MLB, union meet over maple bats  —  Next step is gathering information about remedies  —  The recent explosion — literally — of maple bats has forced representatives from Major League Baseball and the Major League Baseball Players Association to evaluate the threat of injury …

Reds' Dunn denies phone call with Jays' Ricciardi  —  TORONTO — The dispute between Cincinnati Reds outfielder Adam Dunn and Toronto Blue Jays general manager J.P. Ricciardi took a strange twist Tuesday.  —  Last week, Ricciardi criticized Dunn on a Toronto radio station, accusing the slugger of lacking passion for the game.

PITT-IFUL YANKS HEAR IT FROM JOE  —  GIRARDI TO TEAM: WE STUNK  —  PITTSBURGH - After watching the Yankees waste multiple scoring chances, the Pirates spank his pitchers and the fielders not make plays, manager Joe Girardi told his players what he thought of last night's debacle.

Only the third worst?  —  I'm honored to post this clip of MSNBC's Keith Olbermann nominating me as the third-worst person in the world for my Monday story (along with an uncredited David K. Li) on Jerry Manuel's fertilizer comment.  —  Pretty pompous stuff for somebody who ditches …

Brewers to try out pitching experiment  —  Class A Brevard County looks to switch up starters' mindsets  —  ATLANTA — Brewers ace Ben Sheets believes the extinction of the Major League complete game can be traced to the Minors, where strict pitch counts protect prospects from injuries …

It's Treanor's time behind the plate  —  Florida (40-36) vs. Tampa Bay (45-31), Wed., 7:10 p.m. ET  —  MIAMI — The starting catcher job seems to be all Matt Treanor's — at least for now.  —  Throughout the year, Marlins manager Fredi Gonzalez has said Treanor and Mike Rabelo would probably …

Bad blood hits series  —  Rockies boiling after pitches buzz catcher  —  KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Even before the Royals' Ramon Ramirez suddenly couldn't find home plate with MapQuest in the ninth inning, there was something very different about Tuesday night's game.

Home streak over  —  Cubs try to rally in the ninth inning but leave the bases loaded  —  The best deal the Cubs never made?  Don't tell that to Brian Roberts or the Cubs after a monthlong home winning streak came to an end at the hands of the Cub Who Might Have Been and his Baltimore buddies.

Texas hold 'em?  Rangers shouldn't discard the notion  —  Buy or sell?  Sell or buy?  Go for broke or build for the future?  —  Geez, the only e-mails I've received more often lately detail the financial benefits coming my way if I can just help a guy move some money out of Nigeria.

They're not-so-artful Dodgers when it comes to a deal  —  From trades to free-agent signings, a look back is far from a good thing but one major front-office voice disagrees.  —  You might want to hold your nose.  —  Angel Berroa.  Mark Sweeney.  Scott Proctor.  Thomas Perez.  Brady Clark.