Hughes called to New York  —  Wish I had known this before now but Phil Hughes was called up after tonight's game.  Not sure when he's going to pitch for New York or what his role is going to be, but the guy was dealing his last two starts here in Triple-A and looked as big league ready as any pitcher I've seen.

Snider powers Jays by BoSox in DH opener  —  BOSTON (AP)—The Toronto Blue Jays aren't only affecting the AL East race, they're trying to make their own playoff chase.  —  Late-season call up Travis Snider homered, doubled and drove in five runs, leading A.J. Burnett and the Blue Jays …

Owings sent to Reds to finish Dunn deal  —  Slugging pitcher struggled after strong start to the season  —  PHOENIX — Micah Owings was donning a different shade of red in an unfamiliar part of Chase Field on Friday night.  —  After receiving the news that he had been traded to the Reds …

Miller Park could host Cubs-Astros set  —  If plans goes through, details would be announced Saturday  —  PHILADELPHIA — Suddenly it seems that a Cubs-Astros series under the dome at Miller Park is not so far-fetched.  —  Major League Baseball was considering moving the key series between …

Thomas planning a healthy return in 2009  —  (09-12) 20:58 PDT — Frank Thomas said Friday that he will not require surgery on his injured right quadriceps; there is no tear in the area where the muscle connects with the knee, just scar tissue breakdown and tendinitis.

Angels farmhand Aldridge suspended 50 games … NEW YORK (AP) — Los Angeles Angels minor league pitcher Ryan Aldridge was suspended for 50 games Saturday after testing positive for an amphetamine.  —  The penalty will take effect at the start of next season.

The Mystery of Barry Zito  —  Barry Zito, a pitcher for the San Francisco Giants, is tall and slim and as handsome as a male model, a pretty-boy actor, which is part of the problem.  Even at 30, he looks more boyish than mannish, wide-eyed, with a too-innocent smile for a man his age.

Where are they now?  Former Met Dave Kingman  —  The man they called Kong and Sky King is laughing over the phone as he drives around his native Lake Tahoe.  The subject is his golf game and, Dave Kingman says, there's no comparison between his skill on the links and the days when he was one of baseball's most-feared sluggers.

Jeter must provide jolt  —  Yankees captain commands respect, but spark is missing from team  —  Too much has been said about the Yankees showing a lackadaisical effort at times and not looking like it was all that important.  Those aren't the type of things you want associated with your ballclub.

Yanks steamroll to first Cup crown  —  Miranda, Basak support Hughes' 12-strikeout effort in clincher  —  DURHAM, N.C. - This time, it wasn't even close.  —  After the first three games of the Governors' Cup Finals were decided in the final at-bat, the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees ran away …