Eddie Guardado dealt to Twins  —  From Evan Grant ...  Reliever Eddie Guardado has been traded to the Minnesota Twins, according to sources.  —  Update: The rest of the Rangers' moves today are on the jump in the official release from the team.

3 UP: Met Pen, Yankee Pen and I-Rod  —  1. There are many categories you want your players to be among the league leaders.  This is not one of them.  The Mets have four relievers in the top nine in the NL in appearances: Pedro Feliciano and Aaron Heilman (68 games) are tied for third …

Marlins Notebook: Struggling Uggla benched  —  PHOENIX — Second baseman Dan Uggla was blunt Sunday when asked how he prepares on days he's not in starting lineup.  —  “When you get benched?  Nothing,” he said.  “You just sit down, wear it.  Who knows?  At this point now, they're not days off.

Despite flaws, don't count Yankees out  —  It's so tempting to declare the Yankees' playoff hopes a lost cause because they've offered us no tangible reason to believe otherwise.  —  Their injury-plagued pitching staff is too thin.  Their lineup of former All-Stars and future Hall …

MOOSE HAVING SOME ‘WILD’ THOUGHTS  —  BALTIMORE - Mike Mussina said yesterday what many within the Yankees' organization believe but won't admit: The wild-card door is the only one available to get into the playoffs.  —  “We have to win games and be there at the end.

Mike Lamb Designated  —  By Tim Dierkes [August 25 at 5:45pm CST]  —  According to Joe Christensen of the Minneapolis Star-Tribune, third baseman Mike Lamb was designated for assignment today to make room for Eddie Guardado.  Lamb is owed another $690K this year plus $3MM in '09 and a $100K buyout for '10.

Might Sabathia be a Giant? … Vallejo, Calif. native CC Sabathia's first choice is to go home to play for the Giants, one executive who knows him well told SI.com.  —  It doesn't hurt that the Giants play in the National League, which Sabathia, 28, has grown to love while authoring …

YANKEES PONGED  —  IT would be tough for average Joes to beat a couple of Yankees at baseball, but slamming them in a game of beer pong was no sweat.  Last week, Jason Giambi and Joba Chamberlain were celebrating their win against the Kansas City Royals at Southern Hospitality, on Second Avenue …

Outs Per Swing Exclusive Interview With Andrew Friedman  —  There are not many opportunities to ask the General Manager of your favorite team questions about the ins and outs of the organization.  Here at Outs Per Swing we were very lucky to have that opportunity.

Youth league tells pitcher, 9, that he's too good … NEW HAVEN, Conn. (AP) — Nine-year-old Jericho Scott is a good baseball player — too good, it turns out.  —  The right-hander has a fastball that tops out at about 40 mph.  He throws so hard that the Youth Baseball League of New Haven told …

Problematic Bullpen Gets Minor Makeover  —  The solution is neither certain nor quick.  But then again, certainty in Washington's bullpen departed long ago — perhaps when Chad Cordero lost his season to injury, perhaps when Jon Rauch got traded, perhaps when Luis Ayala became first ineffective, then expendable.

Look Ahead: K-Rod's talent in question as free agency looms  —  Francisco Rodriguez recorded his 50th save Sunday, and that means he has five full weeks to get the eight more he needs to top Bobby Thigpen's big league record.  Rodriguez is having a huge season for the Angels …

Reynolds among 10 vets on Hall ballot  —  COOPERSTOWN, N.Y. (AP)—Allie Reynolds, Joe Gordon and Vern Stephens are among 10 players whose careers began before 1943 who will be considered by the Hall of Fame's constituted Veterans Committee when it meets on Dec. 7 .

Reds' Cueto will miss start with strained elbow … CINCINNATI (AP) — Right-hander Johnny Cueto has a strained right elbow and will miss at least one start for the Cincinnati Reds.  —  Cueto lasted only three innings of a 4-3 loss to the Rockies in Colorado on Sunday, leaving with soreness in his pitching arm.

Under The Knife  —  Mound Mischief  —  Johnny Cueto (TBD)  —  Play my theme song, Jerome.  One can only hope that a strained triceps tendon is as bad as it gets for Cueto.  The young pitcher left Sunday's game with tightness in the back of his shoulder.

Mota has turned season around  —  I have to give reliever Guillermo Mota credit.  He has turned around his season with the Brewers.  —  In June and July, when no lead seemed safe with Mota on the mound, I admit no one was tougher on him than I was.  I even mentioned that he might get released …