Oswalt requests trade from last-place Astros  —  The July 31 trading deadline is more than two months away, but one of baseball's best pitchers has asked to be put on the market.  —  Houston Astros ace Roy Oswalt, a three-time National League All-Star, has asked owner Drayton McLane Jr. to be traded, a source said Friday.

Rangers may look for help behind plate  —  ARLINGTON — Rod Barajas is prominent among possible catchers whom the Rangers are scouting as spring moves into summer, and the July 31 Trade Deadline gets closer.  —  The Rangers had interest in Barajas in the offseason as a free agent …

Vazquez hopes to make next start  —  Obviously most of the talk after the game centered on Javier Vazquez, who was hit on the right index finger while trying to bunt in the seventh inning.  X-rays were negative and Vazquez had a thick wrap on the finger, but said it wasn't hurting too badly.

Gammons on The Big Show: 'I can't figure out Daisuke'  —  National Baseball Hall of Fame writer and current NESN analyst Peter Gammons appeared on The Big Show Friday afternoon to discuss the future of the Red Sox, David Ortiz, and the mini-drama that is Daisuke Matsuzaka.  “I can't figure out Daisuke,” Gammons said.

Jerry Manuel inches closer to the brink  —  NEW YORK - The story of the day wasn't the Subway Series, not in the usual bragging-rights sort of way.  The stakes were considerably higher at Citi Field, where Jerry Manuel's regime is teetering on collapse.  —  Mets manager Jerry Manuel …

Bad news for Yankees prospect Bleich  —  Left-hander, Jeremy Bleich, one of the Yankees' top pitching prospects, appears headed for a lengthy stint away from the pitcher's mound after Double-A Trenton placed him on the disabled list Wednesday with a shoulder injury.

The Growing Role Of Video For MLB Scouts  —  Scouts are hired because they have a knack for observing baseball players, not because they're particularly tech-savvy.  —  “I'm not up to speed with all the new technology so to speak, so it's pretty old-fashioned,” says David Chadd, scouting director for the Detroit Tigers.

Hamels hurls gem, Rollins hurting as Phillies top Red Sox  —  PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Cole Hamels (FSY) pitched seven impressive innings, Ryan Howard (FSY) and Jayson Werth (FSY) homered, and the Philadelphia Phillies beat the Boston Red Sox 5-1 on Friday night.

Penny hits grand slam in win but leaves game with strain  —  Anticipated for the return of former Cardinals starter Joel Piñeiro to Busch Stadium, the lasting significance of Friday's game instead will be the sudden departure of Brad Penny.  —  Penny hit the first grand slam of his career …

Capuano, Brewers Push Back Opt-Out Date  —  Tom Haudricourt of The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports that the Brewers and left-hander Chris Capuano have mutually agreed to postpone the opt-out date in the pitcher's contract to May 29.  Capuano could've opted out of the minor league deal …

Plant the corn again, please  —  Of all the stories that slipped under the radar, I think the one about the Field of Dreams farm being up for sale may be my favorite one, and not just because both Kevin Costner and Ray Liotta have declined to step up and buy it.

BUEHRLE TWIRLS GEM AS WHITE SOX BLANK MARLINS  —  Sports Network  —  Chicago, IL (Sports Network) - Mark Buehrle worked eight innings to pick up his first win since the second week of April and Alexei Ramirez drove in five runs in an 8-0 White Sox win to kick off a three-game interleague series with the Florida Marlins.