The Mussina renaissance  —  For Mike Mussina, 2007 qualified as an annus horribilis.  —  After getting cuffed around for six runs over four innings in his first start, Mussina left start No. 2 in the third inning with a strained left hamstring.  A trip to the DL kept him out for the rest …

Manny Mania takes over LA  —  LOS ANGELES - Manny Mania is all the rage in Southern California.  —  Manny Ramírez is crushing the ball.  He says he wants to finish his career in California.  The Dodgers are getting ready to market Manny caps complete with dreadlocks.  The local media love Manny.

Postgame notes: Hughes set for 85 pitches Tuesday … The slider I thought I saw in the third inning was just a cutter with a lot of movement.  —  My own ignorance of the Phil Hughes arsenal aside, the guy pitched pretty well tonight.  His fastball touched 95 four times in the first inning, and regularly sat 93-94 most of the night.

Tired Pettitte still set to start  —  Andy Pettitte says he feels well enough to pitch, but there are those within the Yankees organization that believe the lefthander may be suffering from some fatigue in his pitching arm.  —  According to a source with knowledge of the situation …

Wins overshadow lack of homers  —  PHILADELPHIA - Take your pick as to the more amazing aspect of this week's series against the Phillies: That the Marlins failed to hit a home run in one of the most home run-friendly parks in baseball or that they did so and still won two of three.

Morton, Braves beat Diamondbacks  —  Promising rookie pitches seven scoreless innings for third win  —  Phoenix — The Braves don't score many runs when rookie Charlie Morton pitches, or lately when just about anyone pitches.  Thursday, they scored enough.  —  Barely.

Owners to discuss blackout solution  —  Baseball's territorial blackouts, the scourge of so many frustrated television and streaming-video viewers, will be eliminated for the 2009 season if Major League Baseball's executive council follows suggestions president Bob DuPuy plans on presenting next week.

Eric Hosmer, Scott Boras, and the Royals' quest to get better  —  In another world from here, in Farmington, N.M., Eric Hosmer is living out an amateur career that's pretty close to perfect.  —  He plays for the Midland Redskins, a baseball powerhouse that's the amateur equivalent of the New York Yankees …

Answer Man: Mike Mussina talks New York, Orioles, economics  —  Before they go and tear down Yankee Stadium, the Answer Man had to get in at least one Q&A on the hallowed baseball grounds.  The victim was Yankees ace/smart guy Mike Mussina, who sat on the historical Bronx Bombers bench to talk …

Brewers in thick of pennant race  —  Club enters August with postseason hopes ablaze  —  MILWAUKEE — The Green Bay Packers hope their saga is over.  The Milwaukee Brewers hope theirs is just beginning.  —  With Brett Favre headed to New York, Packers fans can focus on football and Brewers fans can focus on another pennant race.

Video: Interview with Giuseppe Franco  —  Last week on MetsBlog, I wrote a post about having seen the infamous Giuseppe Franco in front of his Beverly Hills salon, while on vacation in California the previous week.  —  The next day, Giuseppe e-mailed me saying he had seen my post, he was flattered and so we struck up a phone call.

Ramirez homers again, Dodgers beat Cards  —  ST. LOUIS (AP)—Clayton Kershaw went right after St. Louis Cardinals hitters who had put up 15 runs the previous two games.  It turned out to be the perfect game plan.  —  The 20-year-old rookie worked seven dominant innings and Manny Ramirez homered …

Cubs trade Eyre to Phils for local product  —  The Cubs were able to get something for Scott Eyre after all.  After designating the veteran lefty reliever for assignment Tuesday, they were able to deal him to the Phillies today for Class A righty Brian Schlitter, a resident of Park Ridge and a graduate of Maine South High School.

Rays acquire reliever Bradford from Orioles  —  SEATTLE — The first-place Tampa Bay Rays acquired reliever Chad Bradford from the Baltimore Orioles on Thursday, bolstering their bullpen with a proven postseason pitcher.  —  The Rays claimed the submarining right-hander on waivers and then got …