Hughes has stress fracture  —  The Yankees today say Phil Hughes has a stress fracture of the ninth rib on his right side and the pitcher could be out until at least July.  —  This is worse than the preliminary word that Hughes was placed on the 15-day disabled list with a strained oblique muscle.

Mum Cuban sits with Trib execs at Wrigley  —  News flash: Mark Cuban didn't want to talk during his visit to Wrigley Field on Wednesday.  Talk about trying to win over Major League Baseball.  —  “I'm here as a Cubs fan,” Cuban said, waving off a group of reporters as he took his front-row seat …

Texas Rangers' rotation in mound of trouble  —  egrant@dallasnews.com  —  ARLINGTON - Pretty soon, the Texas Rangers might have two starting rotations.  One on the active roster and one on the disabled list.  —  The list of pitchers on the DL will grow to three by this weekend …

Forgettable day for Perez against Bucs  —  Defensive lapses and starter's wildness cost Mets in finale  —  NEW YORK — It all begins with pitching, they say.  And sometimes, it ends there, too.  Any chance the Mets had of beating the last-place Pirates in the second game of their abbreviated …

Roger Clemens linked to John Daly's ex  —  For Roger Clemens, the hits just keep on coming.  —  Several sources told the Daily News Wednesday that Clemens had a relationship with Paulette Dean Daly, a former wife of champion golfer John Daly.  —  The sources said Clemens, a married father of four …

Tulo might be out until July  —  Rockies shortstop Troy Tulowitzki suffered a torn tendon in his left quadricep and could be out until at least the All-Star break, July 14-16.  —  Tulowitzki suffered the injury in the bottom of the first inning of Tuesday's 3-2 victory at San Francisco.

Wag and the dogs  —  Or at least that's how the outspoken Mets' closer viewed yesterday's awful 13-1 blasting by the Pirates.  Billy Wagner seems to be channeling Cliff Floyd, circa 2004, when Floyd kept irritating the front office with comments like, “There ain't no light at the end of the tunnel.”

Brian Sabean “Has Managed His Affairs Quite Well”  —  During the American Civil War several southern generals derided northern General Ulysses S. Grant as a butcher who recklessly threw his troops against entrenched positions, resulting in an endless march of injury, death and carnage.

Bissinger Vs. Leitch  —  So, here's the video of last night's “Internet Media” segment from Costas Now.  Enjoy.

Answer Man: Andy Van Slyke talks slugging Bonds, coaching first  —  If you don't remember Andy Van Slyke in his prime, think Grady Sizemore — but extremely quotable.  Steve Finley, with pizazz.  Bernie Williams, but brash.  —  Van Slyke broke in as a third baseman with the St. Louis Cardinals in 1983 …

Inside Pitch: Whither Griffey and Dunn?  —  With solid core of youngsters, Reds may deal veteran sluggers  —  A few teams are having their scouts keep an eye on Cincinnati in case the Reds decide to shop Adam Dunn and/or Ken Griffey Jr. before the July 31 trade deadline.

Game 30: Tigers at Yankees  —  YANKEES  —  Nate Robertson against the New York hittters.  —  Notes: Another day, another lineup. ...  The Yankees have yet to get swept this season. ...  IPK has yet to face any of the Detroit hitters. ...  Thanks to Brian Heyman for calling in the lineup.

Keith Hernandez, Cornell professor?  Sort of  —  A couple of spring trainings ago, Keith Hernandez taught a class for Cornell Adult University in Port St. Lucie.  —  Apparently it went well, because the university invited him to teach a class on the history and culture of baseball after last season …

Adenhart To Debut On Short Rest  —  Angels righthander Nick Adenhart, the top pitching prospect in the organization, was called up today from Triple-A Salt Lake to make his major league debut against Oakland.  —  Adenhart, 21, has made five starts for Salt Lake, holding down a 0.87 ERA with a 19-15 K-BB ratio in 31 innings.

Wright can do no wrong in fans' eyes  —  He could get his uniform soiled.  He could refuse to bathe for a week.  He could join the construction crew next door, where the new stadium is going up, and collect more filth than ground balls.  He could do all of that, and David Wright still would be viewed one way by the fans: clean.