Willie picking his spots with Delgado  —  When Carlos Delgado was benched for Tuesday's game against the Marlins, it was considered a mental break, or as manager Willie Randolph described it, a chance for the struggling first baseman to “clear his head.”  —  But when Delgado was left …

Mariners Notebook: Washburn will sit out series against Tigers  —  Detroit 7-3 vs. lefties, so M's will stick with righties  —  The Mariners are following the path of least resistance as they rearrange the starting rotation to skip lefty Jarrod Washburn for the weekend series against Detroit.

The Voice of God  —  Discussing faith, family and Derek Jeter with longtime Yankee Stadium announcer Bob Sheppard  —  Anyone who has attended a Yankee's home game since the mid-twentieth century has been greeted by the unique—and now legendary—style of player introductions given over the stadium's public address system:

Pettitte, Joba pitch Yankees to win  —  Sweep averted in Baltimore with a little help from Giambi  —  BALTIMORE — The bullpen gates swung open for the ninth inning, and Mariano Rivera coasted across the outfield, the same graceful gait the Yankees closer has showcased for years.

Mets may pursue veteran Hatteberg  —  With Anderson injured, club looking for left-handed hitter  —  NEW YORK — Should the Mets determine their primary left-handed pinch-hitter Marlon Anderson will require an extended assignment to the disabled list, they may move to add veteran Scott Hatteberg …

Presenting the All-2012 team … What a week for rookies.  First, Clayton Kershaw debuted for the Dodgers, tossing a strong six innings on Sunday, striking out seven.  Then, on Tuesday, Jay Bruce stepped into the Reds' lineup for the first time and promptly delivered a 3-for-3 performance.

Lies, Damned Lies  —  Evaluating Pitcher Hitting  —  In the six years that I've generated PECOTA forecasts, I've never bothered to run hitting projections for pitchers.  In fact, I've regarded pitcher hitting as something of a nuisance; I specifically screen out any pitchers so that they won't be selected as comparable players.

Brewers' Tavarez brings October mind-set, but ring doesn't come along  —  MILWAUKEE — Julian Tavarez didn't pitch in the postseason for the Boston Red Sox last season, but for being on the regular season roster, he has a World Series ring.  —  Somewhere.  —  It seems the newest member …

Report: FBI questions McCready in Clemens case  —  The FBI has questioned country singer Mindy McCready, who allegedly had an affair with Roger Clemens, as it investigates whether Clemens perjured himself before a congressional committee, the New York Daily News reported for Thursday's editions.

Take Me Out of the Hall Game  —  The Hall of Fame was in the headlines last week, and not just because the retirement of Mike Piazza kindled the inevitable debate over the catcher's Cooperstown credentials.  No, an even more deserving honoree made waves via what was almost certainly a first: a request to the voters not to be elected.

Same-sex couple claims bias at Safeco Field  —  SEATTLE — A local lesbian couple says a peck on the lips nearly got the two of them tossed out of a Mariners game.  —  The women said in an arena where even chanting and screaming are allowed, they were singled out by a security guard simply because they kissed each other.

Top 100 Most Valuable Sports Blogs  —  Deadspin Valued at Over $16 Million  —  How much is your sports blog worth?  Did it make the top 100?  Read this to find out.  —  I am basing the valuations off DN Scoop, a website that values websites based on links, PR, traffic rank, and other factors.

Baek appreciates shot with Padres  —  Versatile right-hander acquired via trade with Mariners  —  SAN DIEGO — Right-handed pitcher Cha Seung Baek, the newest Padres player, was in uniform Wednesday night and may soon find himself in San Diego's starting rotation.