From rags to Richard  —  Once-tattered staff posts 11th consecutive strong start in rout  —  KANSAS CITY, Mo. — According to several more major-league scouts, White Sox general manager Ken Williams continues to aggressively send his troops to ballparks around baseball as he works to bring a front-line pitcher to the South Side.

Pettitte: I'll make my next start  —  Andy Pettitte hurt his back on Monday in Texas, stretching in the outfield after a workout.  He loosened up enough to start tonight but aggravated his condition a few times when he slipped on the mound.  —  Pitchers dig a hole for their landing foot and need traction to keep from skidding.

Rockies dismiss Hurdle; Tracy gets helm  —  Colorado's poor start leads to end of eight-year run as skipper  —  DENVER — The Rockies dismissed manager Clint Hurdle and replaced him with bench coach Jim Tracy on Friday.  The official announcement was made during a news conference at Coors Field.

With Myers out, Phils to go after difference-maker  —  Ken Rosenthal has been the senior baseball writer for FOXSports.com since Aug. 2005.  He appears weekly on the FSN Baseball Report and MLB on FOX.  —  add this

Tampa Bay Rays likely will stick with internal options to fill void at second base  —  ST. PETERSBURG — The Rays most likely will stay with their internal options to fill the void at second base created by Akinori Iwamura's season-ending injury.  —  Several trade candidates have been floated …

Cashman: Joba still not going to the bullpen  —  CLEVELAND - Brian Cashman understands that the move-Joba-back-to-the-bullpen talk will always percolate when issues arise with the Yankees' relief pitching.  “It's just a topic we have to deal with,” the general manager said Friday afternoon.

Kuroda to return to rotation Monday  —  LA righty throws final bullpen; Stults or Milton to be removed  —  CHICAGO — Hiroki Kuroda will return to the Dodgers' starting rotation Monday night for the opener of a nine-game homestand, manager Joe Torre announced before Friday's game with the Cubs.

Greene goes on the DL  —  SAN FRANCISCO — The Cardinals on Friday placed shortstop Khalil Greene on the disabled list due to social anxiety disorder.  The timing of his return remains uncertain.  —  “It's hard for me to quantify when we will know if it's right,” general manager John Mozeliak …

Grand Scott: Orioles slam Tigers  —  DH hits fifth homer in three games as Wieters debuts  —  BALTIMORE — It seemed, at least for a moment, as if all eyes weren't on Matt Wieters.  —  As the rookie approached the plate in the bottom of the third inning, the cheers and applause echoing throughout …

Updates: Red Sox at Blue Jays  —  SOX LOSE (9:53, END 9, 6-3 JAYS)  —  The Red Sox suffered their third loss in four games.  Tim Wakefield suffered perhaps his worst inning of the season, the offense scored fewer than four runs for the fourth straight game.

GIRARDI MY BEST SKIPPER BY FAR, YANKEES' TEIXEIRA SAYS  —  CLEVELAND — Ten months ago, there were people wearing pinstriped uniforms who weren't sure Joe Girardi was the right man to manage the Yankees.  —  Two weeks ago, the Yankees were 16-17 and 5 ½ games out of first place …