Contenders jockeying for position in pursuit of big four trade targets … With one week to go before the July 31 non-waiver trading deadline, the Phillies remain the favorites to land ace Roy Halladay and the Cardinals emerged as a possible landing spot for outfielder Matt Holliday.

Sox waive Kotsay  —  With the Red Sox needing to clear a spot on the 25-man roster for newly acquired Adam LaRoche, Mark Kotsay is the odd man out.  —  The Red Sox have placed the veteran outfielder/first baseman on waivers this afternoon.  —  If he is not claimed within 48 hours …

Chien-Ming Wang is worried he may need surgey  —  Chien-Ming Wang's season has been nothing short of a disaster.  The righthander was hoping to return for the final two months to salvage the year, but after going for a second opinion on his injured right shoulder, Wang is fearful that his season might be over.

Source: Maine could miss rest of season  —  Mets pitcher John Maine will seek a second opinion on his injured right shoulder, multiple sources confirmed Thursday.  Maine, who went on the disabled list June 12 with a pinched nerve in the shoulder, is expected to visit Dr. James Andrews in Birmingham …

As trade deadline nears, talks for Halladay heat up  —  TORONTO - Scott Rolen spotted a Philadelphia reporter in the Toronto Blue Jays' clubhouse yesterday, and an I-know-why-you're-here smile spread across his face.  —  “He's the best pitcher in baseball,” Rolen said of teammate Roy Halladay …

Mariano, meet your successor  —  I've already gone on record saying that I believe Phil Hughes should be the Yankees' next closer.  What I saw tonight did nothing but confirm that belief.  —  Hughes picked up his first big-league save with a pair of scoreless innings …

Umpire Cooper has a full plate of no-hitters  —  Some umpires can work their entire careers and never find themselves behind the plate for a no-hitter.  Eric Cooper has been the plate umpire for three of them, including two by White Sox left-hander Mark Buehrle, who pitched a perfect game Thursday against the Tampa Bay Rays.

Lowly Mets having more fun in the clubhouse than on the field  —  'What do we have to do to win a game?  That's an actual quote from an actual Met, spoken in frustration this week as this sinking team was in the process of losing three of four to the Braves and two of three to the Nationals.

Mustached Wainwright remains red-hot  —  Tosses de facto complete game at Nats for fifth July win  —  WASHINGTON — Nothing can stop a mustached Adam Wainwright.  Not a heavy rainstorm complete with unbridled thunder and lightning, or the ensuing one-hour, 16-minute rain delay in the fourth inning …

Comeback Kings: Napoli, Kendrick rally Angels past Twins  —  ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Howie Kendrick's (FSY) single ricocheted off second base in the ninth inning to drive in Los Angeles' tying run, and Mike Napoli's (FSY) run-scoring double in the 10th capped the Angels' 31st comeback victory …

Sano will be partially cleared  —  Major League Baseball's investigation will partially clear Miguel Angel Sano, of his identity but not his age, a source just confirmed.  The identity will come back “regular,” and the age will come back “undetermined.”  —  Details to come.

How do O's trade chips stack up?  —  As deadline nears, a closer look at five that may garner interest  —  NEW YORK - One week before Friday's nonwaiver trade deadline, the Orioles are in their usual position as sellers, looking to move a couple of their veterans to augment their young nucleus.

My Morning in Exile: My wife drives me nuts edition  —  So my wife — who is not a baseball fan by any stretch of the imagination — goes to the Columbus Clippers-Scranton-Wilkes Barre Yankees game last night.  It was a work function and the beer was free.  You know how that goes.

Kershaw's acceleration a marvel  —  Southpaw has allowed just three runs in past 42 2/3 innings  —  LOS ANGELES — Dodgers left-hander Clayton Kershaw sat back in a leather chair on Monday afternoon, eyes fixated on a small laptop.  —  On the screen was footage of the Marlins from a game earlier …

Tigers DFA Josh Anderson  —  The Tigers designated outfielder Josh Anderson for assignment to make room for Carlos Guillen, according to MLB.com's Jason Beck.  Anderson, 26, hit .242/.282/.315 with no homers in 74 games with the Tigers.  He played all three outfield positions for the Tigers, and defended well in limited innings.