Derek Jeter, Yanks talk about Posada  —  Jorge Posada's decision to take himself out of the lineup turned into a major media conflagration over the weekend, but it appears that the New York Yankees have quickly worked through a brushfire with Derek Jeter.  —  Club officials were unhappy …

Red Sox put Lackey on DL with strained elbow  —  BOSTON — About seven minutes before Monday night's game, the Boston Red Sox announced that John Lackey has been placed on the disabled list because of a right elbow strain and Scott Atchison has been called up from Pawtucket.

Drabek, Blue Jays end Tigers' win streak at 7  —  DETROIT (AP) — Kyle Drabek (FSY) pitched seven strong innings as the Toronto Blue Jays snapped Detroit's seven-game winning streak with a 4-2 victory Monday night.  —  Drabek (2-3) allowed only one run despite walking six, and gave up three hits and struck out two.

Gomes' HR rallies Reds over Cubs 7-4  —  CINCINNATI—Jonny Gomes hit his first homer in nearly a month Monday night, completing a seven-run rally that swept the Cincinnati Reds to a 7-4 victory over the Chicago Cubs, ending Carlos Zambrano's long run of road success.

Get this: Albert Pujols is starting at third base tonight  —  Here's a good way to tell that Tony La Russa is back in the saddle: following a bad weekend, the Tinker-a-tron has been set to “ludicrous” and Albert Pujols is starting at third base.  —  Now, of course Pujols came up as a third baseman …

The Worst Pitching Performance Ever  —  The worst pitching performance in the history of baseball began innocently.  Vin Mazzaro entered the Kansas City-Cleveland game on Monday night in the top of the third inning, with his Royals losing 3-0.  He had to come into the game early …

Coffey plays catch day after getting hit  —  WASHINGTON — A day after being hit on the right elbow by a line drive off the bat of Marlins infielder Emilio Bonifacio, Nationals reliever Todd Coffey played catch and hopes to pitch in a game by Tuesday.  It's a matter of getting all of the swelling down in the elbow.

Santos proves a quick-change artist  —  The stories all start the same.  They were out of chances and at dead ends and couldn't let go.  Baseball does that.  It sinks its hooks into a player and seduces him and convinces him that life without the game isn't much of a life at all.  —  And so Sergio Santos

Wright has stress fracture in lower back  —  David Wright has a stress fracture in his lower back, GM Sandy Alderson said.  —  Wright had an MRI on his ailing back Monday at the Hospital for Special Surgery.  —  Alderson said the team will get a second opinion from another back specialist …

Rockies rough up Lincecum in 7-4 win over Giants  —  DENVER — Carlos Gonzalez capped a five-run sixth-inning outburst with a three-run homer off an unusually wild Tim Lincecum and the Colorado Rockies rallied for a 7-4 win over the San Francisco Giants on Monday night.

Hinske comes up big as Braves defeat Astros  —  ATLANTA — Fredi Gonzalez wouldn't accept credit for bringing Eric Hinske and Joe Mather off Atlanta's bench to start against the Astros.  —  “That was the only option we had,” the Atlanta Braves manager said.

Rookie helps Mariners snap 6-game losing streak  —  SEATTLE—Michael Pineda allowed three hits over seven innings to help the Seattle Mariners break a six-game losing streak with a 5-2 victory over the Minnesota Twins on day night.  —  The Twins have lost nine straight for the first time since Sept. 9-19, 1998.