Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershaw, manager Joe Torre disciplined by MLB for actions vs. San Francisco Giants Tuesday  —  Major League Baseball suspended Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershaw for five games and manager Joe Torre for one game Wednesday for intentionally throwing …

Sources: Oswalt wants guarantee  —  Roy Oswalt is asking for the Phillies, or any team that acquires him, to guarantee his $16 million option in 2012 before he would approve a trade, according to two sources familiar with the discussions.  —  And the Phillies, for now at least, are balking at that request.

Former New York Yankees, Boston Red Sox manager Ralph Houk dies  —  BOSTON — The Boston Red Sox say former manager Ralph Houk has died.  He was 90.  —  Red Sox spokesman Dick Bresciani says Houk died in Winter Haven, Fla., on Wednesday afternoon.  The team heard from Houk's grandson, who lives in the Boston area.

Source: Mets close to Cordero deal  —  The Mets are close to signing reliever Chad Cordero to a minor league deal, a team source confirmed.  The deal is not yet official.  —  Cordero declared himself a free agent when the Seattle Mariners wanted to send him to Triple-A Tacoma.

Rays utilizing sports psychologist  —  BALTIMORE — Dr. Ken Ravizza has come and gone, leaving the Tampa Bay Rays with something to think about until the next time he pops into their clubhouse for a friendly chat.  —  “I observe, I interact, I check in with them,” said Ravizza, a Fullerton …

Pedro says no to return this season but '11 still a possibility  —  Pedro Martinez has decided he will not pitch this season but he has not closed the door to pitching again in 2011, said a source close to Martinez today.  —  Several teams expressed interest in making Martinez a second-half addition …

Florida Marlins designate Nate Robertson for assignment; call up catcher Brad Davis  —  The Marlins didn't waste much time with their decision on what to do with struggling lefty Nate Robertson: He was designated for assignment today.  —  The Marlins have 15 days to trade him, release him or send him to the minors.

INTEGRITY STRIKES OUT  —  Commissioner Bud Selig was so adamant in his defense of his clubs that I was unable to get the word integrity into the conversation.  Had I brought it up, he would have scoffed at the idea.  But then, the commissioner has never acknowledged that the owners …

Clint Hartung, Modest Giant, Dies at 87  —  Any ballplayer who makes it to the big leagues has achieved much and can be said to have succeeded beyond the expectations he generated in youth.  But Clint Hartung is largely, and perhaps unfairly, remembered as the exception to the rule.

Sandberg on Cubs job: I'm ready  —  One day after Lou Piniella announced he would retire as Chicago Cubs manager following this season, Ryne Sandberg made sure there was no ambiguity about his desire and confidence to replace Piniella next year.  —  “I am ready,” Sandberg said Wednesday on “The Waddle & Silvy Show” on ESPN 1000.

It's an ‘underwhelming’ bullpen market  —  With Matt Capps, Octavio Dotel and Kerry Wood, few quality relievers to trade for  —  Attentive baseball fans must have thought they were in a time warp when they saw a couple of recent maneuvers by Cincinnati general manager Walt Jocketty.

Fortunate 50: SI.com's annual list of top earning athletes  —  You can't stop them — you can only hope to re-sign them.  Extracurricular scandals, contract holdouts and ugly labor negotiations seem to have rocked professional sports more than any other point in recent memory.

Mets Call Team Meeting  —  This afternoon at Chase Field, Jerry Manuel addressed his team for approximately 15 minutes, after which the team headed to the field to take batting practice.  —  Manuel told reporters “I hadn't had one in a while.”  —  ...after what transpired last night in the clubhouse …

A Vote for Steinbrenner Is a Vote for Flood  —  A push to have George Steinbrenner quickly inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame has begun in earnest, and it will most likely escalate this weekend with the enshrinement on Sunday of new members into the Hall in Cooperstown, N.Y.

Red Sox ejected, dejected  —  Farrell gets tossed, A's stand tall in 10  —  Darnell McDonald's RBI double in the second inning gave the Red Sox a (short-lived) 4-0 lead off A's starter Dallas Braden.  (Ben Margot/Associated Press)  —  OAKLAND, Calif. — None of the screaming made a difference in the end.

Cora livid after Mets' latest lackluster ‘L’  —  Mets on Twitter  —  PHOENIX — Alex Cora is mad as hell and not going to take it anymore.  —  The veteran utilityman, miffed by the laughter inside the Mets' clubhouse after last night's 3-2 loss to the Diamondbacks, fired venom in the direction …