Harden lands on disabled list  —  Oft-injured righty sidelined by strained muscle in shoulder  —  TORONTO — For the sixth time in less than four seasons Athletics starting pitcher Rich Harden has landed on the disabled list.  —  Oakland placed the hard-throwing right-hander on the 15 …

Cora, Lowell being checked out  —  The phones are ringing in Pawtucket.  —  With Mike Lowell sustaining a thumb injury last night, and Alex Cora feeling a “twinge,” according to Terry Francona, the call has gone out to the PawSox to make sure a player is ready in case they need him.

Jimmy Rollins sits out with sprained ankle  —  NEW YORK - The New York Mets couldn't have been happier to hear that Jimmy Rollins could not play last night at Shea Stadium.  —  In case you hadn't noticed, they hadn't exactly had much success against him lately.

Vargas accepts minor league contract with Mets  —  NEW YORK (AP) — Claudio Vargas and the Mets agreed to a minor league contract Thursday, giving New York another option for its injury-riddled rotation.  —  Vargas was released by Milwaukee late in spring training after going 11-6 with a 5.09 ERA …

Under The Knife  —  Injured Rays  —  Cliff Floyd (40 DXL)  —  If the Trop didn't have a dome, I think Joe Maddon might be looking to the heavens, waiting for frogs to fall from the sky.  The latest victim of the injury streak is Cliff Floyd.  Now, it's no stunner that Floyd is injured …

Indians sign pitcher (not C.C.) to multiyear deal  —  CLEVELAND — Fausto Carmona, a surprising 19-game winner last season, agreed Thursday to a $15 million, four-year contract with the Indians, a deal that would be worth at least $43 million if Cleveland exercises three club options.

New York Yankees announce new titles for members of the Steinbrenner family  —  Today the New York Yankees announced new titles for members of the Steinbrenner family.  —  George M. Steinbrenner, III Chairperson, Hal and Hank Steinbrenner Co-Chairpersons, Jennifer Steinbrenner Swindal …

Digital Age brings challenges to players  —  Rise of Internet forces ballplayers to guard private lives  —  Most big league ballplayers, if not all of them, understand that they're public figures.  An increasingly high number of them, however, are being forced into an increasingly private existence.

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.

Good news Yankee Fans - Ian Kennedy got jerked off in the bullpen  —  Get your mind out of the gutter, people.  I haven't turned this blog NC-17 on you.  The line in the title of the post is taken verbatim (well, almost verbatim) from David Cone who made his proud return to the broadcast booth …

Marlins' bats overcome Nationals  —  Jacobs homers twice, Hermida hits a pair of doubles in return  —  WASHINGTON — There were a number of promising signs for the Marlins on Wednesday night.  —  Scott Olsen gave the bullpen a breather with a quality outing.

[MATT GARZA] Rays Could Seek Compensation If Twins Hid Garza's Injury  —  Rays Could Seek Compensation If Twins Hid Garza's Injury  —  On Monday night, during the Tampa Bay Rays' home opener, Matt Garza pulled himself from the game in the 3rd inning with an injury to the radial nerve in this throwing arm.

Big Floridian bashes homers, weighs options  —  Eric Hosmer knows how to deal with pressure.  At his baseball games, pro scouts — 20, sometimes more — arrive two hours before game time to watch Hosmer, a senior at American Heritage School (Plantation, Fla.), take batting and infield practice.

Rangers snap O's winning streak  —  Orioles manage just three hits against Texas' Millwood  —  ARLINGTON, Texas - Kevin Millwood finally has a victory to show for his solid pitching this season, after the Texas Rangers beat the Orioles 3-1 in the first game of a doubleheader today and ended the O's six-game winning streak.