Usual suspects send Rox to 7th loss in row  —  Abysmal?  Let us count the ways  —  The Denver Post  —  CHICAGO — Only seven months ago, the Rockies were a source of civic pride.  Now, they have fans wanting to hide, closets shutting in unison across the region.

White Sox's Guillen promises changes  —  Manager: Expect change; Williams: No need to panic  —  ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - After watching an offensive malaise reach a new low Sunday, manager Ozzie Guillen threatened his White Sox hitters with changes following Sunday's 4-3 loss at Tampa Bay.

Morgan Ensberg designated for assignment  —  MINNEAPOLIS - When the Yankees signed Morgan Ensberg for $1.75 million, they hoped he could give them power off the bench.  But he didn't do that, and they designated him for assignment Sunday.  —  Ensberg was batting only .203 (15-for-74) …

What's wrong with Nick Swisher?  —  To say that Nick Swisher has been a disappointment this year would be quite an understatement.  After becoming a member of the Chicago White Sox via an offseason trade, Swisher is currently hitting .201/.330/.310 with four homers.  What's gone wrong?

With three early picks, Mets have golden opportunity  —  NEW YORK — Forgive the Mets for thinking they're about to wake up in some alternate universe — or at least one that allows for instant makeovers.  The oldest team in the major leagues has three of the first 33 picks in the upcoming amateur draft …

The man who would be king  —  TAMPA, Fla. — It's a warm, sun-drenched weekday morning outside D.W. Webb Middle School, in the inner-city Town ‘n’ Country neighborhood of Tampa.  Under a cloudless sky, Joe Molloy, a boulder of a man, bespectacled and clad in a gray Webb Middle School T-shirt …

Manny Nation  —  Ramirez no longer just for Red Sox fans  —  + Recent Articles + Recent Blog Entries + Email + Bio  —  BALTIMORE - Kevin Millar remembers the old Manny Ramirez [stats].  The one who only let teammates and friends see what kind of person he really was.

SAL All-Star Rosters Announced  —  Rosters for the South Atlantic League's All-Star game have been announced.  The game will be played June 17 in Greensboro.  —  NORTHERN DIVISION  —  PITCHERS  —  PLAYER  —  POS  —  TEAM  —  ORGANIZATION  —  Ryan Miller  —  LHP  —  Lake County

Braves activate Smoltz off DL, stick him in 'pen … ATLANTA (AP) — John Smoltz returned to the Atlanta Braves as a reliever, hoping the role he had from 2001-04 will help him cope with an aching right shoulder and extend his career.  —  The 41-year-old Smoltz was activated before the start …

Read: Q&A with Valentino Pascucci  —  Val Pascucci is hitting .288 with a 1.065 OPS since signing with the Mets and joining Triple-A New Orleans.  —  Pascucci has more home runs in 32 games with the Zephyrs than the total produced by Mets left fielders and first basemen in 2008.

Rivera AL Player of the Week  —  Mariano Rivera was named the American League Player of the Week.  He recorded three saves (in three attempts) last week, pitching in four games, allowing just one hit and two walks while striking out seven.  It's the first AL Player of the Week award for Rivera.

As Griffey approaches 600, MLB whitewashes history  —  During Sunday's Red Sox/Orioles game, which I watched on MLB.TV, the league ran a promotional commercial for Ken Griffey's approach to 600 home runs.  Backed by maudlin piano music, a Costas-like narrator says the following script, to the accompaniment of pictures and video:

No rest for weary Mets  —  New York (28-27) at San Francisco (24-33), Monday, 10:15 ET  —  NEW YORK — The handle on Carlos Beltran's brown wheeled suitcase had already been popped.  Meanwhile, members of the Mets' equipment staff were hauling bags of bats, gloves and balls out into the hallways.