Surgery on Youkilis set for tomorrow  —  loading video...  (please wait a moment)  —  Requires Adobe Flash Player  —  Terry Francona said Kevin Youkilis will have season-ending surgery tomorrow on his right thumb tomorrow in Cleveland.  Dr. Thomas Graham, who examined the first baseman today, will perform the surgery.

Bad call helps Phils beat Marlins 5-4  —  MIAMI—The sharp grounder in the ninth inning skipped over the third-base bag, an apparent game-winning hit for Gaby Sanchez and the Florida Marlins.  —  Third-base umpire Bob Davidson saw things differently.  He ruled the ball foul …

Greinke doubts Royals' rebuilding plan will bear fruit soon  —  Zack Greinke isn't sure he wants to endure the growing pains he knows are coming as the Royals gear up for another youth-based rebuilding plan.  —  It matters little that growing optimism surrounds numerous prospects currently …

Hinske snaps 0-for-17 streak with homer  —  ATLANTA—Eric Hinske snapped an 0-for-17 hitless streak with a tiebreaking, sixth-inning home run off Tim Lincecum to help the Atlanta Braves to a 3-2 victory over the San Francisco Giants on Thursday night.  —  Alex Gonzalez hit a two-run homer …

Amazing on-field feats well within reach  —  Three first basemen and two pitchers striving to join some exclusive company in 2010  —  Nobody loves a good trade rumor more than Rumblings and Grumblings.  But this just in:  —  While we've all been obsessing these last few weeks …

Yankees not very bossy  —  They're in first, but fire is lacking  —  Team Checkbook — and I say that with all due respect — has not had as easy a time maneuvering itself into its current spot in the American League East a half-game ahead of the Tampa Bay Rays as you might imagine.

Bucky Dent: Yanks-Red Sox lack hatred  —  NEW YORK — The New York Yankees-Boston Red Sox rivalry just isn't what it used to be.  —  Sure, fans will show up in the Bronx for this weekend's four-game series between the Yankees and Red Sox ready to cheer, but they will not be treated …

SABR 2012: in Twin Cities  —  News from this week's SABR convention, at the annual business convention, SABR big wigs decided that the 2012 convention will be in Minnesota.  Start planning, people.  We can all stay at Aaron Gleeman's House That Blog Built.  —  (Wait, 2012?  What about 2011?

Orioles beat Angels 5-4 for three-game sweep  —  BALTIMORE—Cesar Izturis singled in the winning run in the ninth inning and the Baltimore Orioles remained unbeaten under new manager Buck Showalter, defeating the Los Angeles Angels 5-4 Thursday night for a three-game sweep.

GREENBERG-RYAN WIN TEXAS RANGERS AUCTION AFTER CUBAN-CRANE CONCEDE  —  THIS IS BREAKING NEWS...  In a flurry of bids at auction that ran late into Weds. night and early Thurs. morning, the group led by Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban and Houston businessman Jim Crane approached William Snyder …