MLB plans showdown with umpire Joe West  —  Earlier this week, Joe West's personal publicist sent out a mass email offering up his client for interviews.  —  (Pause, to allow the proper spit-take at the fact that a baseball umpire is self-absorbed enough to keep a P.R. man in his employ.

Mets zero in, shut out Phils for 3rd straight day  —  NEW YORK (AP) Mike Pelfrey and the New York Mets zeroed in once again.  —  Pelfrey and the Mets bullpen pulled off a most extraordinary pitching feat in this big-hitting era, shutting out Philadelphia for the third straight game Thursday night …

Cubs' Lilly cheats, busted by Twitter  —  It's not often that you see a runner on first base arguing with the first-base umpire.  But that's exactly what happened in the bottom of the sixth inning at Wrigley Field today, as Casey Blake got into it with crew chief John Hirschbeck.

Kubel belts two homers, powers Twins over Yankees  —  MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Jason Kubel (FSY) ended Minnesota's long power drought in a big way, belting two home runs and driving in five runs in the Twins' 8-2 victory over the New York Yankees on Thursday night.

Baker to be examined by eye doctor  —  CHICAGO — Cubs third baseman Jeff Baker was pulled from Thursday's 1-0 win against the Dodgers because he lost vision in his right eye.  He was taken to the team's eye specialist to be examined.  —  Baker didn't react when the Dodgers' Russell Martin lined …

Lidge throws, could return Monday  —  NEW YORK — Phillies closer Brad Lidge said he had another good bullpen session before Thursday's game against the New York Mets at Citi Field.  —  He said he plans to make a rehab appearance Saturday with Class A Clearwater.

Giants talking to Burrell about a AAA deal  —  The Giants are negotiating with free-agent left fielder Pat Burrell on a Triple-A contract, I've been told, a no-risk deal that could bring the Bay Area product home.  —  I've been told that the contract is in the “talking stages” and that Burrell does have other options he is mulling.

A's rally past Orioles  —  Kouzmanoff doubles in 3 runs in 5-run 8th inning, leading Oakland past Baltimore 7-5  —  The Oakland Athletics needed a bit of luck to put Kevin Kouzmanoff in position to finish off an eighth-inning uprising.  —  Kouzmanoff made sure all that good fortune didn't go to waste.

RYAN HELPS CARDINALS AVOID SWEEP BY PADRES  —  The Sports Network  —  San Diego, CA (Sports Network) - Brendan Ryan finished with a season-high four hits, including a home run, as the St. Louis Cardinals avoided getting swept by the San Diego Padres with an 8-3 win.

Minor League Transactions  —  Check out the Transactions Glossary for the key to deciphering the various inactive lists presented here.  —  An asterisk (*) denotes an instance of a player agreeing to terms on a minor league contract with an organization with which he already had a major league agreement.

News and notes from Fenway: Ellsbury's ribs OK but sore  —  The MRIs and CT scan taken in Tampa Bay on Jacoby Ellsbury's ribs were reviewed by the Sox medical team and indications are that Ellsbury did not suffer a new injury or re-injury to his ribs according to a team source.

Taking down the best  —  Tim Lincecum struggled all night against a patient Nats lineup.  —  SAN FRANCISCO — There was no concerted effort among every member of the Nationals' lineup tonight to work the count against Tim Lincecum, to make the best pitcher on the planet use up all his bullets early …