K-Rod escalates feud with Bruney  —  Mets' closer confronts reliever during BP before series finale  —  NEW YORK — The exchange of ideas, opinions and barbs between Mets closer Francisco Rodriguez and Yankees reliever Brian Bruney became more direct and, apparently, more heated on Sunday afternoon …

Rollins homers in Phillies' win over Red Sox  —  PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Jimmy Rollins homered as part of a six-run seventh inning to help the Philadelphia Phillies bust the game open late, avoid a three-game sweep and beat the Boston Red Sox 11-6 on Sunday.  —  Rollins led off the seventh …

Cubs replace hitting coach Perry with Von Joshua  —  The Cubs' offensive woes have cost hitting coach Gerald Perry his job.  —  Perry, who has held the post the last two seasons under manager Lou Piniella as the Cubs won two National League Central titles, was let go Sunday by general manager Jim Hendry.

Yanks crush Santana to take Subway rubber game  —  After five of the most exasperating days of their season, the Yankees finally had enough.  —  The Bombers unloaded their frustrations on Johan Santana and the Mets Sunday afternoon, crushing their crosstown rivals, 15-0 …

Howie Kendrick's demotion is not a message  —  Manager Mike Scioscia says it is not intended as a perform-or-else edict to other Angels.  —  Howie Kendrick's demotion to triple-A Salt Lake after Friday night's game did not come with a produce-or-else edict for the rest of the Angels, Manager Mike Scioscia insisted.

Phils' top Draft pick signs, arrives in city  —  Dugan, son of Hollywood director, focused on baseball  —  PHILADELPHIA — Kelly Dugan joked that he hopes his baseball career isn't as rocky as his first trip to Philadelphia.  —  The Phillies are hopeful, too.

Harper ready to give college try  —  16-year-old Las Vegas High baseball prodigy registers at CSN, plans to attain GED to speed draft eligibility  —  Bryce Harper, the baseball phenom from Las Vegas High School, has no future in high school.  An extraordinary player is ready to make an unusual move.

St. Louis Cardinals chairman says a big trade is not likely at this time  —  Seven months ago Cardinals chairman Bill DeWitt Jr. convened a meeting of department heads to discuss an organizational worst-case scenario predicated upon diminishing attendance.  A 20 percent drop would render …

Chavez to have back surgery - career in jeopardy?  —  **UPDATED** Eric Chavez is having a microdiscectomy, manager Bob Geren told reporters at AT&T Park.  A month ago, Chavez told me that because he already has had a microdiscectomy for a different herniated disk, another would leave his back too unstable to play baseball.

Aybar's pinch-hit RBI double lifts Rays over Nats  —  ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Pinch hitter Willy Aybar got a lucky bounce, doubling off the third base bag in the eighth inning and the Tampa Bay Rays completed a sweep of the lowly Washington Nationals with a 5-4 victory on Sunday.

The Trevor Holder Selection  —  Good morning from the Trop.  I'll update everybody on the Manny watch a bit later this morning.  In the meantime, consider this a brief detour; I'd meant to post this yesterday.  I wrote a bit about Trevor Holder, the team's curious third-round pick.

Penny gets his two cents in on Girardi  —  PHILADELPHIA - Brad Penny responded with a verbal brushback to Joe Girardi's accusation that he intentionally hit Alex Rodriguez with a pitch, saying the Yankees manager should worry about doing his job and not about how Penny pitches.