Mets fall to D-backs despite meeting  —  Few grand plans have gotten off to a worse start than the Mets' new one did Tuesday night.  —  They haven't played like a playoff team, but the Mets still believe they are one.  And Tuesday, before facing the Diamondbacks, the Mets players emerged …

Milledge Caps Off A Long Night  —  9th-Inning HR Is Nats' 5th of Game: Nationals 7, Pirates 6  —  By the time Lastings Milledge stepped to the plate late Tuesday night, the Washington Nationals already had refused to make peace with losing.  Already, they had wrestled free from an early deficit.

Ankle injury forces Jurrjens to skip start  —  Right-hander could join three other starting pitchers on DL  —  CHICAGO — Whenever it seems like things can't get any worse for the Braves, they do.  Thus, it should come as no surprise that a fourth member of their original projected starting rotation …

Win-now mentality has Dodgers looking to deal Kemp  —  Matt Kemp may become a superstar, but it'll take time.  That means the win-now Dodgers have to make a tough call on him, Ken Rosenthal says.

Mets call up Zephyr slugger Chris Aguila  —  Former Marlin Chris Aguila is headed to New York, Surfing the Mets has learned.  He'll replace Abraham Nunez, who was designated for assignment after Tuesday night's game.  —  Aguila (above r.) has been on a longball tear at Triple-A New Orleans.

Pujols is hurt in Cards' win  —  CINCINNATI — Tuesday night at Great American Ball Park offered the Cardinals several reasons for jubilation, one for dismay.  —  The outcome was a 7-2 win over the Cincinnati Reds, a decision for Mitchell Boggs in his debut as a major-league starting pitcher …

Hank to wield poison pen?  —  Chien-Ming Wang throws to first base in an attempt to pick off Jack Hannahan during the first inning of Tuesday night's game in Oakland, which the Yankees won, 3-1.  (AP Photo/Ben Margot) / June 10, 2008)  —  Hank Steinbrenner, magazine columnist?  —  Well, why not?

Lies, Damned Lies  —  Chipper's Chase of .400  —  Chipper Jones is not a .400 hitter.  However, that doesn't mean that he won't hit .400.  What we have on our hands is a classic case of the irresistible force against the immovable object.  On the one hand, it's exceptionally unlikely …

Cairo's numbers don't measure his value  —  Utilityman gets job done off bench even if stats say otherwise  —  TORONTO — If performance was always judged strictly on numbers, then it's likely Miguel Cairo would no longer have a place in the Major Leagues.

Players ID'd in Mitchell report remain unemployed … These are tough times for unemployed players named in the Mitchell report trying to find work in baseball, whether they happen to be a home run king such as Barry Bonds or a 31-year-old such as Jay Gibbons or an extra outfielder, such as Nook Logan.

Morrow to the rescue; Putz has sore elbow  —  J.J. Putz walked the leadoff batter in the ninth, then got to 1-2 in the count on Vernon Wells before the training staff jogged out to the mound.  Putz appeared to slightly favor his elbow (he does, see update below).

Stormy weather at Shea  —  Mets lose fifth straight despite Alou's return  —  FLUSHING — After the sixth inning in Shea Stadium on Tuesday night, not long after the Diamondbacks scored two runs off Claudio Vargas to tie the game at five, strange things were afoot.