Cubs land Monroe in deal with Tigers  —  Experienced outfielder expected to produce against lefties  —  SAN FRANCISCO — The Cubs, needing an experienced bat against left-handed pitching, acquired outfielder Craig Monroe from the Detroit Tigers on Thursday for a player to be named.

Wells Headed To Shea?  —  When colleague Dan Graziano told me that Wells, the portly left-hander with the personality of a rattle snake, might be pitching here on Sunday night, it scared me.  —  After all, who wants to see Wells at Shea Stadium?  —  Apparently the Dodgers do.

Piazza's 5 RBIs power A's over Rays 12-2  —  ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Mike Piazza hit his 424th homer, had four hits and drove in a season-high five runs, powering the Oakland Athletics to a 12-2 victory over the Tampa Bay Devil Rays on Thursday night.  —  Piazza hit a two-run shot …

Red Sox Nation new king of the road  —  TAMPA — Terry Francona recalls walking into a hotel elevator in Baltimore this month, still smarting from a galling loss that night.  The Boston Red Sox manager was joined by two Sox fans, also guests in the hotel where the team was staying.

Reyes steals his way to the top  —  Mets shortstop breaks franchise's stolen base record in fifth  —  NEW YORK — Jose Reyes established a franchise record for stolen bases in a season on Wednesday night, when he stole third base on the front end of a double steal in the fifth inning of the Mets' 7-5 loss to the Padres.

Lester update  —  Red Sox lefty Jon Lester was sent down to Double-A Portland today.  Lester is 2-0 with a 5.67 ERA in six starts since being recalled from Pawtucket on July 23.  —  Lester will miss one start and is scheduled to return to start for the Red Sox on September 2.

MOTA MAKES MORE MISERY  —  The Mets have an albatross to bear, and its name is Guillermo Mota.  —  The slumping reliever poured gas on the fire with a sorry two-inning, three-run outing that proved decisive in last night's 7-5 loss to San Diego.  He's struggling so badly, nobody should be wondering if he's back on the juice.

Is Moose cooked?  —  Mussina looking older and shakier than ever  —  Mike Mussina pitched credibly enough for more than two months during the summer, keeping the Yankees in games he started while they straightened out their miserable season.  But he's been horrible in consecutive clunkers …

Column: Hamilton loses season to wrong diagnosis  —  Clayton Hamilton felt the persistent pain in his lower side for more than a year.  —  The Pittsburgh Pirates doctors and trainers kept telling the right-handed pitching prospect that he had a strained oblique muscle, which has become the baseball injury of the 2000s.

Outlook bleak without Sheffield, Rogers  —  Concern took a solemn step closer to panic Wednesday as Gary Sheffield walked to his cubicle with his ailing right shoulder wrapped tightly.  —  He hasn't been right for a while.  Missiles explode from his bat when the violent acceleration in his swing is there …

Streak over, Webb bids for 2nd Cy Young  —  PHOENIX (AP) — Now that his scoreless streak is over, Brandon Webb is setting his sights on something else: a second straight Cy Young Award.  —  Webb's string ended at 42 innings Wednesday night when he gave up a run in the first against Milwaukee.

Visualizing Pitches  —  "In the last few feet before the plate, the ball reaches an angular velocity that exceeds the ability of the eye to track the ball.  The best hitters can track the ball to within five or six feet of the plate."  —Ken Fuld, visual psychophysicist, quoted on Live Science.com