Yankees Looking At Downs  —  Jeff Blair of The Globe And Mail passes along a note that the Yankees are looking at Blue Jays closer Scott Downs.  In today's massive Roy Halladay thread we learned that the Yanks had scouts in Toronto tonight, and we've known that they're on the look out for arms.

Cardinals acquire Holliday from A's  —  Prospects Wallace, Mortensen, Peterson shipped to Oakland  —  ST. LOUIS — A Major League source has confirmed that a deal is in place for the Cardinals to acquire Matt Holliday from the A's in exchange for Brett Wallace and two other Minor Leaguers …

Sox designate Kotsay, who was surprised by the move  —  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 designated the veteran outfielder/first baseman for assignment this afternoon.

Game 96: Athletics at Yankees  —  YANKEES (58-37)  —  Pitching: RHP Joba Chamberlain (5-2, 4.05).  —  ATHLETICS (40-54)  —  Kennedy 3B  —  Cabrera SS  —  Hairston LF  —  Cust DH  —  Suzuki C  —  Sweeney RF  —  Barton 1B  —  Ellis 2B  —  Patterson CF  —  Pitching: LHP Brett Anderson (5-7, 4.25).

Mark Buehrle in demand  —  DETROIT - Of the nearly 80 congratulatory messages Mark Buehrle received since throwing a perfect game Thursday, one stood out.  —  That came from Missouri-based hunting video producer Mark Drury.  —  “He said he was in a cornfield in Iowa doing some food plots …

Texas Rangers RHP Vicente Padilla tests positive for swine flu  —  KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Texas Rangers pitcher Vicente Padilla tested positive for swine flu, though his symptoms are subsiding and he's expected to make his next start.  —  Padilla was scratched from his start Wednesday …

Talent running deep for Angels  —  Team is finding that it can rely heavily on its reserves as it surges to seventh straight win.  —  This was hardly the “A” team, not with names such as Quinlan and Wood and Matthews stretched across the backs of their jerseys.

Jim Parque's steroid admission surprises Chicago White sox  —  White Sox pitcher Jim Parque in 2000.  —  From the look of Jim Parque's 5-foot-11-inch, 170-pound frame, Paul Konerko admitted he was surprised by his former White Sox teammate's admission that he took human growth hormone after his release from the Sox.

Rockies send Speier out  —  The Colorado Rockies announced Friday that relief pitcher Ryan Speier has been designated for assignment and Manny Corpas placed on the 15-day disabled list to make room for Jhoulys Chacin and Rafael Betancourt on the roster.  —  Speier was activated from the disabled list on Tuesday.

Mariano's memento to his teammates  —  Here's what kind of guy Mariano Rivera is.  —  When the Yankees arrived today, they each had a ball in a glass and cherry wood display case waiting for them in their lockers.  It was a game-used ball from the June 28 game against the Mets when Mo picked up his 500th save.

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.

Aramis Ramirez carries Cubs to 8-5 win over Reds  —  CHICAGO (AP) — Aramis Ramirez (FSY) homered, doubled twice, singled and drove in three runs Friday in his most productive game since coming off the disabled list, leading the Chicago Cubs to an 8-5 victory over the Cincinnati Reds.