U.S. baseball steps up security to fight fraud  —  MLB authenticator Tom Cunningham applies a hologram to game balls after the Boston Red Sox Chicago White Sox American League MLB baseball game in Chicago August 8, 2008.  At the end of the White Sox game, Cunningham assigns each game-used item …

Hello, Barry, this is Drayton.  —  The Astros need a left fielder.  I know the name of a good one.  He's rested and ready.  He'll bring a buzz to the ballpark, too.  He'd suddenly make the Astros baseball's most interesting team.  —  What's wrong with having a little buzz?

Game 117: Yankees at Angels  —  YANKEES (63-54)  —  Andy Pettitte (12-9, 4.34) vs. the Los Angeles hitters.  —  Joe Saunders (14-5, 3.03) vs. the New York hitters.  —  Notes: The Yankees start the day 7.5 games out of first in the division and four games behind in the wild card. ...

Crawford sent to DL with finger injury  —  All-Star outfielder could require surgery; Baldelli activated  —  SEATTLE — Carl Crawford has been placed on the 15-day disabled list with a subluxation of his right middle finger tendon, and his status for the remainder of the season is unknown.

Wakefield (shoulder) to DL; Youkilis (shoulder) a late scratch  —  CHICAGO — Tim Wakefield is going on the disabled list with a stiff, tight right shoulder.  His next start was scheduled for the homestand opener on Tuesday.  A replacement has yet to be named.

It's Getting Late Early for the 2008 Yankees  —  It was Yogi Berra, talking about the shadows in left field at Yankee Stadium, who is credited with this famous phrase: “It gets late early out there.”  So it is with the 2008 Yankees.  —  It is never wise to count the Yankees out.

Glavine returns to Braves rotation next week  —  Phoenix — Tom Glavine's return is a go.  —  The left-hander pitched five solid innings in an injury-rehab start for Class AA Mississippi on Saturday and is scheduled to start for the Braves on Thursday against Chicago.

Hoffpauir ties PCL record with four jacks  —  Connects in consecutive at-bats in I-Cubs' rout of Express  —  Micah Hoffpauir's attempts to shorten his swing produced a night of historic long balls.  —  Hoffpauir homered in his first four at-bats Saturday to tie the modern Pacific Coast League mark …

Pirates passing Reds in pace of rebuilding  —  Deals net Pittsburgh bounty of talent  —  So, which team do you think will get to .500 first ?  The Reds or the Pirates?  —  Cincinnati fans know all about Pittsburgh's baseball team, which has been struggling almost since the Reds beat …

Every Given Sunday  —  Waiving Good-bye?  —  friendly  —  While most of the heavy-duty trading is over now that the deadline to make deals without securing waivers passed on July 31, there are still potential swaps to be made.  A couple of relievers cleared waivers and changed teams this past week …

Rox to drop Wells from roster  —  All's Wells that didn't end well.  —  Kip Wells' career as a Rockie expired Saturday night, the final chapter in an experiment that never worked for the pitcher or the team.  —  The Rockies told Wells that he will be the roster casualty to make room for Livan Hernandez …