New York Yankees' Joba Chamberlain to return as reliever first  —  NOTEBOOK  —  BALTIMORE — Joba Chamberlain is scheduled to return to a mound today for the first time since Aug. 4, and when he gets back into games for the Yankees, it may be as a reliever at first.

Beckett has inflammation in elbow  —  TORONTO - Sox manager Terry Francona introduced new information about Josh Beckett - indicating the right-hander has had inflammation in his right elbow.  —  That coupled with sleeping on the arm has created the tingling and numbness which he experienced in his last start last Sunday at Fenway.

Yankees and Red Sox may be missing in action come October  —  They have won six of the last 13 World Series.  They have combined for 20 postseason appearances since 1995 and always rank among baseball's biggest spenders.  —  Yet it's possible - some would say likely …

How Much Does Cano Miss Bowa?  —  PHILADELPHIA — Robinson Cano's disappointing play has been one of the great mysteries in the Yankees' uneven season.  After Cano batted .306 with  —  19 home runs and 97 runs batted in a year ago, he was hitting .263 with 11 and 56 after Friday's game.

Nate Robertson sent to bullpen; Dontrelle Willis won't replace him  —  KANSAS CITY, Mo. — In what he called “the lowest point” in his Tigers career, Nate Robertson was removed from the rotation Friday by manager Jim Leyland.  —  Leyland didn't say who will take Robertson's spot in the rotation.

Castillo set to return  —  Luis Castillo is scheduled to play second base Saturday night for the first time since July 2, when a strained left hip flexor sent him to the DL.  —  Castillo lost a few pounds while rehabbing, which he suggested has reduced the stress on the knees that he had surgically cleaned last October.

DH says losing teams have more strikes called  —  (08-23) 04:00 PDT Seattle - —  Frank Thomas said he has seen this many times before, and considering that he's been in the league 18 years, he probably knows of what he speaks.  —  Thomas said that as the season draws near an end …

Ramirez's pair of 3-run HRs lift Cubs  —  CHICAGO (AP)—Ryan Dempster has a shot at 20 wins.  He's much more focused on the Chicago Cubs' 100-year championship drought.  —  Dempster matched a career high with his 15th victory and Aramis Ramirez hit a pair of three-run homers …

CHEMISTRY IS KEY FOR AMAZIN' RUN  —  THE Mets have emerged from both last September's greatest late-season collapse in baseball history and the swill surrounding the first three months of this season to establish themselves as sports' true Redeem Team.  —  They have emerged from the darkness …

Mets' Santana stifles Astros in 3-0 win  —  NEW YORK (AP)—Johan Santana was not going to let his manager take him out after six innings, not when former minor league teammate Roy Oswalt was still out there dominating hitters.  —  Santana left an inning before Oswalt but he made two less mistakes …

Abreu takes care of Little Leaguers, then Orioles  —  BALTIMORE - Yankees outfielder Bobby Abreu followed the fortunes of the team from Venezuela during the Little League World Series this week and was struck at how many of the boys said that he was their favorite player.  —  “It makes you feel good,” Abreu said.