Bondy: Hot seat skips to Yankee side  —  During the ninth inning Sunday night at Yankee Stadium, the lame-duck cathedral sounded as if there were only Met fans left in the Bronx.  The visitors were up by nine, on the way to an 11-2 clobbering.  The fans with the curlicue N-Y's on their caps stood and cheered, alone, triumphant.

Umpire Admits He Screwed Up a Call That He Shouldn't Be Given a Chance to Screw Up  —  Last night's mockery of umpiring at Yankee Stadium was the latest evidence that it's long past time for baseball's powers that be to institute instant replay on home runs.

Blogger claims Yost to be fired  —  Boston - Somebody named the “Badger Blogger,” who I am told does mainly political postings (I must admit I'm not familiar with the site) posted a blog late Sunday night claiming manager Ned Yost will be relieved of his duties on the team's off day in Pittsburgh today.

Planet Manny  —  No effort.  Lazy.  Manny being Manny.  Is it true?  After asking teammates, Ken Rosenthal finds there are many misconceptions.  —  What's up, Chuck?  —  A $400K gambling debt?  Not surprising.  Seven months to pay it back?  A bit extreme.  Kevin Hench has a warning for Charles Barkley.

Reports: Smoltz return from DL may be delayed  —  Atlanta Braves pitcher John Smoltz had hoped to return by the end of May from a stint on the disabled list for an inflamed rotator cuff.  That plan may have to be put on hold.  —  “It could be anywhere between the [late May] …

For once, Ellsbury's timing was off  —  Pitchout helps end base-stealing run  —  It took a pitchout.  A pitchout and a perfect throw and a perfect tag.  And Jacoby Ellsbury was out.  Though he wasn't quite sure how to act or where to go.  —  “I didn't know what to do,” he said.

Rangers look to draft maturely in '08  —  After picking high schoolers in past, club looking at colleges  —  ARLINGTON — The Rangers have been hitting pitching hard in the recent Drafts.  Over the past four years, they have had nine picks in either the first round or supplemental round, and have used them to take seven pitchers.

The Julio Franco Era  —  Well, it finally happened.  About two weeks ago, Julio Franco finally bowed to the inevitable and announced his retirement, ending his dream of being the game's first legitimate 50-year-old player.  —  This wasn't too surprising, as last year he finally got too old and lost his last MLB job.

At 87, Stan still is The Man as Cards fans pay homage  —  The Cardinals rallied Sunday for their second last-bat victory in two days.  But, even if they had lost, it would have been a good day at Busch Stadium.  Every day Stan Musial is at the park is a good day.

Reyes watches and learns for Mets  —  At about 5 o'clock yesterday afternoon, a Mets video assistant tapped Jose Reyes on the shoulder, an alert that the shortstop's order was ready.  In the visitors' clubhouse at Yankee Stadium, Reyes walked to the corner, just to your right when you walk in, where players study their past at-bats.

Lack of multiyear deal doesn't concern Dan Uggla  —  MIAMI GARDENS - Dan Uggla wasn't particularly disappointed upon learning President of Baseball Operations Larry Beinfest had not recommended additional multiyear signings to owner Jeffrey Loria.  —  “The whole Hanley [Ramirez] deal was kind of a shock to everybody,” Uggla said.

Rangers' Blalock moving from third to first base … ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Hank Blalock will move to first base for the Texas Rangers when he returns from the disabled list.  —  Blalock, a third baseman who has been out since April 26 with a torn left hamstring, volunteered …