Phillies' Ibanez lands on disabled list  —  Outfielder, slumping recently, sidelined by strained groin  —  PHILADELPHIA — The Phillies placed outfielder Raul Ibanez on the 15-day disabled list on Thursday morning with a strained left groin and recalled outfielder John Mayberry Jr. from Triple-A Lehigh Valley to take his place.

Rockies hang on to beat Rays  —  With 13 wins in their past 14 games, Rox move back even  —  A .500 record never felt so good.  —  By defeating the Tampa Bay Rays 4-3 this afternoon at Coors Field, the streaking Rockies improved to 33-33, squaring their record for the first time since Tax Day.

Wang to remain in rotation for Yanks  —  Girardi confirms decision after watching righty's start on tape  —  NEW YORK — After review, Joe Girardi's ruling from the field stands.  Chien-Ming Wang will remain in the Yankees rotation.  —  Girardi caught a television re-broadcast …

Red Sox Richer Yet For Having Penny  —  Red Sox starter Brad Penny, left, react after a great defensive play by third baseman Mike Lowell as they head to the dugout after the fifth inning of Wednesday night's game against the Marlins at Fenway Park.  At one time, Penny and Lowell were teammates on the Marlins.

The top trade-bait nominees in major league baseball  —  Buyers should include the following players on their pre-deadline shopping lists  —  There are six weeks left until the trading deadline, and the shoppers are out there.  They're scribbling their lists.  They have their carts.

Trade strategy for Nats?  —  With nearly 100 games to go in the season, the Washington Nationals' hope of anything but abject failure is already slim.  That's not just a present reality, though.  It's also a possible mandate for a trading strategy this summer.

Lou Piniella looking at changes for struggling Chicago Cubs … CHICAGO — The Chicago Cubs just fired their hitting coach, and now, more changes are waiting on deck.  —  Tired of watching his team flail away at the plate, manager Lou Piniella is ready to “make some tough decisions” …

The wonder years  —  The golden age of baseball?  It's not when you think.  —  ESPN The Magazine  —  This column appears in the June 29 issue of ESPN The Magazine.  —  We're going with a one-question mailbag this week, courtesy of Phil D. from Montclair, N.J.: “What was the purest baseball era, from a statistical perspective?”

It's Family Hour With A Kinder, Gentler Buzz Bissinger  —  Your Deadcast guest this week is Pulitzer Prize winner, author, and noted horsef**ker Buzz Bissinger, and he's still got some f-bombs in his pocket.  He was Artie Lange before Artie Lange was Artie Lange, you know.

What can stat geeks tell us about what it takes to win on the links?  —  Tiger Woods is standing on the 18th green at Bay Hill, a golf resort in Orlando, Fla., owned by Arnold Palmer.  He's wearing a form-fitting red Nike shirt and a black baseball cap.  Widening his eyes …

Wolf seeks answers for persistent cough  —  Los Angeles (43-23) vs. Oakland (28-36), 7:10 p.m. PT  —  LOS ANGELES — If Randy Wolf doesn't have his best stuff against the A's Thursday night, he can always just breathe on them.  —  Wolf underwent medical tests Wednesday seeking a diagnosis …

BLS poll: Is Fisk or Rodriguez the best ‘Pudge’ in catcher history?  —  Who's your Pudge?  —  Baseball fans have enjoyed having a Pudge behind home plate in major league games for most of the past 40 years.  —  Classmates gave Carlton Fisk the nickname “Pudge” in grade school, long before Ivan Rodriguez

New York Mets lefty Oliver Perez throws three scoreless in rehab  —  PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. — New York Mets left-hander Oliver Perez is getting back on track.  —  Perez, on the disabled list since May 7, threw 48 pitches in three shutout innings of an extended spring training game Thursday at the Mets' rehab facility.

Willis returns to DL with anxiety; Maggs benched … ST. LOUIS (AP) — The Detroit Tigers altered their rotation and the middle of their lineup Thursday, placing left-hander Dontrelle Willis on the 15-day disabled list with an anxiety disorder and benching slumping slugger Magglio Ordonez indefinitely.