Agent Boras defends client Perez  —  LOS ANGELES - Agent Scott Boras refused to accept that his client, Mets left-hander Oliver Perez, is “erratic.”  —  After winning his first two decisions, Perez has lost his last three, and his ERA is just south of 5.00.

Texas Rangers ' Broussard losing time at first  —  egrant@dallasnews.com  —  SEATTLE - The descent for Ben Broussard has taken only five weeks.  He's gone from everyday first baseman to a platoon and now to the bench.  —  The only step left might be a ticket out of the Rangers organization.

Mets left stranded with another loss  —  LOS ANGELES - Move over Pat Burrell, there's a new Met-killer in the National League.  And his name is Blake DeWitt.  —  Never heard of him?  Well, most Mets probably didn't either before the start of this three-game series at Dodger Stadium.

Wrapping up Ian Kennedy … A lot of what Kennedy said after the game focused on the fact that he felt something like this coming.  He felt better his last two starts and after sending the side down in order the first two innings on Thursday, he thought that would be the start that broke him out of his funk.

Hopefully, Joba learned rules  —  It makes sense, if you think about it.  If Joba Chamberlain celebrates strikeouts with a fist pump, serving up a day's work for Mike and the Mad Dog in the process, then there's symmetry to his reaction last night.  —  We've just never seen Joba in such a setting before.

Tonight's The Night  —  It's Time.  —  Way back in October 2004, I started writing the blog, not really knowing what to expect, and certainly not expecting that it would get to be as big (relatively speaking) as it is, nor would it have given me some of the opportunities it has.

Nardi speaks, we all listen  —  Talked to Nardi Contreras after the game, which means I briefly discussed a lot of pitchers.  —  Left yesterday's game because of a blister.  —  Throwing batting practice, facing live hitters.  “Might get in a game next week,” Contreras said.  —  Humberto Sanchez

Miscues land DeRosa, Fontenot on bench  —  CINCINNATI — The day after the Cubs allowed the Reds to beat them on nothing but unearned runs, the players who made the errors were on the bench, and manager Lou Piniella promised a new and improved look on defense.

Question: What do you Want?  —  What's amazing to me is that if the Mets win this afternoon, they will have gone 3-3 on a West Coast road trip against the two hottest teams in the National League, all while being three games over .500 and an inch from first place all with roughly 80 percent of the season left to be played.

No punishment expected over White Sox dolls  —  Officials from commissioner Bud Selig's office contacted the White Sox on Tuesday to discuss the team's controversial display of two inflatable dolls in their clubhouse over the weekend in Toronto, but no punishment is expected to be handed down …

Unlike Most at 28, Wang Is Evolving as a Pitcher  —  It's easy to forget how young Chien-Ming Wang is in baseball years.  Most 28-year-olds who have enjoyed anything like the kind of success he has — he won 19 games in each of his first two full seasons with the Yankees …

MLBPA looks into unsigned free agents like Bonds … The MLB players' association has opened an investigation into the free-agent market.  The MLBPA has been investigating for several weeks what has taken place in free agency, in relation to Barry Bonds, Kenny Lofton and other players who have gone unsigned.

Injured Marlins making progress  —  Willingham could be back as early as next week  —  MIAMI — The Marlins are hopeful that left fielder Josh Willingham will be ready for game action within the next week.  Whether that is realistic remains to be seen.  —  More will be known in the next few days.

Royals keeping Draft cards close  —  Local pitching stars Crow, Melville could be possibilities  —  KANSAS CITY — Around here, of course, 2005 was the year of the Alex Gordon Draft.  —  Gordon was the overall No. 2 choice by the Royals that year after the Diamondbacks made Justin Upton the top pick of the First-Year Player Draft.

Homecoming for Hinske in Toronto  —  Tampa Bay (17-15) at Toronto (16-18), Weds., 7:07 p.m. ET  —  TORONTO — Playing in the Rogers Centre is something that Eric Hinske is very familiar with, as the Rays utility man was a member of the Blue Jays organization for the first five years of his career.