GM Jim Hendry confident Jim Edmonds will help Cubs  —  By taking a gamble that Jim Edmonds still can be a productive center fielder and hitter, Cubs general manager Jim Hendry knew he was inviting criticism from fans who have invested a lot of time loathing the former Cardinals star.

Braun to sign record deal  —  The Milwaukee Brewers will announce this morning that leftfielder Ryan Braun has agreed to a seven-year contract extension that will be a record in terms of both length and money for the team and the industry.  —  The Brewers have called a 10 a.m. press conference …

A-ROD READY FOR MANNY JEERS  —  ST. PETERSBURG - Though Alex Rodriguez eyes a return from the disabled list Tuesday at Yankee Stadium, Rodriguez said he understands he set himself up for a vicious booing by Red Sox fans for helping friend Manny Ramirez celebrate when Ramirez hits his 500th home run.

Madden: Hank lights fire, threatens to burn bridges  —  You have to understand, it's not easy being Hank Steinbrenner, entrusted with restoring his dad's Yankees to their past glory, looking at the standings and seeing them wallowing around .500 while, of all people, those longstanding baseball doormats …

Johnson out 4-6 weeks  —  That's the latest.  Nationals are putting their first baseman on the 15-day DL.  An MRI this morning revealed a tear of the tendon sheath in his right wrist.  The injury problems for Johnson continue.  Dmitri Young will rejoin the club tomorrow to take his place.

A STARTLING CONTENTION  —  GM: Giants - who fall to Astros - have shot in '08  —  (05-14) 22:42 PDT — Like most baseball folk, general manager Brian Sabean likes to assess his team once it completes one quarter of its schedule.  The Giants did so with a 6-3 loss to Houston on Wednesday night …

A's pitchers enroll in Hitting 101  —  Starters learn fine art of the sacrifice bunt for Interleague Play  —  CLEVELAND — Dana Eveland, Rich Harden and Justin Duchscherer are the three starters who'll face the Braves in Oakland's first taste of Interleague Play, with Eveland getting the ball for Friday's opener in Atlanta.

Bergmann, Nats blank Mets  —  Defense leads the way as Washington takes three of four  —  NEW YORK - Willie Harris' diving catch in the ninth inning saved Washington, and the slick-fielding Nationals beat the New York Mets 1-0 Thursday behind Jason Bergmann's fantastic pitching performance.

Putting together the Sunshine State All-Star team  —  Quick!  With both the Rays and Marlins residing in first place this late into the season, now's as good a time as any to put together the Stew's look at the Sunshine State All-Star Team.  We'd wait until the two teams meet in June …

Ward's bad back will require 2 weeks on DL  —  CUBS IN BRIEF  —  Regardless of what he has left, Jim Edmonds became available just in time for the Cubs, whose need for left-handed hitting reached dire levels this week with the news that the top lefty hitter on the bench, Daryle Ward …

Marlins on pace to break records  —  Team could set franchise marks in runs scored and homers  —  CINCINNATI — Approximately a quarter of the season is completed, and at their current pace, the Marlins are headed to setting franchise records for runs scored and home runs.

Mets' Schoeneweis rushed to hospital; OK now  —  Mets reliever Scott Schoeneweis spent the early part of yesterday in a Greenwich, Conn., hospital after waking up with searing abdominal pain and chills and calling an ambulance.  —  “I thought I was going to die,” Schoeneweis …