Post-trade deadline deals paying off on mound  —  They were no more than blips on a radar screen a month ago, but these same pitchers are being asked today to save a season.  —  And they are delivering.  —  Paul Byrd, unemployed 3½ weeks ago, invigorated a Boston Red Sox staff looking …

Nats Trade Belliard To Dodgers  —  Minutes after playing in his final game with the Washington Nationals, Ronnie Belliard stood in the losing clubhouse — no longer his clubhouse — and weighed his emotions.  He recognized the good and the bad, he said.  He was heading into the thick of a playoff race …

Surfing The Mets  —  On SIRIUS XM Radio's MLB Home Plate channel, ex-Met GM Jim Duquette reported the Mets canceled their fall instructional league for minor leaguers in an apparent cost-saving maneuver.  —  “There's a lot of talk and I believe this is information that has not gotten out,” said Duquette, the show's host.

On Baseball: Dear Mets, we miss you  —  September arrives this week and something feels different on the local baseball scene.  —  No New York Mets.  —  The Phillies entered the last two Septembers chasing their neighbors to the north, but this year the Mets are an afterthought in the National League East.

Girardi manages to turn around Yankees  —  Buzz up!  —  On May 12, following a 5-1 loss to Toronto, the New York Yankees found themselves 6½ games out of first place.  They were a few losses from a tabloid calling for the head of manager Joe Girardi.  He was the easy fall guy.

On criticism and Joba  —  Yesterday, when Joba left the game after throwing just three innings and 35 pitches, the Internet was abuzz with criticism of the Yankees plan.  Andrew Fletcher of Scott Proctor's Arm called the move “utterly moronic” on his Twitter feed.

Starter's Arm and Lead Are Protected  —  Without fanfare or a fist pump, Joba Chamberlain struck out A. J. Pierzynski to end the top of the third inning Sunday.  His 94-mile-per-hour fastball, Chamberlain's 35th pitch, had left Pierzynski motionless as it smacked into the catcher's glove.

Ruiz's two-run double lifts Phillies over Braves  —  PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Joe Blanton (FSY) got just enough run support for a change.  —  Carlos Ruiz hit a two-run, go-ahead double in the seventh inning and Blanton pitched seven strong innings to lead the Philadelphia Phillies to a 3-2 victory over the Atlanta Braves on Sunday night.

There's a good chance they'll part with prospects for chance to catch Tigers  —  On Baseball  —  I'm not sure what the game was called, but back in high school, during a study of global politics, we played a decision-making contest of strategies, with the goal being world domination.

Tejada denies he tipped pitches  —  NY Times says then A's shortstop helped foes in 2001  —  PHOENIX — All-Star shortstop Miguel Tejada said on Sunday that he never tipped pitches to his Dominican contemporaries on opposing teams, not as a member of the A's, Orioles or Astros, his current employer.

Lackey joins elite group with 100th win  —  Ace becomes fifth Angels pitcher to reach milestone  —  ANAHEIM — John Lackey climbed a personal summit on Sunday, fittingly at the hands of the Athletics, an American League West rival he has dominated through the years.

Tulo takes on vulgarity, slugs 24th HR  —  SAN FRANCISCO — Troy Tulo- witzki hit a home run and attempted to deliver a life lesson Sunday afternoon at AT&T Park.  —  As Tulowitzki warmed up in the on-deck circle in the fifth inning, he was the target of loud profanity.

Kemp's sac fly in 12th lifts Dodgers  —  Outfielder also homers; Kershaw fans 11 in no-decision  —  CINCINNATI — Jonathon Broxton got Drew Stubbs to chase a slider down in the zone in the 12th inning to seal a 3-2 win over the Reds on Sunday.  It was a fitting way to end the game.

Phillies shut down Drabek for rest of '09  —  Prized pitching prospect not injured, won't pitch in AFL  —  PHILADELPHIA — Double-A Reading right-hander Kyle Drabek, considered to be the prized pitching prospect in the Phillies' organization, has been shut down for the rest of the season …