Start of fall  —  Summer's end has been a cruel time for the Orioles, who have suffered dismal finishes the past nine years  —  The humidity thickens, the Ravens' preseason begins, kids prepare for a new school year and the Orioles downshift from mediocre to below bad.

A's Loaiza auditions well in loss  —  Esteban Loaiza made his final start of August, and we'll know soon if it was his final start with the A's.  —  Contenders have until Friday, the final day of August, to add players to their rosters and make them eligible for the postseason.

Owner needs to let new hires do their jobs … It was only a matter of time before somebody got tossed overboard by the sinking ship the 2007 Houston Astros have become.  —  And that was so clear to one and all, you can bet your commemorative Jeff Bagwell T-shirt that Tim Purpura …

Howry: Cubs fans better than Boston rooters  —  USA Today recently proclaimed the Boston Red Sox America's team in a front-page article about their rabid fan base and national following.  —  Whether Red Sox Nation is bigger or more fervent than Cubs Nation is a debate that could draw some heated arguments.

Prospectus Hit and Run  —  Stars, Scrubs, and the Scooter  —  Last week, we looked at Replacement Level Killers as they pertained to contending teams.  We can also demonstrate just how replacement-level production can grind an entire offense to a halt.  —  We'll start with a look …

Sanchez's slam helps Bucs cool off Reds  —  PITTSBURGH (AP) — Freddy Sanchez kept his hot August going with a grand slam and five RBIs, and the Pittsburgh Pirates ended the Cincinnati Reds' six-game winning streak with a 6-4 victory Tuesday in a doubleheader opener.

Nats' power surge for naught  —  Young, Pena, Zimmerman go deep in loss to Dodgers  —  LOS ANGELES — For the third game in a row, the Nationals had problems getting quality innings out of their starting pitcher and it ended up hurting them as they lost to the Dodgers, 5-4, at Dodger Stadium on Monday night.

Gonzalez wants to be an everyday player  —  The 39-year-old hasn't started in five of the Dodgers' last eight games, but he isn't becoming accustomed to sitting.  And he has no intention of doing so, meaning his time with the Dodgers could be up  —  For the second consecutive game …

Sheffield goes on the DL  —  DETROIT — Gary Sheffield said this was the plan all along, that he would give his shoulder about a week to improve, and if it didn't, the next step would be the disabled list.  —  And that's what the next step was on Monday, when the Tigers placed Sheffield …

Martínez Is Pleased With Test  —  Pedro Martínez's normally pinpoint control was not present Monday night.  He threw far more balls against the Class A Palm Beach Cardinals than he had in any of his other rehabilitation efforts.  Yet Martínez said that was a good thing.

Bloodied but unbowed in the NL East  —  After last night's 9-2 loss to the Phillies, Orlando Hernandez was the first one to get his hands on the remote control for the two hanging TVs in the near-empty visitors clubhouse.  Apparently, El Duque was uninterested in Pedro Martinez's start …

MINAYA PLANS TWO WAVES OF SEPTEMBER CALL-UPS  —  The Mets plan to make minor-league promotions in two waves — one on Saturday on the first day permitted, and the second after Triple-A New Orleans' season ends, according to Minaya.  Joe Smith and David Newhan figure to be the first call-ups …

Hermida's offense heating up  —  MIAMI GARDENS — After battling injuries his rookie season and starting slowly at the plate this year, the Marlins must have wondered if they would ever see the player who was the can't-miss prospect for three seasons.  —  But Jeremy Hermida finally has shown …