Statement from Hal Steinbrenner: Yanks to reduce ticket prices at new Stadium  —  This from Hal Steinbrenner via the Yankees:  —  “A few weeks ago I indicated that in light of the economy we would review the pricing of a small number of our premium locations at Yankee Stadium; specifically, our Suite Seats.

Don't expect Joba to bail out Yanks 'pen yet  —  Joba Chamberlain could certainly help the Yanks' bullpen.  But will it happen?  Ken Rosenthal has the answer and much more.

Mets release Garcia after brutal starts in minors … NEW YORK (AP) — Freddy Garcia has been released by the New York Mets following two bad starts for Triple-A Buffalo.  —  Garcia went 0-2 with an 8.18 ERA, and allowed seven earned runs and seven hits in five innings against Syracuse on Monday night.

Ryan Braun tells Pirates to watch backs, tips off tonight's umps  —  I'd usually say that a late April series between the Brewers and Pirates doesn't really bear much watching if you're not a fan of either team — or a Prince Fielder or Nyjer Morgan fantasy owner.

Hamilton out of lineup, may go on DL  —  Rangers slugger's rib cage in ‘extreme pain’  —  ARLINGTON — Rangers outfielder Josh Hamilton could likely end up on the on the disabled list with a bruised left rib cage.  —  Hamilton was not in the lineup again on Tuesday and will be examined …

UPDATED: Matt Vasgersian should probably stop talking for a little while.  —  Normally we've got no problem with Matt Vasgersian.  In fact, I would go as far as to say he is a friend of the site.  But this idiocy cannot go without mention.  First of all, the whole “this black person looks …

Cincinnati Reds' Edwin Encarnacion sent to DL with wrist injury  —  CINCINNATI — Edwin Encarnacion has been placed on the 15-day disabled list after tests found that the Cincinnati Reds third baseman has a chipped bone in his left wrist.  —  Encarnacion has been bothered by the wrist since spring training …

A-Rod pushes up return … Alex Rodriguez and the Yankees have moved up A-Rod's target date and are now shooting for a return to the team sometime in the first week of May, sources say.  —  Rodriguez and the Yankees were originally calling May 15 the target date for his return, and that is still the publicly stated goal.

MLB shifts opening rounds of draft to prime time … NEW YORK (AP) — Major League Baseball's amateur draft is shifting to prime time.  —  The commissioner's office said Tuesday that this year's draft will start at 6 p.m. on June 9 and be held at the studios of the MLB Network in Secaucus, N.J.

Orioles activate Mora, option Albers  —  The Orioles announced today that they have activated third baseman Melvin Mora (strained left hamstring) from the 15-day disabled list and optioned reliever Matt Albers to Triple-A Norfolk.  —  Mora, who went on the disabled list April 13 …

Mailbag: Relief Trade Candidates  —  A reader named Sam asks:  —  With so many contenders in need of relief help (Dodgers, Yankees, Phillies to name three), who do you think are the best relievers that could get traded this summer?  —  The Orioles may eventually be willing to move a few veteran relievers …

Unemployed and OK  —  Well, first off, the news...  I, along with several other people at Clear Channel Cincinnati, was laid off today.  —  I'm fine, I'm completely taken aback by the response and once again humbled by the people.  Thank you so much.  —  As for what's next?  Well, I'm hungry.

Ryan Freel is not happy with the Orioles  —  Approached at his locker today, Ryan Freel was asked why he went to Delmarva last night to begin an injury-rehab assignment, but never played in the game.  —  “It would be best for me to keep my mouth shut at this point,” he said.  But then he didn't.

Assessing Wakamatsu  —  When you have a rookie manager, your expectations have to be toned down, because what a manager says he's going to do and what he actually does are often quite different.  Wakamatsu said a lot of intelligent stuff during spring training, and he impressed a lot of smart people …

Close isn't good enough  —  Jim Leyland, as he often does, put it well.  —  “Sabathia pitched very well,” he said.  “Verlander just pitched better.”  —  For what it's worth, the cagey old skipper of the Tigers likes what he sees from the Yankees.  —  “He's a great pitcher,” Leyland said of Sabathia.

Gordon's hip injury likely to heal better than A-Rod's  —  There are some key differences between baseball's second-most talked about hip surgery and its first, so when evaluating Alex Gordon's rehab, it's probably best to forget about Alex Rodriguez's.  —  Most notably, the tear …