REYES HURT AS MANUEL LOSES DEBUT  —  ANAHEIM — Jerry Manuel's debut started ominously last night and got worse from there.  —  Manuel and the Mets lost Jose Reyes to a tight left hamstring just four pitches into the game, then watched ace Johan Santana look mortal in a 6-1 interleague loss to the Angels.

Cubs call Murton back up, but only as trade bait?  —  ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - The Cubs recalled Matt Murton from Triple-A Iowa on Tuesday and sent Eric Patterson back down, though they may just be showcasing Murton for a possible deal.  —  “We hated to send Patterson out, we really did,” manager Lou Piniella said.

Cubs' Soriano hopes to return for All-Star Game  —  ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - Alfonso Soriano said Tuesday he's hoping to make it back from his broken hand in time to play in the All-Star Game on July 15 game at Yankee Stadium, where he began his major-league career.

Johnson to make Class A rehab start  —  Right-hander advancing in recovery from Tommy John surgery  —  SEATTLE — Encouraged by a couple of Gulf Coast League starts, the Marlins are advancing Josh Johnson to pitching in games for Class A Jupiter in the Florida State League.

Sox matinee today  —  Today is a day to soak in the Celtics win, but the Red Sox have some unfinished business in Philadelphia this afternoon as they try to take the rubber game of a three-game set with the Phillies.  —  The Sox will send rookie Justin Masterson (3-1, 2.90 ERA) to the mound in 1:05 p.m. start.

Tigers' Renteria, Thames set milestones  —  SAN FRANCISCO (AP)—Marcus Thames has been hitting home runs at a rate that not even Barry Bonds could match.  —  Thames homered in his fifth straight game and Kenny Rogers pitched seven strong innings to help the Detroit Tigers beat the San Francisco Giants 5-1 on Tuesday night.

Carpenter gets upbeat news  —  Cardinals ace Chris Carpenter returned from his trip to Alabama for a second opinion on his right elbow with reassuring news that he shouldn't hesitate to restart his rehab.  —  “All of my tests were fine; my ligament and my reconstruction looks good,” …

Who might replace Bavasi?  —  An ex-GM helps the P-I develop list of potentials  —  Mariners president Chuck Armstrong said Monday he has some candidates in mind to replace the fired Bill Bavasi as general manager.  —  He didn't name names, of course, but Armstrong is well connected after 25 years in the game.

Riske looks good in rehab assignment  —  Injured hurler may be set for return after another outing  —  MILWAUKEE — David Riske was very sharp in a 38-pitch simulated inning on Saturday afternoon, and he was even better in his rehab assignment Tuesday night for Triple-A Nashville.

Joba: Don't call me the Yankee ace  —  With Chien-Ming Wang shelved for a minimum of 10 weeks, one would think the Yankees need a new ace - and soon.  But as fiery as Joba Chamberlain is, he is not volunteering to be that guy just yet.  —  When asked Tuesday if he is feeling pressure …

Rays, Jays Fight Toughest Schedules In Baseball  —  Strength of schedule is calculated by adding wins and losses of each team's opponents, with allowances for home field advantage (currently 14.32%) and history (recent games weighted a bit more than earlier games).