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.

Brewers sign Braun to eight-year deal  —  Contract for $45 million is largest for ‘zero-plus’ player  —  MILWAUKEE — It was left to the 24-year-old to reveal how much he will be paid to play baseball for the next eight years.  —  “Forty-five million dollars,” Brewers outfielder Ryan Braun said without a flinch.

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.

Q&A with Joba Chamberlain  —  Yankees' phenom hurler sits down with MLB.com … MLB.com: What do you remember about the circumstances of being called to the big leagues for the first time?  —  Chamberlain: It was kind of hectic, because I was getting out that night [on Aug. 6, 2007] …

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.

Colon throws six scoreless for Paw Sox  —  Right-hander allows just one hit in third start in Minors  —  BUFFALO, N.Y. — For Bartolo Colon, it was one more start in Triple-A and, hopefully, one step closer to being back in a Major League rotation.  —  Colon threw a brilliant one-hit gem …

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 …

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 …

Is Part MLB's “Discipline” showing Magowan the Door?  —  The following is an editorial by Maury Brown of the Business of Sports Network.  —  It barely slipped through yesterday.  Commissioner Selig made mention of how management implicated in the Mitchell Report “has” been disciplined.

Fast rise, fast to exit for former Cub pitcher  —  Leo Durocher's '69 Cubs were counting on young lefty Darcy Fast for a lift, but season, career ended too soon  —  It would be a better story if he had tossed his glove into the Wrigley Field crowd and walked across the street and up the marble steps …

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.

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 …