Pirates need to make decision on Russell  —  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 Pirates, like many perennial also-rans, seem to exist in their own universe …

Royals tabbed to host 2012 All-Star Game  —  Kansas City awarded Midsummer Classic for first time since '73  —  KANSAS CITY — After years of waiting, a Major League All-Star Game is again a reality for Kansas City and the Royals.  —  Commissioner Bud Selig announced on Wednesday that the 2012 …

Maddon: OF Matt Joyce “pounding on the door pretty loudly”  —  It is certainly not lost on the Rays how well OF Matt Joyce has been doing in Triple-A Durham.  —  Joyce, recovering from an elbow strain that has sidelined him in spring training, is hitting .343 with the Bulls, having reached base in his last 10 at bats.

Los Angeles Dodgers' Rafael Furcal put on bereavement leave list  —  CINCINNATI — The Los Angeles Dodgers placed shortstop Rafael Furcal on the bereavement/family emergency list before Thursday's series finale with the Cincinnati Reds.  —  Furcal returned to his home in the Dominican Republic to be with an ailing family member.

Is He Baseball's Best Biologist?  —  A Science Whiz at Stanford, Chris Carter Has Aced His Tests With the Mets  —  Whether with the Mets or at Stanford, Chris Carter, nicknamed ‘The Animal’ by Mets manager Jerry Manuel, always gives his best.  —  CLEVELAND—Chris Carter looked at it this way …

Pedroia on HR: 'I'm strong - I drink milk'  —  Red Sox second baseman Dustin Pedroia hit his first homer since May 14 on Wednesday.  (AP)  —  Red Sox second baseman Dustin Pedroia does not consider himself a power hitter.  The eight homers that he had by mid-May, he shrugs, bordered on an aberration.

Roger Clemens scheduled to appear, pitch to minor leaguers at Texas League All-Star Game  —  Roger Clemens spent most of the last two years launching verbal heat at former trainer Brian McNamee, but on June 30 he is scheduled to throw his customary chin music atop a baseball mound.

Rare Documents: MLB Constitution and By-Laws Now Available Online  —  THE BIZ OF BASEBALL HAS BEEN UPDATED WITH HARD TO FIND DOCS  —  Two of Major League Baseball's rarest documents have now been published within The Biz of Baseball's document archive.  —  A searchable version of the last update …

Mets have eyes set on arms … Baseball Tonight Live … Touch 'Em All

BUCK, WELLS HOMER TO LEAD JAYS OVER PADRES FOR SERIES WIN  —  SAN DIEGO — John Buck hit his third home run of the series, Vernon Wells also went deep and Fred Lewis had four hits as the Toronto Blue Jays beat the San Diego Padres 7-1 on Wednesday to take two of three.

Chicago White Sox to push back Jake Peavy's start  —  Jake Peavy's up-and-down season took a downturn on Wednesday with the revelation that his next start will be pushed back because of arm trouble.  —  The right-hander was supposed to start Thursday against the Pirates, but Mark Buehrle will take his turn.

Hamilton HR, Young record hits lift Rangers  —  MIAMI — Now that he has the Texas Rangers' all-time hit record, Michael Young says he'd like to put it “out of reach.”  —  That task might not be too difficult for the perennial All-Star.  —  Young hit a two-run single in the eighth inning …

Angels may have to go looking for shortstop because of injuries  —  With Maicer Izturis is on the disabled list and Erick Aybar possibly joining him, General Manager Tony Reagins keeps open option of trade or free-agent signing.  —  With Maicer Izturis on the disabled list and Erick Aybar possibly …