Girardi's gamble can't save Yanks  —  Kennedy pushed to relief with threat of rain; offense silenced  —  KANSAS CITY — The idea might have looked good on paper, and it was certainly understandable considering the large green blob that threatened the general area.

Duque out; Vargas on way in?  —  The Mets' patience with the fluctuating health of Orlando Hernandez finally ran out yesterday and the team is on the verge of signing Claudio Vargas to a minor-league contract to help fill the void, the pitcher's agent confirmed last night.

Indians sign young star Carmona to multiyear deal  —  The Indians have signed right-hander Fausto Carmona to a multiyear contract extension, ESPN The Magazine's Buster Olney is reporting.  —  The deal is guaranteed through 2011 with club options for 2012, 2013 and 2014.  No monetary terms have been disclosed yet.

Marlins Notebook: Miller under orders to throw hard, not worry  —  WASHINGTON — Let it rip.  —  That's the order the Marlins have given to left-hander Andrew Miller, whose velocity hasn't touched 90 mph in either of his two starts this season.  —  The team said Miller's health is fine.

Boos taste sweet to Renteria … Fenway fans may have had a blast last night as they endlessly booed former Red Sox [team stats] shortstop Edgar Renteria, who now plays for the Detroit Tigers.  —  But Renteria did not get battered by the booing.  Instead, he turned it into a positive.

Baseball Is Again Linked to Steroids  —  Player agents in Major League Baseball referred clients to a doctor in California who illegally wrote prescriptions for performance-enhancing drugs, according to an indictment unsealed Wednesday by federal authorities.

Building ballpark is daunting  —  WASHINGTON - If a notion exists that the hard part is over now that financing is in place for a downtown Miami ballpark, Marlins President David Samson wants to clear it up.  —  The work may now be more gratifying, but it's certainly no easier.

Sprague admits use of Andro  —  Pacific baseball coach also used amphetamines  —  STOCKTON - One of Stockton's most accomplished baseball players said that during his 11-year playing career he took substances that have since been banned by Major League Baseball.

Angelos says he hopes Nationals succeed  —  Orioles owner attributes record-low Camden Yards crowd to weather  —  Orioles owner Peter Angelos, who once fought to keep a team out of Washington, said yesterday that he hopes the Nationals are successful and doesn't mind if Orioles fans occasionally slip away …

Chicago Cubs  —  But Sammy Sosa, the Cubs' career home run leader, remains an outcast to many of the same fans who used to cheer his majestic blasts and animated chest-thumping routine.  —  Sosa, who reached 609 career home runs last season while playing for Texas, is considering retirement …

Buchholz finds comfort in bullpen  —  At this time last year, Taylor Buchholz was in no-man's land.  Now he's a late-inning reliever, finally in his comfort zone.  —  “As a starter, I would have four days to think about pitching my next game, and by the time the game came around I would be mentally spent,” Buchholz said Wednesday.

Sisco undergoes Tommy John surgery  —  Left-hander will miss 12 to 24 months during recovery period  —  CHICAGO — Andrew Sisco underwent Tommy John elbow reconstruction surgery on Monday in New York and will be out of action between 12 to 24 months during his recovery period.