers/executives/umpires ballot - the Hall of Fame Board of Directors has recognized …