Varitek Out 4-6 Weeks With Broken Foot  —  BOSTON (WBZ) ― The hits just keep coming for the Boston Red Sox.  —  A major league source told WBZ-TV's Dan Roche that catcher Jason Varitek has a broken foot and could miss 4-to-6 weeks.  —  The Red Sox acquired catcher Kevin Cash …

Diamondbacks fire GM Josh Byrnes and manager A.J. Hinch  —  The Diamondbacks have fired general manager Josh Byrnes and manager A.J. Hinch, the team announced Thursday night.  —  Arizona named Jerry Dipoto interim general manager and Kirk Gibson interim manager for the remainder of the season …

White Sox, Rangers play unlikely marquee series this weekend  —  As baseball fans scan the schedule to find the most enticing matchups this holiday weekend, an unlikely option has emerged: the Chicago White Sox at the Texas Rangers.  —  While lacking the marquee appeal of New York Yankees vs. Boston Red Sox …

Deadline sellers and latest news on D-backs, Orioles and Marlins … Much of the attention this trading season, and rightfully so, will be on Mariners' left-handed starter Cliff Lee, and competing teams now say they believe trade talks involving the Seattle star are starting to heat up.

Whitecaps' Ranaudo at a crossroads … acomak@capecodonline.com  —  Dangling around Anthony Ranaudo's neck is a small cross, each arm of it wrapped in wire colored the trademark purple and yellow of Louisiana State University.  —  It's a small part of what the 6-foot-7 …

How Much Needs To Be Offered To Get Cliff Lee?  —  It's so rare that a pitcher of Cliff Lee's caliber is on the trade market, one might think a team needs to offer a prospect with Strasburgian promise to land him.  Here's some good news for the Yankees and Mets: It really doesn't.

Baseball's most overpaid players  —  The halfway point beckons for the 2010 Major League Baseball season.  As good a time as any to check on which players are stealing the most money from their respective clubs ... well, OK, stealing is an exaggeration, but every season brings more than its share …

Oakland Signs Renato Nunez For $2.2 Million  —  Top Venezuelan third baseman Renato Nunez has agreed to terms with the Athletics for $2.2 million, according to an international source.  —  Several international scouts have called Nunez, 16, the top hitter available this year out of Venezuela …

Prospect Hot Sheet: Midseason All-Stars  —  Team: Triple-A Columbus (International)  —  Why He's Here: .316/.447/.597 (62-for-196), 13 HR, 14 2B, 1 3B, 51 RBIs, 39 R, 45 BB, 39 SO, 6-for-6 SB  —  A switch-hitting catcher with power who showed no mercy toward the International League—haven't we seen this one before?

Tigers pitcher Max Scherzer uses math background as formula for success  —  DETROIT — Max Scherzer is hot.  —  The Detroit Tigers right-hander has allowed just one run in his past two starts and has struck out 16 in 12 2/3 innings in those games.  —  Scherzer, who starts tonight …

Octavio Dotel Among Names in Trade Chatter  —  Baseball's non-waiver trade deadline falls four weeks from Saturday, and with one major deal already completed this week — Bengie Molina to the Rangers — chatter is picking up around the game.  —  The Marlins — who have used 18 relievers …