Prior to have season-ending surgery  —  Tear in Padres starting pitcher's right shoulder to be repaired  —  SAN FRANCISCO — When orthopedic surgeon Dr. James Andrews told Mark Prior that he had a tear in his right shoulder earlier this month, the right-handed pitcher was offered two paths of treatment — rest or surgery.

Stranger things have happened … That said, the same source who told Mark Feinsand about the Patterson move also said Giese will be called up Tuesday, so I tend to believe it's true.  —  That puts the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre pitching staff in a bind.  With Patterson gone …

Burres battered as O's lose to Red Sox  —  Left-hander gives up seven runs on 12 hits in four innings  —  BALTIMORE — The Orioles had hoped to use a four-game series against the Boston Red Sox as a measuring stick to see if they could compete with a powerfully built team that relies on solid pitching …

Smoltz reinventing himself — again  —  John Smoltz is the artist teaching himself to paint with a hairbrush, the poet attempting to rhyme in a foreign language.  Is that a stretch when considering a man whose craft consists of throwing a ball?  Not if you listen to the ball-thrower …

Cubs close out perfect homestand  —  The standings show the Cubs are the best team in baseball.  —  The statistics say they have scored more runs and have more come-from-behind victories than any other team.  —  But they aren't sure how good they really are even after beating Colorado 5-3 Sunday …

BLACKBURN BLOODIED, BUT OK  —  TWINS' PITCHER LEFT GAME, BUT X-RAYS NEGATIVE  —  MINNEAPOLIS - Compared to the last opposing pitcher hit in the face by a ball off a Yankees bat, Nick Blackburn was fortunate today when Bobby Abreu's liner deflected off his glove and kissed his nose and top lip.

Tigers stun M's with 4-run rally in 9th  —  SEATTLE (AP)—Curtis Granderson has some advice: Don't count out those supposedly doomed Detroit Tigers just yet.  —  “Yeah, looking at our division, nobody has pulled away.  And we still haven't played good baseball,” Granderson said Sunday.

Guillen: White Sox need immediate changes  —  ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — As Ozzie Guillen was putting his dress shoes on after Sunday's 10th-inning, 4-3 loss to Tampa Bay, he was taking the gloves off.  —  And this time, no one was safe.  —  Tired of waiting for production from an offense filled …

Haren, Hudson lift Arizona past Nats 5-0  —  PHOENIX (AP)—Dan Haren picked up where Brandon Webb left off.  —  One day after Webb shut out Washington, Haren tossed seven scoreless innings to lead the Arizona Diamondbacks to a 5-0 victory over the Nationals on Sunday.

Mets hammer Dodgers behind third-inning homers and Johan Santana  —  The sounds at Shea, from the start of the week until the end, told the story.  —  The Mets arrived home last Monday to a hostile holiday crowd, with cascading boos and calls for Willie Randolph's head.  —  What a difference seven days make.

Yankees Expect Posada Will Return Thursday  —  Jorge Posada's return is scheduled for Thursday.  That is, unless Posada is able to talk Yankees Manager Joe Girardi into letting him catch Joba Chamberlain on Tuesday.  —  That appears unlikely.  Girardi said he wanted Posada …