Yanks Would Have Interest in Sabathia  —  OAKLAND, Calif. — A painful swing by the Cleveland Indians' Víctor Martínez on Wednesday could have significant ramifications for the Yankees.  An elbow injury to Martínez all but ended the Indians' flickering playoff hopes …

Matsui's slam helps Yankees beat A's 4-1  —  OAKLAND, Calif. (AP)—Hideki Matsui had no use for the birthday cake he was given before the game, not wanting to add the extra calories to his waistline.  —  He found a much better way to celebrate his 34th birthday than eating a piece of cake.

Abandoned Playground  —  Something about the way the sun hits Shea in late afternoon when almost everybody's gone home appeals to me.  Probably because it reminds me of the playground at East School.  That's where I did most of my balling, if you could call it that, in my youth.

SNY talks fairly, quietly about Mets  —  Sure, baseball gets mocked here for its glacial pace and out-sized role in Big Town media.  —  But this week's operatic events in Flushing were a reminder of what the fuss is about — a sport whose melodrama unfolds daily over an insanely long season, starring a familiar cast of characters.

Throwing out some pitchers for Phillies to consider  —  THE JULY 31 trading deadline may seem to be little more than a chimera glistening on a faraway horizon.  In fact, it arrives in fewer than 7 weeks, 48 days that will pass in a blink.  —  So with Phillies president Dave Montgomery's …

Lowell hits slam, Red Sox beat O's 9-2  —  BOSTON (AP)—The differences between big David Ortiz and bland J.D. Drew are striking.  So are the similarities.  —  The streaking Drew kept filling the hole left by Boston's injured slugger on Thursday night when he hit a two-run homer and a double …

Albaladejo out for rest of year  —  The Yankees disclosed Thursday that injured reliever Jonathan Albaladejo has a stress fracture in his right elbow.  “He won't pitch the rest of the year,” Joe Girardi said.  Albaladejo went on the DL May 10 with a sprained right elbow.

Phillies' Moyer goes to 9-0 vs. Marlins  —  MIAMI (AP)—By now, even Jamie Moyer doesn't understand why he has such mindboggling success against the Florida Marlins.  —  “Got any answers?” he asked.  —  The Marlins surely don't, not against the Phillies' veteran lefty.

You gotta believe, Regis says  —  TV personality has been Marlins' biggest fan this season  —  MIAMI — When others doubted, Regis believed.  —  Since the start of the 2008 season, TV icon Regis Philbin has stated that the Marlins are a team to watch.  —  The enthusiastic Philbin …

Moises Alou likely returning to DL  —  Moises Alou said it all with one word when he acknowledged before Thursday's game that yet another stint on the disabled list could be in his immediate future.  —  “Again,” he said.  —  Alou's latest MRI revealed an aggravation of his strained left calf …

Ambidextrous pitcher headed to Staten Island Yankees  —  OAKLAND - Pat Venditte, the ambidextrous pitcher from Creighton whom the Yankees drafted in the 20th round last week and signed, will get a chance to pitch with both arms when he starts his pro career at Class-A Staten Island.