MLB probes Dodgers' Ethier for obscene gesture … LOS ANGELES — Major League Baseball is looking into photographs that show Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Andre Ethier making an obscene gesture at a photographer before Monday's game against the Milwaukee Brewers at Dodger Stadium.

Nationals GM confronts umpires after Cuzzi's blown call  —  As the visual evidence above suggests, Jayson Werth  —  should have been ruled safe at first base by umpire Phil Cuzzi.  —  He wasn't, and the blown call put a major crimp in a ninth-inning rally by the Washington Nationals at Citi Field on Thursday afternoon.

Long-toss debate shakes up MLB draft  —  Prep right-hander Dylan Bundy, perhaps the top talent in one of the most loaded Major League Baseball drafts in years, has informed several teams not to select him because of fears they'll try to change his throwing program, a source close to Bundy told Yahoo! Sports.

Macho Man Randy Savage Dies In Car Accident  —  Macho Man Randy Savage — one of the greatest wrestlers of all-time — died today in a car accident in Tampa, Florida ... TMZ has learned.  —  TMZ spoke with Randy's brother, Lanny Poffo, who tells us the wrestling legend suffered a heart attack …

Subway Series: Buffalo vs. Bronx  —  Justin Turner, right, who spent part of this season with the Class AAA Buffalo Bisons, got the game-winning hit for the Mets on Thursday.  —  But confidence only goes so far when the biggest professional rivalry he — along with about a third of the Mets …

Rangers better off without Lee long term  —  The Rangers know what is coming, or at least they should.  —  Their old friend Cliff Lee is winless in his past six starts for the Phillies, albeit with a 3.66 ERA.  Saturday night, against a Texas lineup that is still without injured outfielders Josh Hamilton …

Interleague play's greatest problem  —  For many teams, the schedule is unfair and makes almost no sense  —  Well, it's that time again.  Take a deep breath.  Here's the magic word for the weekend:  —  Interleague.  —  Yes sir, Season No. 15 in the life of interleague play arrives this weekend.

Rays Designate Dan Johnson For Assignment  —  The Rays have designated Dan Johnson for assignment according to a team press release.  Rob Delaney was also optioned to Triple-A, and the moves free up roster spots for Justin Ruggiano and J.P. Howell.  —  Johnson, 31, hit just .115/.179/.167 in 84 plate appearances this year.

Red Sox acquire Morales from Rockies  —  A Major League source said tonight the Red Sox were close to completing a trade for lefthanded reliever Franklin Morales of the Rockies  —  The 25-year-old has a 3.86 ERA in 14 appearances this season.  Lefthanders have hit .185 against him in 135 career at-bats.

Answers to Readers' Baseball Questions, Part 2  —  The following are responses from Tyler Kepner, David Waldstein and Ben Shpigel, the Times's baseball writers, who took questions from readers this week about the Mets, Yankees and the game overall through the first quarter of the 2011 season.

Mets Looked at Fraud Coverage for Madoff Stakes  —  In 2001, Fred Wilpon and Saul Katz, the owners of the Mets, decided to explore a fairly novel way of protecting the hundreds of millions of dollars they, their families and their businesses had invested with Bernard L. Madoff: they considered buying something called fraud insurance.

Teammates, family honor Hall of Famer Killebrew  —  PEORIA, Ariz.—Teammates, family and friends will gather Friday for funeral services for Hall of Famer Harmon Killebrew, who died Tuesday of esophageal cancer.  He was 74.  —  Several family members, former Minnesota Twins teammates …

Blue Jays welcome Astros to Toronto for first time  —  The Sports Network  —  (Sports Network) - The Houston Astros pay their first-ever visit to Toronto this evening when they play the first of three interleague games against the Blue Jays at Rogers Centre.