METS SIGN AL REYES  —  ANOTHER ATTEMPT TO UPGRADE BULLPEN  —  The Mets today tried another avenue to upgrade their bullpen by signing Al Reyes, who was recently waived by the Tampa Bay Rays, to a minor-league contract, The Post has learned.  —  Reyes was released by the Rays on Aug. 9 …

Griffey's 609 HRs tie Sosa, ChiSox roll  —  CHICAGO (AP)—Ken Griffey Jr. thought it was just a matter of time.  His first home run with the Chicago White Sox was still a pretty sweet sight for manager Ozzie Guillen.  —  Griffey hit one of Chicago's four homers to move into a tie with Sammy Sosa …

Buchholz demoted to Portland  —  BALTIMORE - Terry Francona announced after the game that Clay Buchholz, who allowed five runs over 2-1/3 innings in an 11-6 Sox loss to the Orioles was demoted to Double-A Portland to work out his pitching issues.  —  “I talked to Buck and we feel we need …

Rodriguez spells Kendrick  —  Backup infielder fills in for struggling second baseman  —  ST. PETERSBURG — Howie Kendrick, batting just .117 on the Angels' current road trip with two hits in five games, was given Wednesday night off as his team wrapped up a three-game series with the sizzling Rays at Tropicana Field.

A contentious history: Baseball's labor fights  —  The past 35 years of baseball labor relations have often been described as an unbroken streak of victories by the players over the owners at the bargainnig table.  This view is too simplistic.  More accurately, the players outnegotiated …

A few things....  BALTIMORE - Josh Beckett will start throwing on Friday in Toronto to prepare for his Tuesday start in New York.  —  Terry Francona reiterated that the tingling and numbness in two of Beckett's fingers on his right hand has subsided and that the Sox medical people …

Kotchman leaves Braves to be with ailing mom  —  Diaz won't need surgery on reinjured knee  —  New York — Braves first baseman Casey Kotchman was placed on the major-league bereavement list Wednesday so he could be with his mother, who is hospitalized for an undisclosed medical condition in St. Petersburg, Fla.

Picking the NL MVP  —  Award Week continues at Prospectus Today, as we take a look at the NL MVP race, while silently cursing the lovely and talented Rob Neyer for getting to it a day sooner.  —  As in the AL, no clear favorite has emerged in the public eye, as some of the players who began …

Nats acquire shortstop Hernandez  —  Move completes trade that sent reliever Ayala to Mets  —  PHILADELPHIA — The Nationals wasted no time in making use of their latest acquisition, shortstop Anderson Hernandez.  The 25-year-old was in the lineup Wednesday night against the Phillies, batting in the No. 8 slot.

Projected Elias Rankings  —  The good news is that I have finally, with reasonable certainty, figured out the disabled list adjustment in the Elias Rankings.  The bad news is that it requires going through every player's transactions data and does not lend itself to quick updating.

PELFREY TO PEN PERFECT IN PINCH  —  THE Mets have an aching need in their bullpen, and Mike Pelfrey is the best man for the Joba.  —  Pelfrey does not have the overpowering stuff of Joba Chamberlain.  But he has the best combination of skills to re-enact for the Mets what Chamberlain …

Breaking Down the Pitching Mechanics of Joba Chamberlain  —  I was asked by a loyal reader recently to take a look at Joba Chamberlain's mechanics due to the circumstances surrounding the Yankee pitcher recently.  In case you live under a rock, Chamberlain was placed on the 15-day DL …

Prospectus Hit and Run  —  Park Adjusted Defensive Efficiency  —  Last week, in my look at the Twins' rotation, I made reference to this year's Park-Adjusted Defensive Efficiency statistics, and noted that the Twins were dead last in the American League in that category.