Clemens gets out of a jam  —  Mistrial is Rocket's biggest victory ever  —  Call it the biggest win of Roger Clemens's career.  —  The Rocket won 354 games in the big leagues.  He won 192 games for the Red Sox, still a franchise record (along with Cy Young, which is somehow fitting).

Girardi Puzzled as Blue Jays Pound Yankees 16-7  —  TORONTO (AP) — Joe Girardi was left scratching his head at Bartolo Colon's latest bad start.  —  Edwin Encarnacion and Eric Thames had three hits and three RBIs each and the Toronto Blue Jays used an eight-run first inning to beat Colon …

Rangers doing all the right things  —  Payoff for sound approach should come to defending AL champs  —  You hear it from one general manager after another, one manager after another, one scout after another.  —  “How can the Rangers not be running away with the American League West?”

Epstein won't rest on laurels as Deadline nears  —  BOSTON — With the All-Star break coming to an end, Red Sox general manager Theo Epstein will be looking at his team with a microscope over the next two-plus weeks, trying to identify what moves he might be able to make before the July 31 non-waiver Trade Deadline.

Paperwork error allowed Mets GM Sandy Alderson to trade Francisco Rodriguez to any team he wished  —  It was a paperwork screwup that allowed the Mets to deal Francisco Rodriguez to the Milwaukee Brewers.  —  Sandy Alderson confirmed a published report that K-Rod did have a limited no-trade clause.

Padres' bullpen meltdown leads to Giants' 6-2 win  —  SAN DIEGO - Aubrey Huff hit a tying homer off All-Star closer Heath Bell leading off the ninth inning and Mike Fontenot brought in the go-ahead run with a bases-loaded walk with two outs in the 12th, helping the NL West-leading San Francisco Giants beat …

After K-Rod trade, Mets may close by committee with Bobby Parnell, Jason Isringhausen, Pedro Beato  —  It did not take long to replace Francisco Rodriguez - in the Mets' clubhouse at least.  As the team reconvened for the first time since its former fiery closer was shipped off to Milwaukee …

Chipper progressing well after knee surgery  —  ATLANTA — Third baseman Chipper Jones has responded well since his right knee surgery last Saturday and will begin hitting off a tee Friday at Turner Field.  —  “[I] went out and threw a little bit just now [and] felt fine,” Jones said during Atlanta's workout Thursday.

Justin Masterson records 8th victory for rejuvenated Indians  —  BALTIMORE — The All-Star break is supposed to have a restorative effect on teams.  At least that is the hope for clubs fighting for division championships.  —  If the Indians' 8-4 win over the Baltimore Orioles on Thursday night …

Updating the top prospects  —  Harper soars while Montero plummets in midseason prospect rankings  —  With the Futures Game and more than half the minor league season in our rearview mirror, it's time to update the rankings of the top prospects in the minors.

MLB: Frank McCourt would ‘personally benefit’ from bankruptcy loan  —  Frank McCourt (pictured above) wants the Bankruptcy Court to approve a loan in which the Dodgers owner has “a substantial personal financial stake,” attorneys for Major League Baseball wrote in a court filing late Thursday.