The dismantling of the Yankee empire  —  YES Network is the MVP of Steinbrenner's business empire, and it's for sale, report Fortune's Jon Birger and Tim Arango.  Will the team end up on the block too?  His son Hal says no.  —  NEW YORK (Fortune) — The New York Yankees' cable network …

Notes: Sosa shifted to bullpen  —  Mets hope right-hander can strengthen bridge to Wagner  —  MILWAUKEE — With their need for a late-inning, swing-and-miss pitcher unaddressed and the trade deadline passed Tuesday, the Mets have turned to the next logical source — their own rotation.

DAMON NOT SURE WHAT LIES AHEAD  —  Johnny Damon doesn't want to be traded, but he doesn't sound convinced the Yankees want him in their lineup - or even on their team.  —  He sat out last night's 8-1 victory over the White Sox, and he's still thinking and talking about last week's report that the Yankees were shopping him.

Phillips swipes two in unique way  —  Second basemen steals two bases in one play on Wednesday  —  WASHINGTON — Reds second baseman Brandon Phillips stole two bases on Wednesday in a very unorthodox fashion.  —  During the fourth inning of a 7-2 loss to the Nationals …

Baseball Gets Into Resale of Tickets  —  Major League Baseball once frowned on scalping, the resale of tickets among fans and sidewalk entrepreneurs.  On Thursday, professional baseball will announce plans to get into the business.  —  In a nod to the growing strength of Internet ticket exchanges …

Potty-mouth Pete strikes out at camp for kids  —  Pete Rose may be the hit king, but he was no hit with some kids and parents at the U.S. Army Reds Legends Baseball Camp last week.  The man whose name symbolizes the best years of the Reds was the worst speaker on a great program - no contest.

Analysis: Why trade for Morris now?  —  Job security surely a factor for Littlefield in seeking another quick fix  —  Let this much be clear, in the aftermath of the Pirates' sudden, stunning acquisition of pitcher Matt Morris that made him the highest-paid player in franchise history:

Dodgers were wise not to trade the future for the present  —  Not making a major deal before the trade deadline could be the smartest thing Colletti has done with the Dodgers.  —  Jorge Sosa.  Geoff Blum.  Dave Roberts.  Doug Mientkiewicz.  Orlando Cabrera.  Sal Fasano.  Alex Ochoa.

Revenge  —  The Chicago White Sox took out their frustrations on Roger Clemens, chasing him after 1 2/3 innings and eight runs.  After a perfect first, the White Sox collect nine hits and chase Clemens with the bases loaded and Karstens coming in.  Of course, the way the Yankees …

Big Papi has good read on Santana's out pitch  —  Johan Santana, perhaps the best pitcher in baseball, vented publicly when the Minnesota Twins failed to bolster their roster at the trading deadlines.  —  Now Santana's former Twins teammate, Sox slugger David Ortiz [stats] …

Interview With a Physicist  —  "I think physicists are the Peter Pans of the human race.  They never grow up and they keep their curiosity."  - Nobel Prize winner Isidor Isaac Rabi  —  I'm not a physicist, but I play one on the Internet.  Seriously, I enjoy dabbling in the popular descriptions …

Mets' Perez is striking figure  —  There is the good Oliver Perez and the bad Oliver Perez.  —  The good Oliver Perez is the one who records strikeouts at a breathtaking pace between hurdles across the foul line.  The bad Oliver Perez is the one who self-destructs, losing his control and his head …

Twins-Royals postponed on Thursday  —  Groundbreaking ceremony, game on hold after bridge collapse  —  MINNEAPOLIS — Thursday's Twins-Royals afternoon game has been postponed in light of the tragic I-35W bridge collapse that took place in Minneapolis on Wednesday night.

PEDRO START KO'D BY RAIN  —  PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. - Pedro Martinez's much-anticipated debut wearing a St. Lucie Mets uniform was a washout yesterday, so now it's back to simulated games for the right-hander.  —  The plan calls for Martinez to face the Gulf Coast Mets today at 11 a.m. in simulated action.

First and goal: Stay there  —  Bases-loaded wild pitch in 9th lifts Cubs into Central tie  —  The more Lou Piniella tries to temper everyone's enthusiasm, the more it seems to backfire on him.  —  After the Cubs beat Philadelphia 5-4 Wednesday night on Brett Myers' bases-loaded wild pitch …

Bell stepping down as Royals skipper  —  Manager will stay on through season's end, then assist Moore  —  MINNEAPOLIS — Buddy Bell has decided to step down as Royals manager at the end of this season.  —  Bell made the surprising announcement Wednesday afternoon at the Metrodome, where the Royals are playing the Twins.