GIRARDI MANAGES TO DISRESPECT MARIANO  —  THE shocker yesterday in The Bronx wasn't so much watching Mariano Rivera walk off the mound with two outs in the ninth after surrendering two of the four runs eventually charged against him in a 9-7 defeat to the Rays.

Atkins starting to look like odd man out  —  ST. LOUIS — Starting Monday, the math won't add up.  The Rockies will have five players for four infield spots.  Somebody's going to sit.  It will likely be Garrett Atkins, who's expected to spell first baseman Todd Helton today, if he doesn't rev up his offense.

Yankees jump into streaming  —  Through YES-Cablevision deal, MLB club first to plan live games  —  The New York Yankees will become the first MLB team to have its games streamed live online within its home market, thanks to a landmark carriage deal YES Network signed with Cablevision earlier this spring.

Pirates GM answers fans' questions on upcoming Draft  —  When you say there is no “premium talent” like Pedro Alvarez in this year's Draft, what do you mean by that?  —  Each Draft class typically has some number of players that show present and future abilities to allow evaluators to project …

A's beat: Top pitching prospect has sore elbow  —  (06-06) 20:08 PDT OAKLAND —  Oakland's non-stop injury parade isn't limited to the big-league level.  Now top pitching prospect Michael Ynoa, the 17-year-old sensation from the Dominican Republic, is out of action because of elbow soreness.

As trade rumors swirl, Bedard keeps focus  —  Seattle (27-29) vs. Minnesota (28-29), 1:10 p.m. PT  —  SEATTLE — Mariners left-hander Erik Bedard makes his 11th start of the season in Sunday's series finale against the Twins, and the closer it gets to the July 31 non-waiver Trade Deadline …

Puzzled Omar Vizquel: No sign of Boston  —  + Recent Articles + Recent Blog Entries + Email + Bio  —  The solution to the Red Sox [team stats]' shortstop problem may very well have been sitting in the visitors dugout last night.  —  Veteran Omar Vizquel probably isn't going anywhere …

Post-op issues for John Maine?  —  A couple of unsettling comments from John Maine's dismal outing in the Mets' 7-1 loss to the Nationals.Could he be having post-op issues left over from last September's surgery to remove a bone spur behind his right shoulder?

Marlins Uggla giveaway a head above the rest  —  Dan Uggla proudly shows off his look-alike piggy bank that will be given away at this upcoming Sunday's game.  (Robert Duyos, Sun Sentinel / June 2, 2009)  —  MIAMI GARDENS - The Marlins' newest promotional giveaway doesn't bob, but it is a head.

A Lidge Over Troubled Water  —  I think this series has shown what two equally good teams the Phillies and Dodgers are.  Both teams have had great starting pitching, Hamels having the best outing of the bunch.  The Dodgers defense has probably played a little better, but the biggest difference has been the two closers.