Mets to Sign Teenager  —  This one is about is about as under-the-radar as it gets — according to ChuSpo, the Mets have agreed to sign Japanese teenager Taiki Kawasaki to a minor league contract.  Kawasaki is a 17 year-old left handed pitcher who had been training at Julio Franco's baseball academy in Florida.

Halladay's one-hitter snaps Yanks' streak  —  TORONTO - Apparently, there's nothing in the Joba Rules about pitching well.  —  Joba Chamberlain posted another abbreviated stinker Friday night, getting hit around for three innings in a 6-0 Blue Jays win at the Rogers Centre that snapped the Yankees' seven-game winning streak.

National League benefits greatly from mining AL rejects; more notes … John Smoltz, who posted an 8.32 ERA for the Red Sox, has turned his game around since getting to St. Louis and has a 2.65 ERA for the Cardinals.  Rafael Betancourt, who was an average reliever for the Indians …

Berkman unsure of baseball future  —  Houston (64-70) vs. Philadelphia (77-55), 6:05 p.m. CT  —  HOUSTON — When he signed a six-year, $85 million contract during Spring Training in 2005, first baseman Lance Berkman said he wanted to remain with the Astros for the rest of his career.

EX-YANK FRITZ RECALLED FOR FAMILY SWITCH  —  IN THE end, Fritz Peterson has tried to do the best he could in every situation.  —  When he swapped families with fellow Yankees pitcher Mike Kekich in the early '70s, he thought it was for the best.  Marilyn Peterson moved in with Kekich.

Giambi's game-winning pinch hit helps Rockies rally past D'backs  —  DENVER (AP) — Jason Giambi (FSY) came through in the clutch again, delivering a pinch-hit RBI single in the eighth to lift Colorado to a 5-4 win over the Arizona Diamondbacks on Friday night.

Near miss doesn't faze NY Yankees reliever Alfredo Aceves … TORONTO — A rowdy fan caused a distraction on Thursday night when he threw a baseball from the stands that bounced off the ground and nearly hit Yankees relief pitcher Alfredo Aceves.  —  The fan — who celebrated his throw by raising his arms and cheering — was ejected.

FINAL: White Sox 12, Red Sox 2  —  (11:09, Game over, White Sox 12, Red Sox 2)Maybe the Red Sox will participate in this four-game series vs. the White Sox tomorrow.  Tonight they barely showed up.  The White Sox scored 12 runs by the fourth inning, mainly because of two 5-run innings in the third and fourth.

Mariners show faith in right-hander Ian Snell  —  Mariners starter Ian Snell needed a huge dose of generosity from manager Don Wakamatsu to be credited with this 7-4 win over the Oakland Athletics on Thursday night.  Snell had watched his team swat three homers before the game was even four innings old …

HELMET NOT THE WRIGHT FIT  —  DENVER — It was the poor fit — and not the relentless national ridicule — that made him do it.  —  HUBBUCH ON TWITTER  —  That was David Wright's explanation yesterday for abandoning the comically oversized “Great Gazoo” batting helmet he donned to relentless teasing Tuesday.

Jonathan Papelbon of Boston Red Sox fined $5,000 for taking too long to pitch  —  Baseball's attempts to speed up the pace of the game have taken some getting used to for Boston Red Sox closer Jonathan Papelbon — to the tune of thousands of dollars.  —  Papelbon was fined $5,000 …

Answer Man: Pedro Martinez talks God, Boston and flowers  —  recently began what might be the final leg of an amazing major league career.  He's on a unique journey, growing up deeply spiritual in the Dominican Republic, coming up through the Dodgers chain after his taller brother Ramon …