Bullpen betrays Yankees in Chicago  —  Rally after pair of rain delays spoiled on single off Chamberlain  —  CHICAGO — Joe Crede's run-scoring single off Joba Chamberlain in the bottom of the ninth inning was the game-winner on Thursday for the White Sox, who handed the Yankees rookie …

Ex-Ray Dukes cleans zoo cages, shortens probation  —  TAMPA — To get his misdemeanor probation cut short by five months, former Tampa Bay Rays outfielder Elijah Dukes spent 25 hours during the past week cleaning out cages and mopping at Lowry Park Zoo.  —  Attorney Grady Irvin and a team official …

Brian Bruney and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day  —  Here is what happened to Yankees reliever Brian Bruney on Thursday:  —  * He had a magnetic resonance imaging exam on his injured right foot, which the Yankees fear has two torn ligaments and which will probably put him on the disabled list.

Guillen: Derek Jeter ‘the perfect man’  —  About an hour before Ozzie Guillen called him “the perfect man” and “the best thing ever in the game,” Derek Jeter found a few minutes to chat about his future place of work.  —  Yankee Stadium is going, going ... a few months from being gone.

Phillies sit slumping Howard  —  MILWAUKEE - Ryan Howard was frustrated.  —  He angrily whipped his bat toward the visitors' dugout after he struck out twice in four at-bats Wednesday in a 5-4 loss to the Milwaukee Brewers at Miller Park.  He sat quietly in front of his locker …

Pelfrey's mouthpiece a distraction for opponents  —  Last Sunday night, as a national television audience watched Mike Pelfrey tangle with the Phillies on ESPN, the question probably came up a million times among viewers from Sacramento to Sioux City.  —  “What the heck is that guy chewing on?”

Reds don't want to rush Bailey, Bruce  —  Pitcher, outfielder developing, growing at Triple-A Louisville  —  CINCINNATI — Two-fifths of the Reds' rotation hasn't been getting it done.  The offense has sputtered as some hitters have been slow to heat up.  —  Help is only a phone call away …

Cook supplies cure for Rockies' slump  —  The right-hander gives up four hits in eight innings and retires 16 in a row, cooling off the Cubs, 4-2.  —  The Denver Post  —  Aaron Cook has become the Rockies' terminator.  —  The big redhead has been called upon three times this season …

Athletics rough up Liriano in Big Hurt's return  —  CBSSports.com wire reports  —  OAKLAND, Calif. — Frank Thomas won in his return to Oakland.  Rajai Davis got three hits in his Athletics debut.  —  Yet it was Donnie Murphy who delivered all the power.

Young MLB players seem to lean toward secure deals  —  AROUND THE Texas Rangers, it's known simply as The Talk.  —  Talented young second baseman Ian Kinsler heard it from All-Star shortstop Michael Young.  Young got it from veteran outfielder Rusty Greer.

DeShawn, LeBron and Soulja Boy in Game 3  —  Well, that was different.  Crowd made a bit of noise.  Wiz made a bit of noise.  Gilbert jumped up on the scorer's table before the game even started, waving his rally towel and making a bit of noise.  And Soulja Boy got up on the big screen and made some noise.

Backwards year  —  Ok, so I slept on it, and I'm not so ranting and raving this morning.  But I do maintain that people need to start thinking positive.  There is so much good about the team, so much to look forward to, but a booing stadium in April is not going to make the team start winning.

Did Joba Chamberlain piss off Erin Andrews?  —  Sometime before the White Sox played the New York Yankees on Wednesday, ESPN sideline reporter Erin Andrews had a chat with Yankees reliever Joba Chamberlain.  —  Chamberlain was talking about his father, who apparently has been getting better after collapsing earlier this month.

Dodgers announce stadium improvement plan  —  LOS ANGELES — The Los Angeles Dodgers unveiled a four-year upgrade plan for Dodger Stadium on Thursday that owner Frank McCourt said amounts to a new home for the team built around the nearly 50-year-old core of the old.

Despite Shortfalls, Delgado Is All Mets Have  —  Much of the resentment and anger that fans and even writers tend to feel toward inept or washed-up ballplayers could be cured by a bit of empathy.  No matter how much money they make, athletes are just like other people, and would prefer to do well rather than badly.