Percival's return to bring tough choice  —  Closer coming back Friday; Rays must decide who will go  —  ARLINGTON — Troy Percival is due to return from the disabled list on Friday, which sets up Rays management with having to make a tough choice regarding whose place Percival will take on the roster.

In a Forced Conversion, the Pitch Count Is the Boss  —  When the ascetic-looking gent with No. 42 on his back enters the game, maybe it doesn't matter how the Yankees arrived at this propitious moment.  —  When the entire stadium quivers to the ominous chords of “Enter Sandman,” that means the Mariano Rivera era is still going strong.

Mathis makes rotation bid in Texas Rangers' win  —  mheika@dallasnews.com  —  ARLINGTON - Doug Mathis understands the Texas Rangers are trying to fill two openings in the starting rotation since the release of Sidney Ponson, but he said he knows he has to earn his way onto the team.

Testimony on Steroids in Baseball Is Questioned  —  When baseball and union officials appeared before the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform on March 17, 2005, they presented figures that showed that baseball's two-year-old testing program had substantially reduced the number …

Rookie pitcher Ryan Tucker excels in debut as Marlins beat Reds 9-2  —  MIAMI GARDENS — When pitcher Ryan Tucker told friends he was getting called up to the major leagues, the congratulations came first.  But the teasing wasn't far behind, especially when they realized the third batter …

Good News: Mets Score More Than a Run.  The Bad News: Don't Ask.  —  SAN DIEGO — Willie Randolph handled the Mets' first three losses to the Padres reasonably well.  He lamented what went wrong, praised what little went right and expressed hope that tomorrow, yes, tomorrow, would be the day it all got better.

TV viewers cut off from end to Angels' game  —  A communication error is blamed when Channel 13 goes from broadcast to movie, 'Smilla's Sense of Snow,' at 5 p.m., right before A's dramatic walk-off grand slam by Ellis to win, 7-3.  —  OAKLAND — Heidi, meet Smilla.  Smilla . . . Heidi.

Manny, JD, Papi, Lester and the NBA Finals.  —  Gabby texting (not a boy btw), Gehrig watching the Celtics dancers and Dad explaining to him, well, dad things....  Manny hit's 500, wow. 500 of anything means you're good.  Be it walks, hits, runs, anything, but 500 home runs …

Marlins Notebook: Hanley Ramirez heating up  —  MIAMI GARDENS — Ken Griffey Jr. hasn't homered in more than a week since hitting No. 599 on May 31.  Hanley Ramirez hit two Sunday, giving him five in his past five games.  —  At this pace, can Ramirez catch Griffey?  —  “It's too early for that,” Ramirez laughed.

Bowden keeping track of Nats' house  —  Washington (25-38) vs. San Francisco (27-35), Sun., 1:35 p.m. ET  —  WASHINGTON — Before Saturday's game against San Francisco, Nationals general manager Jim Bowden touched base with reporters on a number of housekeeping topics regarding the team.

How Joe DiMaggio Revolutionized Cooperstown Voting  —  Baseball's highest honor, of course, is enshrinement into its Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York.  As many have noted over the years, the Baseball Writers' Association of America (BBWAA) which controls the “front door” to the Hall …

Fresh relievers will be in demand for pennant races  —  The Cubs and several other contenders are testing the endurance of their bullpens, which could spell trouble, Ken Rosenthal says.