Rays will choose Beckham at No. 1  —  Tampa Bay opts for talented Georgia high school shortstop  —  BOSTON — Tim Beckham will be No. 1.  —  The Rays, holding the first overall selection in today's First-Year Player Draft, will select the talented high school shortstop from Griffin, Ga. …

Cashman, brass to talk contract  —  NOTEBOOK  —  NEW YORK — Brian Cashman's contract as Yankees general manager is up after the season, and Hank Steinbrenner intends to discuss an extension while Cashman is in Tampa, Fla., this week.  —  “We're going to be talking about it,” said Steinbrenner, the team's co-chairperson.

McLaren's words came too late for Mariners  —  The contrived tirade began with a warning.  —  “We're gonna do this a little different,” John McLaren said.  —  He sounded a little like Tina Turner at the beginning of “Proud Mary.”  Then the downtrodden Mariners manager unleashed …

Gameday Live 60: Blue Jays at Yankees  —  And a hearty good afternoon.  Rod Boone here for the quick turnaround following last night's bounce back 5-1 win over the Blue Jays.  Can the Yankees win two straight and take their first series since sweeping Seattle at The Stadium may 23-25?

Coco Shows Some Fire  —  During last night's game between the Boston Red Sox and Tampa Bay Rays, Coco Crisp tried to steal second base in the 6th inning.  When he tried to slide into second, Rays shortstop Jason Bartlett put his knee down in front of the bag, which is a no-no since someone can get seriously hurt.

BA's 2008 Final Mock First Round  —  Rays will take Tim Beckham No. 1 overall  —  Signability concerns made for a wild night before the draft.  Florida State catcher Buster Posey's asking price suddenly jumped to $12 million and Missouri righthander Aaron Crow's target became $10 million …

Harper: Joba moving, doubt rising  —  You can feel the concern creeping into the Yankee clubhouse.  By now the Yankees are practically the home office for slow starts, but the players are all too aware that improved pitching throughout the American League East means it won't be so easy to bludgeon their way to the top this year.

Draft 2008: Pirates set to pick Alvarez  —  Next step: Sign Vanderbilt star to contract by Aug. 15  —  When the Pirates' turn comes in Major League Baseball's draft this afternoon, according to multiple sources, they plan to use their No. 2 overall choice to take Vanderbilt University third baseman Pedro Alvarez.

Late-Morning Buzz  —  Jim Callis is en route to an undisclosed location in Chicago to join ESPN's broadcast of the draft, and Matt Blood is live in Orlando, I'm just here blogging late-morning rumors in preparation for today's feast of Q Shack and draft goodness.  Here's some of what we're hearing:

Teammates react to loss of Smoltz  —  What teammates and others are saying about John Smoltz:  —  • From JEFF FRANCOEUR:  —  “To be honest with you, I'm happy for him in the fact that he can have some closure this season.  He wanted to get back worse than anybody, but his arm wouldn't allow him to do it.

SHEPPARD IMPROVING  —  Public-address announcer Bob Sheppard's health is improving, and the 97-year-old Yankee Stadium icon could be in his familiar seat in time for the All-Star Game on July 15, Yankees COO Lonn Trost told The Post yesterday.  —  “We've spoken to Bob, and with a little luck he'll be there …

Skipworth may be draft catch for Florida  —  ATLANTA - Not since taking Charles Johnson at their inaugural draft in 1992 have the Marlins selected an amateur catcher with their first pick.  —  Kyle Skipworth could end that drought this afternoon when baseball convenes its June talent bazaar for the 44th time.