K-Rod Makes Accountants Nervous  —  Rodriguez Is on Pace to Finish 61 Games, Which Would Trigger His Hefty $17.5 Million Option  —  LOS ANGELES—With 32 games finished so far this season, Mets closer Francisco Rodriguez entered Tuesday on pace to finish 61 games on the year.

Field of sluggers set for Home Run Derby  —  Ortiz, Fielder to captain strong teams in annual All-Star event  —  With some of the best power hitters in the game assembled and some tough decisions made, the 2011 State Farm Home Run Derby field is final.  —  Set for 8 p.m. ET on Monday …

Red Sox hang on vs. Blue Jays; Lester exits with back strain  —  BOSTON (AP) — Darnell McDonald threw out Edwin Encarnacion at the plate on a single to short left field for the final out and the Boston Red Sox held on for a 3-2 win over the Toronto Blue Jays on Tuesday night.

Theo Epstein Says Red Sox More Likely to Be in Market for Position Players As Trade Deadline Nears  —  Red Sox general manager Theo Epstein is a pretty busy guy all year long.  This time of year, though, business really starts to pick up.  —  With the trade deadline rapidly approaching …

Brandon Webb likely out for year  —  Texas Rangers right-handed pitcher Brandon Webb's MRI taken this week shows some changes in his rotator cuff and the club reports that Webb is weighing his options, which could include surgery.  —  This latest setback makes it likely Webb is done pitching for the rest of the 2011 season.

Giants' Bruce Bochy criticizes the criticizers  —  The All-Star selection process always engenders hard feelings.  This year, it has strained friendships.  —  Jack McKeon and Clint Hurdle, who manage the Marlins and Pirates, respectively, criticized Bruce Bochy for snubbing players on their teams.

Damon leaves game, was hit twice by pitches, is getting X-rays  —  UPDATE, 2:27: Damon left the game with what the Rays are calling a contusion on his left hand and is getting X-rays.  —  DEVELOPING: Rays DH Johnny Damon left Wednesday's game after being hit twice by pitches by Twins LHP Francisco Liriano.

Midseason Awards (cont.)  —  Around the Majors  —  • The Astros' Wandy Rodriguez may be as good as it gets among starting pitchers on this trade market, and that's assuming Houston consents to trading him, which is no certainty.  The Astros are talking to other teams …

No lie: Clemens trial is big waste of time  —  CLEVELAND — The word “perspective” has lately become a virus of our vocabulary, an easy catch-all to artificially minimize other problems.  —  Your air conditioner doesn't work?  Well, you just found out your next-door neighbor 's wife had an affair.

Pirates begin discussions on trade deadline  —  Pirates manager Clint Hurdle said that management will meet Wednesday to start talking about its needs and what moves the team might make in advance of the July 31 non-waiver trade deadline.  —  “We're just trying to be smart with the moves we make,” Hurdle said.

Beckham and the Comeback Kids  —  Quick question: At the beginning of the season, who had Tim Beckham pegged to play in this weekend's Futures Game?  The answer is nobody, and his selection for the contest is proof of a very important point when it comes to player development: Sometimes, things simply take a while.

Skeptics view Pujols' return as unnatural  —  ST. LOUIS - The day after Albert Pujols(notes) broke a bone in his left wrist, he asked his hitting coach, Mark McGwire, to do something that seemed utterly wrong.  —  “Mark,” Pujols said, “check my hand.”  —  Pujols extended it.  He wanted McGwire to shake it.

Andrus uses speed, defence for Rangers win over Orioles  —  ARLINGTON, Texas — Elvis Andrus hustled home with the go-ahead run in the seventh, the same inning that he made two spectacular defensive plays, and the Texas Rangers went on to a 4-2 victory over the Baltimore Orioles on Tuesday night.

Some Pet Owners Judge Jeter Name Best in Show  —  In his 17 seasons in the Bronx, Derek Jeter cemented his legacy as one of the great Yankees.  He is the team's captain.  He has five World Series rings.  He entered Tuesday's game six hits from becoming the first Yankee to join baseball's 3,000-hit club.