Yankees Sign Heathcott For $2.2 Million  —  The Yankees have signed first-round pick Slade Heathcott for $2.2 million.  He was drafted 27th overall, and the MLB recommendation for his slot was $1,107,000.  —  A two-way star at Texas High (Texarkana, Texas), Heathcott will be an outfielder in pro ball.

Stare Down  —  Nats, Potential Ace Strasburg Enter Final Day to Show Hands  —  Peel away the excess — the tangled story lines that have turned a single pitcher into a referendum on an organization's competence and an agent's ingenuity — and Stephen Strasburg is simply a 21-year-old with a decision to make.

Jeter sets all-time shortstop hits mark  —  Veteran Yankee passes Aparicio with 2,674th knock at short  —  SEATTLE — For years, few have been as reliable as Derek Jeter has been at shortstop for the Yankees.  And now, no one has been more productive.  —  With a three-hit performance …

Church tells Wright not to rush back … Ryan Church, who arrives at Citi Field with the Braves tomorrow, exchanged text messages with David Wright on Saturday night.  Church's advice to his former teammate: Don't hurry back, no matter what.  —  “He's going to need to rest,” said Church …

Yankees Sign Murphy For $1.25 Million  —  The Yankees have signed J.R. Murphy, and BA's Aaron Fitt has confirmed that his bonus is $1.25 million.  That's the highest bonus in the second round this year, and more than double MLB's $477,900 guideline for his draft slot (No. 76).

Cubs' Carlos Zambrano: 'I've been lazy'  —  Cubs ace says he'll get ‘serious’ about ab work to help back problems  —  Admitting “my problem is I've been lazy” about between-start workouts, Carlos Zambrano vowed to “be serious” about a prescribed routine that will strengthen his stomach muscles.

Howard's two homers power Phillies past Braves 4-1  —  ATLANTA (AP) — Ryan Howard (FSY) likes what he's seen so far from J.A. Happ (FSY).  “He's not a rookie any more,” Howard said.  “He's proven himself to be a very poised pitcher.”  —  GAME REPORT: Phillies 4, Braves 1

Haeger to make Dodgers debut vs. Cards  —  Los Angeles (70-48) vs. St. Louis (67-52), 7:10 p.m. PT  —  PHOENIX — Charlie Haeger said he loves a challenge, so he should be one happy guy on Monday night.  —  Haeger makes his Dodgers debut as the starting pitcher against the St. Louis Cardinals …

Witnesses confirm Myers wasn't in altercation  —  ATLANTA - Phillies pitcher Brett Myers said he was not involved in an altercation that occurred early Saturday morning while he was at a bar in Jacksonville, Fla., and multiple eyewitnesses confirmed his account.

Angels use nine-run 13th inning to beat Orioles 17-8  —  BALTIMORE (AP) — Torii Hunter (FSY) waited nearly six weeks for the opportunity to win a game for the Los Angeles Angels, then blew it by lining into a double play with the bases loaded in the 11th inning.

Pence's homer overturned vs. Brewers  —  Ball ruled foul after replay review at Miller Park  —  MILWAUKEE — For the third time this season at Miller Park, Major League Baseball's instant replay system negated a called home run.  —  This time it was Houston's Hunter Pence …

Pirates Notebook: A rainout with little rain  —  CHICAGO — It barely rained on Wrigley Field yesterday, but the Chicago Cubs made quite the mess of the situation and, ultimately, postponed the series finale with the Pirates after a delay of three hours, 15 minutes.

Castillo gets first 2009 homer — into second deck!  —  long drought Sunday, hitting his first home run of the season.  And it was memorable not only for being his first but for how far it traveled.  —  With the Mets trailing by a run in the fifth, Angel Pagan hit a two-out double that bounced …

Measuring the umpire's effect on the game  —  We all know umpires make mistakes, especially when calling balls and strikes.  While some people will argue that those mistakes are part of the game, there are few who are able to make a convincing argument to support that.