Damon Sits, and Rest of Yanks Might as Well Have  —  MINNEAPOLIS — The Yankees have been hopeless lately with runners in scoring position.  Yet when Manager Joe Girardi filled out his lineup Monday, he decided to rest the American League's leading hitter, Johnny Damon.

Dunn too much to afford  —  Defense, demeanor, salary too costly  —  The Reds, who are exciting only when they're not playing, traded Adam Dunn to the Arizona Diamondbacks Monday for a 23-year-old Class-A starting pitcher named Dallas Buck who, in another life, died in old Western movies.

DESPERATE MANUEL WANTS CHANGE  —  FORGET about Gandhi.  Forget about Martin Luther King.  Jerry Manuel, a disciple of their calm, rational thinking, has found something at which even the great pacifist would grow intolerant: the Mets bullpen.  —  Manuel dismissed any lingering patience …

It's a joint decision as rotation turns to Zink  —  CHICAGO - Charlie Zink had long suspected that no team, even the Red Sox, would be able to justify having two knuckleball pitchers in the rotation.  So it would make perfect sense to him that, when Tim Wakefield goes on the disabled list today, it will be Zink who fills the slot.

Mailbag: Should the Nats spend more?  —  Reporter Bill Ladson answers Nationals fans' questions … Will the Nationals spend some money to acquire Major League players this offseason?  I appreciate them building the farm system, but I can't wait forever.  What do you think of trying to sign a big-dollar player?

Richmond to 'pen as Jays recall Litsch  —  Odd-man-out Parrish optioned to Triple-A to make room  —  DETROIT— The Blue Jays ruffled a few feathers across Canada when they summoned Scott Richmond from the Minor Leagues and added him to their rotation last month.

Williams figures M's lefty likely not the right move  —  Though general manager Ken Williams admits he is never satisfied with his roster, it's becoming increasingly clear the White Sox will fill Jose Contreras' spot in the rotation from within instead of making a waiver trade.

These could be the unkindest cuts of all for Dodgers  —  Brad Penny gets a Mohawk, Manny Ramirez is about to lose his dreadlocks, and the Dodgers can't seem to stay above .500.  Coincidence?  —  T.J. Simers  —  Twenty-two home games remaining, the Phillies are in town, and these are hairy times for the Dodgers.

Olsen says sore ankle passes test  —  MIAMI GARDENS - Scott Olsen is naturally optimistic, but even he started to worry a bit about his sprained right ankle when he hobbled off the team's charter from New York on Sunday night.  —  “It hurt when I got off the plane,” Olsen said.  “It looked bad.

Blue Jays release Stewart  —  TORONTO — The Toronto Blue Jays reinstated outfielder Shannon Stewart from the disabled list and released him outright on Monday.  —  Stewart, 34, a 1992 first-round draft choice of the Blue Jays, appeared in 52 games this season for Toronto …

Leyland ‘blindsided’ by Sheff's remarks  —  Veteran Tigers slugger had expressed displeasure with role  —  DETROIT — Tigers manager Jim Leyland wasn't angered by Gary Sheffield's comments in Sunday's Boston Globe about his role.  But the skipper was certainly “blindsided,” …

Carpenter will see doctor  —  MIAMI — Cardinals starter Chris Carpenter will skip his scheduled between-starts throw today and return to St. Louis to meet with a team doctor about the arm pain that forced him from Sunday's game.  —  After reporting minimal soreness in his right arm Monday …

Lucchino, Epstein headed for breakup in Boston? … One big part of the Red Sox championship teams has already moved from Boston to the Dodgers.  Could another be on the way?  —  People in high places in baseball are starting to speculate about whether this could be the last season together …