Torre might have made a difference  —  NEW YORK - Joe Torre wouldn't have made a difference in how this Yankees season has gone, would he?  —  Would he?  —  Alex Rodriguez would still have missed 20 games.  Hideki Matsui would still have missed 50.  Jorge Posada and Chien-Ming Wang would still have been gone even longer.

Union to file grievance regarding Alvarez; status of contract in dispute  —  The Major League Baseball Players Assocation today will file a grievance against the commissioner's office regarding the Pirates' signing of first-round draft pick Pedro Alvarez, according to two sources.

Red Sox will help open the Mets' new Citi Field  —  NEW YORK — Last night the Red Sox began their final series in an historic soon-to-close New York ballpark.  Next spring, they'll help open a new New York ballpark one borough over.  —  On the final weekend of exhibition play …

Holliday now in running to achieve 30-30 season  —  SAN FRANCISCO — Matt Holliday has great vision, but even he never saw 30-30 in his future.  —  With a month remaining in the season, the Rockies outfielder possesses a legitimate shot at becoming only the 32nd player in major-league history …

So, Yankee Stadium Takes This No Moving During “God Bless America"-Thing Rather Seriously  —  Remember a little over a year ago when George Steinbrenner, inflated with patriotic fervor, imposed a laughable rule that instructed security officials to ban anyone from “excessive movement” …

Struggling reliever Pinto rehabbing in Jupiter  —  ATLANTA — Left-handed reliever Renyel Pinto has pitched in 122 games with the Marlins the past two seasons but he will spend the next week trying to help Class A Jupiter make it to the Florida State League playoffs.

Mets blow 7-0 lead, fall to Philly in 13  —  Pedro Martinez and the Mets built a 7-0 lead by the middle of the fourth inning, but it the Phillies made up the difference and more in an 8-7 win.  (AP Photo/Tom Mihalek / August 26, 2008)  —  PHILADELPHIA - Oh no. This is starting to feel a little too familiar.

Pirates fume after blowing late lead to Cubs  —  Hansen's three walks in row lowlight excruciating 14-9 loss  —  Say this for the Pirates: They are playing some seriously wretched baseball these days, the very pits of which was the 14-9 loss to the Chicago Cubs last night at PNC Park …

Most players, skippers in favor of replay  —  Those on the field agree use should be limited to home runs  —  HOUSTON — For most of the season, instant replay was accepted by most baseball people as an inevitable part of the sport's future, but few could have guessed it would be implemented this quickly.

Why Do the Sabermetric Teams Stink in 2008?  —  Intern Bill investigates.  —  David Pinto up at the terrific Baseball Musings had a post up a few days ago pointing out that the “Sabermetric Teams,” the clubs that feature statistical baseball analysis for their front office decisions, are not doing too well this year.

Phillies make roster move  —  First baseman Andy Tracy's stay with the Phillies was short-lived.  —  The Phillies designated him for assignment today and purchased the contract of pitcher Andrew Carpenter from Double A Reading.  —  Carpenter is being called up largely because the length of last night's game leaves the bullpen thin.

New bat designed to take ‘ping’ out of baseball  —  LITTLE FALLS, N.J. (AP) — A New Jersey inventor says he has come up with a way to take that aluminum “ping” out of youth baseball and the broken bat out of the national pastime, while making the game a little safer with every swing.

What teams should do with the big options on big names … A couple months ago, there was no way the Mets were going to pick up Carlos Delgado's $12-million option for 2009.  Heck, as Delgado floundered through a miserable spring (batting below .220 as late as May 28) he was thought to be a candidate for release.