A-Rod gives anti-steroid talk to area students  —  Yankees star makes surprise appearance at Milford Mill Academy, addressing athletes in effort to ‘turn a negative into a positive’  —  New York Yankees slugger Alex Rodriguez made an unexpected visit to 500 students at a Baltimore County school …

Brad Penny joins the Dodger haters  —  PHILADELPHIA — A reporter started to ask Brad Penny about pitching in front of 42,000 crazed, Dodger-hating fans when the Giants' new No. 5 starter interrupted him.  —  “42,001,” said Penny, grinning.  —  It remains to be seen how much Penny …

Ned Colletti wants to return to the Dodgers  —  The general manager, a day after acquiring Jim Thome and Jon Garland, says he'd love to be back next season.  —  Ned Colletti's contract as Dodgers' general manager includes a mutual option for 2010.  (Alex Gallardo / Los Angeles Times)  —  On The Dodgers

Duncan wins MVP, Jackson named ROY  —  The league leader in home runs, RBIs and runs scored, Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees right fielder Shelley Duncan has been named the International League MVP.  He's the second Scranton/Wilkes-Barre player to win the award, following Phillies center fielder Shane Victorino, who won it in 2005.

Yankees go Bird-bashing in Baltimore  —  Robinson Cano gets props from Eric Hinske hitting a home run in the second inning.  Hinske goes deep later as the Yankees beat the Orioles, 9-6, Tuesday night.  —  BALTIMORE - Much has been made of A.J. Burnett's up-and-down season …

Toy plane takes off at Dodger Stadium  —  Remote-control flier stops play briefly in sixth inning  —  LOS ANGELES — It's not rare to see an occasional beach ball fall onto the field during a game at Dodger Stadium.  —  A remote-control airplane?  That definitely could be filed under unusual.

Hudson … MIAMI(AP) Tim Hudson had waited more than a year to get back to the big leagues.  After months of rehabilitation - and a rain delay that lasted nearly three hours - he finally got his chance.  —  Hudson pitched effectively into the sixth inning in his return to the majors …

Please, David Wright, Never Stop Wearing This Helmet  —  In an un-The Fightins like maneuver, I had a personal embargo against Mets posts here for a while on the site.  I just felt with all the injuries and s**t they've had this year that it really wasn't fun to laugh at them while they were trotting …

Fernando Rodney ready to cash in  —  Tigers fans have not always welcomed the sight of Fernando Rodney sauntering toward the mound, his thick body shaking from side to side, his goatee punctuating a face buried beneath a funky-looking baseball cap.  —  But they are beginning to love him at the most unexpected of times.

Hanley exits game with tight hamstring  —  Severity of shortstop's ailment unknown  —  MIAMI — Marlins shortstop Hanley Ramirez left Tuesday's game against the Braves after four innings with a tight left hamstring and is currently listed as day-to-day.  —  After the Marlins' 4-3 loss that night …

Young strains hamstring, exits Game 2  —  Rangers third baseman replaced before fourth, set for MRI  —  ARLINGTON — Rangers third baseman Michael Young could be sidelined for an extended period of time after suffering a strained left hamstring in the second game of Tuesday's doubleheader against the Blue Jays.

Heroes abound in Sox's win over Rays  —  While Lester shines, Ellsbury, Papelbon steal show late  —  ST. PETERSBURG — It looked like it might have been slipping away, this game that the Red Sox once led by five runs.  At Tropicana Field, where manager Terry Francona and his team …