Breaking News: A-Rod on disabled list  —  The bad news keeps coming for the Yankees.  Alex Rodriguez has been placed on the disabled list.  He has a Grade 2 quadriceps strain.  —  “We have to get him right,” GM Brian Cashman said.  —  So much for the sunny prediction before the game that Rodriguez would be out only a day or two.

Improvised staff can't be a Texas Rangers strength  —  More than a year ago, Ron Washington convinced owner Tom Hicks and general manager Jon Daniels that he would take whatever resources were given to him and inject a positive, can-do approach to a club and an organization that seemingly had become mired in negativity.

Schneider released from hospital  —  Mets catcher Brian Schneider was released from the Hospital for Special Surgery in Manhattan this morning after spending nearly a week there with a staph infection in his left thumb.  —  Looking fit despite what he called “a very scary situation,” …

After nicking Halladay, Youkilis tips his cap  —  Given the great admiration Kevin Youkilis has for Roy Halladay, his two-out single in the ninth inning to beat him last night, 1-, felt extra special and left Youkilis and the Red Sox with a feeling of accomplishment in the first game of a homestand …

Church looking for first All-Star bid  —  Reyes, Wright and Beltran could return to NL squad  —  NEW YORK — For those still uneasy about the trade that sent Lastings Milledge to the Nationals in exchange for Brian Schneider and Ryan Church, consider this: Church not only made it onto …

Tulo's injury latest twist  —  Mutiple mishaps end with Atkins playing second base and backup catcher Iannetta at third.  —  The Denver Post  —  SAN FRANCISCO — Sometimes reality is weirder than fiction.  —  A disappointing season became painful over the course of four hours Tuesday.

WRIGHT ON TIME  —  The Mets survived a sub-par Johan Santana outing and an even shakier bullpen performance last night.  —  David Wright's RBI single in the 11th inning gave the Mets a 5-4 victory over the last-place Pirates and boosted their win streak to three after Santana struggled at home again …

Marlins fall short vs. Dodgers  —  Fish erase early deficit, but Kent delivers in the ninth  —  MIAMI — The Marlins rallied, and they also made three highlight-reel defensive plays, which featured plenty of grittiness and emotion.  But in the end, it wasn't enough.

Report: Smoltz willing to return to Braves' bullpen  —  John Smoltz, who dominated the National League as a closer for 3½ years, is willing to return to the Atlanta Braves' bullpen when he returns from the disabled list, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported.

Of Jimmy Olson, Spittle And The Dying Of The Light  —  Here's the important thing to remember about Buzz Bissinger, and whatever the heck happened on “Costas Now” about two hours ago: Buzz is not alone.  Sure, he might be metaphorically alone, raining spittle on the imaginary demons that clearly haunt him.

Jet-settin' Clemens & his bevy of beauties  —  Roger Clemens hung out with several attractive women in his baseball career, including beauties in California and Boston and a former Manhattan bartender named Angela Moyer.  —  Clemens, 45, flew the women around the country on his private jet …

Let's trust Piniella on this one  —  Some of the best Chicago sports stories concern guys who aren't in uniform.  —  With the Bears it's the quarterback they don't have yet.  —  With the Bulls it's the coach they haven't hired yet.  —  With the Blackhawks it's the free agents they haven't signed yet.