‘KISS OF DEATH’  —  WILLIE: OMAR ‘SHARPENING HIS MACHETE’  —  DENVER - Despite some encouraging words from his boss, Willie Randolph sounded like Dead Manager Walking today.  —  GM Omar Minaya made a surprise visit here Friday to give his embattled manager a tepid vote of confidence …

Dodgers call up Clayton Kershaw, at the expense of Esteban Loaiza  —  L.A. options Yhency Brazoban to Las Vegas and designates fellow right-hander Loaiza for assignment to make room for the hot-throwing lefty from Jacksonville who's due to start in the majors Sunday.

Indians place Carmona on DL with strained left hip  —  CLEVELAND — Fausto Carmona was placed on the 15-day disabled list Saturday by the Cleveland Indians because of a strained left hip.  —  Carmona was injured as he ran to cover first base in the third inning of Cleveland's 13-9 loss to the Texas Rangers on Friday night.

Yanks make good on Joba plan  —  Bombers club Mariners for second straight game in the Bronx  —  NEW YORK — This “Joba Plan” suddenly seems like an awfully smart idea.  —  The whole point of Joba Chamberlain converting from a starter to a reliever in the Major Leagues was so that he could help …

Duchscherer pitches A's past Red Sox 3-0  —  OAKLAND, Calif. (AP)—Justin Duchscherer carried a no-hit bid into the seventh inning, Ryan Sweeney homered and the Oakland Athletics beat the Boston Red Sox 3-0 on Saturday night for their first series win in their past five.

Yanks staying course in troubled waters  —  Team practicing patience with decisions made in offseason  —  NEW YORK — Dark storm clouds morphed into brilliant sunshine on a gorgeous Saturday afternoon in the Bronx, but that same clearing still has not taken place for the Yankees' underwhelming opening act.

Trainer bragged about steroids  —  For years, Kelly Blair, the owner of 1-on-1 Elite Personal Fitness, bragged to friends and clients who worked out at his Texas gym that he supplied performance-enhancing drugs to professional athletes.  —  Blair, who was recently questioned …

McClung solid in rare start, Brewers win  —  WASHINGTON (AP)—Seth McClung was victorious in his first start in almost two years and Corey Hart and Mike Cameron homered to help the Milwaukee Brewers beat the Washington Nationals 5-2 on Saturday night.  —  Replacing ineffective Carlos Villanueva …

Weaver pitches Angels over White Sox 2-0  —  CHICAGO (AP)—Jered Weaver took advantage of the White Sox weakness again.  —  Weaver pitched three-hit ball over eight innings and Vladimir Guerrero hit a go-ahead home run in the sixth to lead the Los Angeles Angels over Chicago 2-0 on Saturday.

Andruw Jones to go ahead with surgery  —  it's an arthroscopic procedure, called a debridement, to repair a tear of the medial meniscus (that's cartilage, from what I understand) in his right knee.  He'll be out four to six weeks, and while the down time might not help him …

A's get one  —  OAKLAND - Alex Cora is considered one of the smartest players in the game and future managerial timber.  So it was a little surprising when he decided to go home with Emil Brown's grounder in the second inning.  His throw was late to Jason Varitek in trying to nail Mike Sweeney (Varitek also dropped the ball).

Promotion featuring Ortiz a shot to Yankees  —  Yankees voice concern over All-Star promotion  —  OAKLAND, Calif. - If David Ortiz got to call his shot in Yankee Stadium, he thinks he'd pick right field, with that inviting fence just 314 feet from home plate.  Asked if he'd try to go upper deck, Ortiz smiled.

Carter: I would love to take Shea reins  —  DENVER - Gary Carter, who is managing the independent Orange County (Calif.) Flyers, is again talking his way out of a job - a job that still belongs to Willie Randolph.  —  Asked about his interest in managing the Mets on “The Mike and Murray Show” …

Minor league pitcher traded for 10 baseball bats … McALLEN, Texas (AP) — During three years in the low minors, John Odom never really made a name for himself.  —  That sure changed this week — he's the guy who was traded for a bunch of bats.  —  “I don't really care,” he said Friday.

Instant replay would strip baseball of its soul  —  No instant replay, please.  Not in baseball, where breath-to-breath squabbles between umpires, managers, coaches and players are as much of the game's soul as the seventh-inning stretch, the national anthem and a box of Cracker Jack.  —  Quick.