Wagner Activated, Hernandez Released  —  The Mets have activated Billy Wagner from the 60 day disabled list.  —  To make room for Wagner, the Mets have released Livan Hernandez.  —  Hernandez was 7-8 with a 5.47 ERA for the Mets in 2009, but posted a 7.33 ERA in July and an 11.30 ERA in August.

Despite Rumors, Nationals Seem Pleased With Acting General Manager Mike Rizzo  —  After six months of acquisitions and signings, almost all of them well-received, Mike Rizzo has finally obtained the one thing he has been trying all along to get — job security.

SHEFF AND METS AT ODDS  —  Gary Sheffield asked the Mets for a contract extension, the club rejected the oveture and now Sheffield has threatened to leave the team and head home, two sources told the Post.  —  As of 6:30 p.m., one of the sources said, Mets officials and Sheffield were in discussions on how to move forward.

Prior once as highly touted as Strasburg  —  Former top pitching prospect working way back to Majors  —  Mark Prior has never met Stephen Strasburg, but there is no one on the planet who has a better idea of what the highly publicized pitcher for the Washington Nationals is now facing.

Steinbrenner High School set to open  —  NEW YORK — What school would have a course entitled BOSS?  None other than Steinbrenner High School, where opening day is Tuesday in Lutz, Fla., near the home of Yankees patriarch George Steinbrenner.  —  The $60 million structure in Hillsborough County …

Rumblings and Grumblings: Dangerous closer issues among contenders  —  Several contenders are heading down the stretch with unreliable closer situations  —  It isn't necessarily true that to win a World Series you need a dominant closer.  —  What is necessarily true, though …

Jerry Remy returns tomorrow  —  A familiar voice will be in a familiar place when the Yankees come to Fenway Park [map] tomorrow.  —  Beloved broadcaster Jerry Remy, sidelined since May while dealing with the effects of cancer treatments and depression, will make his return to the NESN booth for tomorrow night's game.

Yankees spell out Joba plan  —  OAKLAND, Calif. - Joba Chamberlain shed some light on the Yankees' plan for him, saying yesterday he is scheduled to start six more games this season.  —  The 23-year-old right-hander asked pitching coach Dave Eiland and manager Joe Girardi for clarification of how he would be used.

Teixeira to visit ‘Late Show With David Letterman’  —  NEW YORK YANKEES ALL-STAR FIRST BASEMAN MARK TEIXEIRA MAKES HIS FIRST VISIT TO CBS'S “LATE SHOW with DAVID LETTERMAN,” MONDAY, AUGUST 24  —  Teixeira to Also Participate in Outdoor Batting Demonstration During the Broadcast

A's playing well in wake of Holliday trade  —  Stability, influx of youth among reasons for recent success  —  OAKLAND — When the A's traded star outfielder Matt Holliday and veteran shortstop Orlando Cabrera before the July 31 non-waiver Trade Deadline, the proverbial white flag seemed to be waved.

AMAZIN' BRASS NEEDS TO OWN UP TO PROBLEMS  —  THE remarkable part, if you think about it, isn't that 38,602 of you bought tickets for last night's grisly slaughterhouse special at Citi Field, or that a good 30,000 of you actually made your way through the turnstiles, or that there were still 25,000 …

Twins' Justin Morneau returns to Minnesota to see specialist  —  ARLINGTON, Texas — Twins first baseman Justin Morneau missed his third straight game Thursday and returned to Minnesota to be examined by a specialist for an inner ear infection.  —  Morneau

Wake, Dice-K set to pitch Friday  —  Veteran to take hill for Triple-A; righty to throw side session  —  TORONTO — As Red Sox right-hander Brad Penny faces the archrival Yankees on Friday, two of Boston's rehabbing pitchers will also take the mound: Knuckleballer Tim Wakefield will pitch …

Dodgers' West lead whittled after loss  —  Finale defeat to Cards leaves LA with 3 1/2-game edge  —  LOS ANGELES — The Dodgers' slide resumed Wednesday night, and not just because Clayton Kershaw couldn't get out of the fourth inning or Jonathan Broxton gave it up again in the ninth …

Jorge Cantu scratched from Marlins lineup with neck stiffness  —  1B Jorge Cantu has been scratched from the Marlins starting lineup because of neck stiffness.  Rookie Gaby Sanchez will start at 1B.  —  Jorge won't play first tonight.  (El Nuevo Herald)  —  Here's the new lineup:  —  LF Chris Coghlan

Jeter's future a hot topic - except for him, that is  —  There has been plenty of speculation in recent years about where Derek Jeter will play once his days as a shortstop come to an end.  Based on the captain's latest words, I don't expect that day to come for quite some time.

A Conversation with Phillies OF Prospect Quintin Berry  —  If you believe that speed kills, Quintin Berry is your man.  The fastest player in the Philadelphia system, the 24-year-old outfielder led the Florida State League with 51 thefts last season and he currently leads the Eastern League …

Abolish The Draft  —  After watching Stephen Strasburg break a record for the largest bonus signed through the draft, it's not a big surprise that Bud Selig is talking tough on mandatory slotting and saying that he's going to be “very aggressive” in trying to implement a worldwide draft in the next round of CBA negotiations.

Francoeur in Mets' conversation for next season  —  So Daniel Murphy led off the bottom of the sixth with a triple, in this utterly meaningless contest at Citi Field, and up came Jeff Francoeur.  Just a few hours earlier, he smiled as he told me of his “fresh start” and “rejuvenating” …