Last-place Mets must fire Jerry Manuel  —  Mets on Twitter  —  The game, and the Mets' season, was encapsulated by one inning yesterday, and it wasn't exactly the kind of thing you want to put in a time capsule.  There were two errors (and should've been three).  There was indifferent pitching.

Sources: Mets have payroll for pitching, not for Pedro  —  Oliver Perez has been banished to the bullpen.  Jon Niese is injured.  John Maine began his start Saturday by throwing 12 consecutive balls.  The Mets know they need pitching and, according to sources, they will have the payroll flexibility …

Pujols ‘uncomfortable’?  —  CINCINNATI — Reds starting pitcher Bronson Arroyo knows there probably will be a day of reckoning.  —  But for now, he sees Cardinals first baseman Albert Pujols as an uncomfortable hitter.  —  “Right now, Albert looks a little bit more uncomfortable at the plate …

Storen will get call to join Nats in St. Louis  —  Tenth overall pick in '09 Draft to replace Bruney in 'pen  —  DENVER — Nationals manager Jim Riggleman announced after Sunday's 2-1 loss to the Rockies that reliever Brian Bruney will be designated for assignment and the team will purchase …

Sorry Lou, but Cubs might need a change  —  Ken Rosenthal has been the senior baseball writer for FOXSports.com since Aug. 2005.  He appears weekly on MLB on FOX.  Follow him on Twitter.  —  The Cubs, 5 1/2 games out in the National League Central, are just one hot streak away from jumping into serious contention.

Team PrOPS  —  How are teams over- and under-performing their OPS?  The Twins and Nationals appear to be over-performing, while the Astros, Angels, and Marlins have been a bit hit-unlucky to start the year.  —  Team OPS PrOPS Diff.  MIN .788 .770 -.018 WSN .769 .758 -.012 SFG .739 .730 …

D'Backs Acquire Saul Rivera, Release Howry  —  The Diamondbacks have acquired reliever Saul Rivera from the Indians for cash and released Bob Howry, tweets Ed Price of AOL Fanhouse.  —  Rivera, 32, has a 0.53 ERA, 5.8 K/9, and 3.7 BB/9 in 17 Triple A innings so far this year.

BoSox need production from Martinez  —  DETROIT  —  Want to read about Big Papi?  Sorry.  You've come to the wrong place.  —  That story is so April.  —  Now, David Ortiz looks like a lot of designated hitters in baseball: aging, occasionally productive, and on his way to a one-year contract.

This time, Reds might be for real  —  Ken Rosenthal has been the senior baseball writer for FOXSports.com since Aug. 2005.  He appears weekly on MLB on FOX.  Follow him on Twitter.  —  Their ERA is the fourth-worst in the National League.  Their run differential suggests that they should be 17-19 rather than 20-16.

Free agent Carlos Delgado eyeing return to baseball in July  —  Former New York Mets slugger Carlos Delgado says he hopes to return to action in July, according to the Puerto Rican paper El Nuevo Dia.  —  With what team?  Still undecided.  The 37-year-old is a free agent and is coming off a second right hip labrum surgery.

Dodgers' Achilles' heel strengthens  —  L.A.'s pitching, once in dire straits, has become the reason for its success … SAN DIEGO — If we have learned nothing else from these Dodgers over the years, from all the times they have started quickly, started slowly, gotten hot at the right time …

The Julio Borbon Dilemma  —  It's too soon to commence panicking, but not too soon to begin drawing up contingency plans ... even if they're not very good ones.  Because this simply cannot — and will not — go on forever.  And if you're of the Billy Beane-inspired mindset that you use …

The MVPs of the Yanks-Red Sox rivalry  —  Here's our list of the most clutch hitters and pitchers when these two teams tangle  —  We were looking this week for a discussion topic that would stir up both Yankees and Red Sox fans, as the two teams prepare to clash this week.  We think we found one.

Royals option Ka'aihue back to Omaha, bolster bullpen  —  Fan favorite Kila Ka'aihue was optioned back to Omaha after Sunday's 5-3 series-clinching win against the Chicago White Sox.  He will be replaced on the 25-man roster by pitcher Bryan Bullington.  —  The Royals made the move to bolster …

Media Have No Business Voting for Sports Honors  —  We, the media, are entrusted to report the news and comment on the news.  We are not supposed to be making the news, unless, of course, you're Ron Burgundy summoning the News Team for a back-alley gang brawl with knives and tridents.

Rare Rivera blown save leads to loss  —  Closer gives up slam to Kubel as Yanks can't finish sweep  —  NEW YORK — The reality of Mariano Rivera coughing up a late-inning lead still serves as a jolt to the senses after all these years, a rare occurrence that seems to compel those in pinstripes …