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 …

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.

Mariners sign Kenji Johjima to three-year contract extension  —  Catcher now signed through 2011  —  SEATTLE — Seattle Mariners Executive Vice President & General Manager of Baseball Operations Bill Bavasi announced today that the Mariners have agreed to terms with catcher Kenji Johjima on a three-year contract extension.

Sheffield gets third cortisone shot  —  Veteran consdiering retirement as worst case scenario  —  DETROIT — Gary Sheffield received three cortisone shots last year as he tried to play through a midseason shoulder injury that sapped his offense down the stretch.  He has now received three cortisone shots this week.

Nearly perfect, Cliff Lee dazzles again as Tribe sweeps Royals  —  KANSAS CITY, MO. — The Indians completed Thursday's doubleheader sweep behind undefeated left-hander Cliff Lee and an out-of-nowhere homer by David Dellucci.  —  Lee, who has not allowed a run in the last 21 innings, beat the Royals 2-0 on a three-hitter.

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?”

AIRWAVES FULL OF THE ABSURD  —  I ADMIT it.  At times this job has become so easy a caveman could do it.  —  For example, years ago, when I was angling to write about TV and/or radio absurdities, it could take three, four days to gather the goods.  —  Today?  Same day delivery.  Cake walk, can of corn.

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 …

It Gets Late Early Out There  —  If in seven years you went from being a bouncing baby boy to Old Man River, you would most likely look around to try to figure out which mirror you had broken.  But in the world of Major League Baseball, that is exactly what happens to you — if you're lucky.

Prospect Hot Sheet: April 25  —  It's not been an easy week for the Hot Sheet here at Baseball America.  We moved our offices from downtown Durham, N.C. to South Durham.  We are in some nicer diggs, with more room, but it also means we're working out of boxes right now.

Tipping pitches means disaster for hurlers  —  Randy Johnson did it for years.  Andy Benes would do it when throwing his slider.  Some believe it has been C.C. Sabathia's biggest problem this season.  I'm talking about pitchers tipping pitches, of course.  —  Pitchers are creatures of habit.

Richardson gets his chance with Saltalamacchia's call-up  —  Every clubhouse needs a player who keeps a positive attitude, even when he sits on the bench most of the time.  RedHawks reserve catcher Kevin Richardson is that guy.  The 27-year-old usually backs up Jarrod Saltalamacchia, the Rangers top catching prospect.

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.

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 …

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.