Wang would like to return to Nationals  —  WASHINGTON — Right-hander Chien-Ming Wang is a free agent after this season, and said through an interpreter that he would like to return to the Nationals next season.  —  Wang said he feels loyalty toward the team because it took care of him when he had shoulder problems the last two years.

Youkilis may have additional injury; Lackey out with calf contusion  —  Kevin Youkilis went back to Boston to have his hip examined, but he may also be dealing with another injury to his groin and/or sports hernia type injury according to a team source.  The Sox may have more details after the game.

MVP debate will have no clear winner  —  I understand why some sabermetricians freak out over the MVP voting every year, howling for the mainstream media to get a clue.  —  But you know what?  —  Those analysts need to get over it.  —  Ignoramuses in the MSM, including yours truly …

Source: Cubs to draw 3 million  —  The Chicago Cubs will draw 3 million fans for the eighth straight season, according to a team source, yet the team will lower prices on bleacher seats in 2012.  —  The Cubs have sold just over 2.8 million tickets, which is about 500 fewer per game than in 2010.

Neither the Red Sox nor the Yankees will win World Series … Here in the northeast corner of America, where the Hub of the Universe and the City That Doesn't Sleep stare at one another from a distance of 200 miles, the popular notion is that the Red Sox and Yankees are among the frontrunners to win the 2011 World Series.

Jeremy Guthrie earns win Orioles beat Blue Jays 2-0  —  TORONTO - Jeremy Guthrie pitched three-hit ball for seven innings, Vladimir Guerrero and Nick Markakis each drove in a run and the Baltimore Orioles beat the Toronto Blue Jays 2-0 Friday night, their third straight win.

Miguel Tejada wants to play in 2012  —  Former MVP shortstop Miguel Tejada, who was recently released by the San Francisco Giants, said he hopes to keep playing baseball in 2012.  —  “I will not retire,” Tejada told ESPNdeportes.com Friday.  “I didn't have a good time in San Francisco, but there are always highs and lows in life.”

Market for closers well-stocked  —  Jonathan Papelbon, Heath Bell and Ryan Madson are among the top-shelf items  —  Maybe once upon a time, in 1905 or something, there was a generation of general managers who never knew the unique joys of bullpen shopping.

Carpenter clarifies  —  Chris Carpenter felt he needed to make a point this afternoon.  —  Shortly after the clubhouse opened, Chris Carpenter called a couple of reporters over to his locker to clarify his explanation of the events from Wednesday night.  It had been reported (including on MLB.com) …

Umpires show ethnic bias in ball/strike calls—unless they're feeling watched  —  There's a lot of behavioral literature that indicates we tend to like people who we think belong to the same group as us, and behave favorably towards them—even though we're not aware of doing so.

Twins fire Class AAA Rochester manager Tom Nieto  —  DETROIT — The Twins have fired Class AAA Rochester manager Tom Nieto and hitting coach Floyd Rayford, Twins minor league director Jim Rantz confirmed today.  —  The news was first reported by Jim Mandelaro, of the Rochester Democrat & Chronicle.

Frustrated Jim Crane ‘offended’ by speculation about delays in Astros sale process  —  After several months in the on-deck circle, the man who wants to buy the Astros is getting frustrated.  —  In an exclusive interview with the Chronicle on Thursday, Houston businessman Jim Crane …