MLB to ban LaTroy Hawkins three games  —  For the second time this season, a Yankees reliever has been suspended for NOT hitting an opposing batter.  —  The Daily News has learned Major League Baseball will hand LaTroy Hawkins a three-game suspension later Thursday, also fining …

Source: MLB might try instant replay in fall league  —  Major League Baseball is making tentative plans to experiment with instant replay in the Arizona Fall League, according to a baseball official with knowledge of those discussions.  —  If that experiment proves practical and successful …

Pedro says he hopes to pitch two or three more seasons … SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic — The end is near.  But not so fast.  —  Pedro Martinez, who returned to the Dominican Republic to be with his sick father, said Wednesday that he plans to stick around for at least two more seasons.

Fan killed in fall at Turner Field  —  A Braves fan has died after falling four floors from the stands at Turner Field during Wednesday night's Braves-Mets game, authorities said.  —  The Fulton County Medical Examiner's Office identified the man as Justin Hayes, 25, of Cumming.

Albert Pujols Is A Wrecking Ball  —  It's not often that you knock one player out of the game, allbeit two in one inning.  Well that's exactly what Albert Pujols did on Monday night against the Padres.....  Hell....reading is for suckers.  Let's just watch it go down.  Via Fan IQ....

Grogginess clears for Church  —  Right fielder says he feels free of concussion symptoms  —  ATLANTA — Although his forehead looked as if it had been scrubbed with steel wool and his knees were scraped and his name had been excluded from the Mets' lineup on Wednesday night …

Wright expresses dismay at losses  —  Third baseman disappointed after dropping three games  —  ATLANTA — Through all that slippery slope sliding in September, all the moonwalking the Mets have done thus far this season and through most of what they have presented to their public since …

Deal?  For Red Sox, no deal  —  Stars won't jump gun  —  So you believe it makes sense for the young players on the Red Sox [team stats] to jump in on the multi-year contract bandwagon that has been gaining significant steam in the last few months?  —  Think again.

Prospectus Today  —  Central Surprise  —  Behind two big homers by Jermaine Dye and another good start by Javier Vazquez, the Chicago White Sox extended their winning streak to seven games and their lead in the AL Central to 2½ games with a 7-2 win over the Cleveland Indians last night.

Ramirez may return to leadoff  —  MIAMI GARDENS - Manager Fredi Gonzalez guaranteed Hanley Ramirez would be in tonight's lineup.  He's just not sure where.  —  Ramirez's struggles since moving to the middle of the order are such that Gonzalez is considering moving him back to leadoff, where he has consistently excelled.

Nats Risk Priceless Goodwill For $100,000 a Day in Damages  —  Night after night, tens of thousands of fans crowd into Nationals Park to watch baseball.  The views are spectacular, the scoreboard is dazzling, the team can't hit — ah, well, you can't have everything.

Mets' COO Wilpon declines comment on Randolph  —  Embattled New York Mets manager Willie Randolph apologized Wednesday for the “distraction” he has caused his team, but the silence that followed from the team's owners was deafening.  —  Randolph tried to reach out to the Mets' owners Wednesday …

Minor League Transactions  —  This week's installment considers all transactions reported by MLB between May 9 and 17.  —  Last week's transactions available here.  —  Arizona Diamondbacks  —  Placed on 7-day DL: 3B Clayton Conner, SS Mark Hallberg  —  Atlanta Braves

Royals notebook: Bannister looks to continue day-game dominance  —  The form chart offers an imposing daily double that favors the Royals as they seek to avoid a sweep in today's series finale against the Red Sox at Fenway Park.  —  Brian Bannister and an afternoon game.  —  “To me,” he said, “it's not a big deal.

Now here's a familiar pose from Chipper Jones  —  Am I the only one who saw this picture on the Internets last night and figured that Chipper Jones' run in the .400s was predictably being put on the shelf?  Luckily, it turns out he was only hit by a pitch and expects to be back for tonight's game against the Mets.