Now, both are back in the news: Sosa for his recent Michael Jackson look and McGwire for a more baseball-relevant reason.
   
Cardinals manager Tony La Russa used all of his clout with ownership and convinced them to hire Big Mac as the team’s next hitting coach. But many are skeptical of this hiring.
   
Some have questioned why La Russa would have gone out of his way to hire McGwire, while others have questioned how exactly McGwire is going to transition back into baseball after essentially exiling himself from the public eye for the past three years.
   
But perhaps the answers to those two questions tie into one another.
   
It’s evident that Mark McGwire is going to hold a news conference in the coming weeks and get everything out in the open before the season starts, in which he’ll likely discuss and admit his past mistakes. This is not going to be a Jason Giambi apology. McGwire is going to get to the heart of the matter, he’s going to talk about what he did or did not do, and he’s going to field any and all questions from the media.

If not, he will be a clear and persistent distraction to the Cardinals. (And Tony La Russa is not exactly the best at dealing with distractions.)
   
La Russa has made it known that he has a lot of respect for McGwire, a guy that played for him in both Oakland and St. Louis, and that he believes Big Mac deserves a spot in the Hall of Fame.
   
The community of baseball fans, writers and Hall of Fame voters, however, does not agree. Old Big Mac has received 23.5, 23.6 and 21.9 percent of the vote in his three years on the ballot — well short of the 75 percent needed for induction into Cooperstown.
 
But everybody loves a story of success and redemption. That’s just what McGwire’s tenure as the Cards’ hitting coach might provide — and perhaps that’s part of the reason that La Russa decided to hire his close friend.

What has seemed to bother people the most in the past few years was not just the fact that McGwire likely juiced, but the fact that he has completely avoided the issue. In the infamous Senate hearing specifically meant to divulge transgressions of the past, McGwire stoutly asserted that he was not there to talk about the past. In the years that followed, McGwire seemingly dropped off the face of the Earth.

But now he’s back, he’s in the public spotlight, and, for at least one day, he will be there to talk about the past. If his apology is sincere and detailed, the public — and the baseball community in general — will almost certainly accept it.

When the issue of steroids first became prevalent, we were shocked by any and all suspected to be guilty of cheating. But now, in the wake of Manny Ramirez, Alex Rodriguez and many others, we’ve become immune to the shock — or perhaps the better word is numb. Either way, it seems clear that if a player is upfront in his admissions, and if he continues to enjoy success in his on-field endeavors, the steroid issue will quickly fall to the background.

Nobody was talking about how the Yankees’ World Series was sullied by A-Rod’s presence on the team — they were talking about what a great story it was that A-Rod triumphed and overcame the obstacles that he did.

The same could be true of McGwire. It’s hard to truly gauge the impact of a hitting coach, but if the players vouch for him — and by all accounts, the ones that have worked with him love him — then the fans and media may very well begin to forgive and forget.

Even in the best case scenario, will McGwire’s vote percentage triple by 2010? No. But don’t be surprised if it goes up — and don’t be surprised if it increases by more than just a few percentage points. McGwire won’t be inducted into the Hall next year, but in a decade, who knows? Taking the job as St. Louis’ hitting coach was undoubtedly a positive step, and it can only help his candidacy.

Nothing is guaranteed, particularly from a  group of people that couldn’t even unanimously agree on a shoo-in like Rickey Henderson. But in the end, Big Mac may just get his plaque after all.

Or did he?

Replays showed that Utley was in fact safe at first base, which would have given the Phillies two men on and two out with slugger Ryan Howard coming up to the plate. But instead, the Yankees caught a break and got out of the inning unharmed.

Of course, the Phillies had been beneficiaries of a questionable call only half an inning earlier, when they turned a double play on a ball that an ump ruled Ryan Howard had caught — even though slow motion replays showed that he appeared to trap it.

While these calls likely didn’t change the outcome of the game, they underscore an issue that has been prevalent throughout this year’s playoffs: the drastic number of incorrect calls made by umpires.

In the ALDS, Phil Cuzzi ruled that a clear ground-rule double from Joe Mauer was actually a foul ball — a call that proved costly for the Twins as they lost the extra-inning affair to the Yankees. In the ALCS, Tim McClelland made what some have deemed the worst call in the history of professional sports when Jorge Posada and Robinson Cano both found themselves standing next to third base — but neither one actually standing on the base. Both were tagged, but Cano (who, to his credit, had the presence of mind to slip his foot on the base, place his hands on his hips and act like he’d been there the whole time) was ruled safe at third.

Those haven’t been the only missed calls this postseason, just the most egregious. Red Sox fans still feel shafted by the numerous controversial calls made in the series against the Angels, and Dodgers and Rockies fans have their own gripes as well.

The problem with these missed calls isn’t that they’re wrong — things happen fast on the diamond, and umpires are only human. The problem is that Major League Baseball isn’t doing anything to rectify the situation.

What this postseason has proved is that there needs to be some type of instant replay review system in baseball. In the time that it takes for umpires to hold a conference about a call — and to argue with managers on the wrong side of their decisions — everyone watching the game at home already knows what actually happened.

Most people in baseball seem opposed to such a decision. Bud Selig continues to say that human error is part of the game, and Angels’ manager Mike Scioscia argued that a good team should be able to overcome any incorrect call.

"I don't think [instant replay is] practical." Scioscia told the L.A. Times. "I don't think it's needed … If you're playing at a certain level, you should be able to absorb a call that doesn't go your way — a bloop hit, an error that maybe somebody in the field makes — and still play at a high level to absorb that and come out on top. So I don't think it's anything that should be expanded in baseball."

While it’s commendable that Scioscia refuses to make excuses for losses, there’s an error in his line of reasoning. Baseball is all about timeliness — a timely hit, a timely strikeout and sometimes, a timely break courtesy of the umpires. When you’re playing at such a high level, as Scioscia said, and teams are so evenly matched, all it can take is one little mishap to upset the balance of a game and change the outcome.

Instant replay challenges shouldn’t be limitless, and not every type of call should be reviewable. Balls and strikes, for example, should not be challenged because the strike zone that an umpire has been calling all game might not necessarily match up with the strike zone used by the computerized pitch-tracking system.

But baserunning and fielding plays are another issue. As instant replay of home runs proved this year — when calls were challenged 58 times and overturned in 20 instances — the review process is often quick and easy. Enabling challenges of plays in the field and on the bases would likely speed up the game and ensure accuracy.

Tradition is important, but its grip on the game shouldn’t be absolute and divine. Selig has shown his willingness to cast off the long-held customs of baseball — that’s why there’s a wild card and interleague play.

Instant replay review is an even more important change. It’s not simply a novelty that will increase attendance and viewership; it’s a necessity that baseball must implement to guarantee fairness. And, like the institution of the wild card and interleague play, it will almost certainly end up having a positive impact on the game.

On the field, the right call is often difficult to see. But for Selig, the call here should be painfully obvious. Baseball needs, and deserves, an instant replay system.

But take a look at the four teams remaining in the playoffs. They are — perhaps with the exception of the Dodgers — built on offense.

The Yankees, Angels and Phillies are all in the top six in the majors in runs scored, slugging percentage and OPS. And even the Dodgers boasted the fourth-best on-base percentage in the majors during the regular season.

Does that mean the playoffs will become a series of shootouts? Not quite.

An unquestioned ace at the top, depth in the rotation and a strong bullpen have always been essential pieces of a run to a championship, and that will be as true as ever this year. Because as the other old mantra goes, good pitching beats good hitting.

So which team has the pitching staff that is best-equipped to navigate its way through some of the most potent offenses in the league?

The Dodgers have been praised for the strength of their bullpen, but their rotation is so lacking that they sent out a 21-year-old to take on the defending World Series champions in Game 1 of the NLCS. And we all saw how well that worked out.

Clayton Kershaw has plenty of potential, and he compiled an impressive 2.79 ERA this season, but there’s a reason he went 8-8. He walks too many batters, and as a result of his high pitch counts, he struggles to pitch deep into games. That’s exactly what happened on Thursday night, when he walked five and threw 89 pitches in only 4 2/3 innings. Oh, and he gave up five runs.

Overall, the Dodgers simply can’t match the Phillies’ depth in the rotation. With Cole Hamels, Cliff Lee, Pedro Martinez and J.A. Happ, Philadelphia has the necessary talent in its rotation to potentially stifle any offense. And hey, Brad Lidge hasn’t blown a save yet, so maybe their bullpen won’t be that big of a weakness after all. Considering that the Phillies were able to win the World Series with Jamie Moyer in the rotation last year, they certainly have the ability to repeat as champions this season.
   
In the American League, the Angels are an interesting case. They have two top-of-the-line starters in John Lackey and Jered Weaver, as well as a solid closer in Brian Fuentes — but that’s about all they have. Joe Saunders is pedestrian at best, Scott Kazmir is wildly inconsistent, and the bullpen, which put together a 4.49 ERA during the regular season, is a jumble of mediocrity.

The Halos can obviously compete with what they have. A couple of strong starters can make up for what is otherwise a very weak pitching staff (see: 2001 World Series). But if either Lackey or Weaver stumbles, that will put the Angels in a hole they might not be able to climb out of — especially against the Yankees in the ALCS.

The Bombers have been known all year for their offense, but they boast perhaps the most complete pitching staff in baseball. CC Sabathia is a true ace, capable of pitching three times in a short series. Andy Pettitte is tied for the most career postseason wins, and A.J. Burnett — while not the steadiest of pitchers — has the talent to shut down anyone.
   
Plus, the arrangement in the bullpen is the best that New York has had since the ‘90s. Joba Chamberlain, who has a career 1.53 ERA as a reliever, has been tossing the seventh. Phil Hughes (1.40 ERA in relief this season) has been pitching the eighth. And of course, Mariano Rivera, as effective as ever at age 39, owns the ninth.

If the Yankees have a lead after six innings, they can turn it over to the JoPhiMo combo (as it is hereby nicknamed — spread the word) to close the door on their opponents. And even if the Bombers don’t have a lead, as long as the ‘pen can keep them in the game, they have shown that they are more than capable of coming back in the later innings.

 As such, it seems that Las Vegas had good reason to select the Yankees as the favorite to win the World Series.
   
But as the other Vegas pick, the Cardinals, proved in the first round, anything can happen in the playoffs.

The Red Sox have owned the Angels over the past few years, but nobody would’ve known from the way Thursday night played out. After winning in impressive fashion against Boston’s No. 1 starter, the Halos have to be considered a strong favorite to win the series, right?

Not so fast.

The Angels have long been known as a team fueled by pitching and the aggressive managerial style of Mike Scioscia. But this season, it wasn’t small ball that got them into the playoffs. It was on-base percentage and power — in other words, pure offense.

The Halos were third in the majors with a .350 OBP during the regular season (after they finished 18th with a .330 mark in 2008), and they scored the second-most runs in the big leagues by plating 883 — or 118 more than they did in ’08, when they finished 15th in the majors.
 
But look up and down the lineup: Which of these guys scare you?

The heart of the Angels’ order is old. Bobby Abreu (35 years old), Torii Hunter (34) and Vladimir Guerrero (34) are all well past their primes. They can’t always turn on fastballs the way they used to, and that much is evident in each of their home run totals this year (15, 22, 15, respectively). Pounding them inside and finishing them off away or with a breaking ball is a simple strategy, but it works, and it’s important to execute — as Hunter proved on Thursday, when he launched a fastball over the middle of the plate for a long home run.

Further down in the lineup, there are only more question marks. Juan Rivera has some pop, but his .332 OBP leaves something to be desired. Howie Kendrick has the same problem, except without the power.

Scioscia loves light-hitting catcher Jeff Mathis, even though Mike Napoli is a much bigger threat at the dish — especially against lefties, against whom he’s hit .330 with a 1.023 OPS this year. And then there’s Erick Aybar, whose career high in home runs is five.

Of course, that conveniently leaves out Kendry Morales, who has filled in for the departed Mark Teixeira remarkably well. But despite Morales’ striking numbers — .306 average, 34 homers, 104 RBIs – he has plenty of weaknesses.

He, like most of the Halos’ lineup, is susceptible to the inside fastball, and his track record against upper-tier pitchers is poor. Of his 34 dingers this season, only one has come against an All-Star (Justin Verlander), and that was his very first long ball of the year way back on April 22. Against Josh Beckett, whom he will face in Game 2, he’s 0-for-7 with three strikeouts this season.

When you boil it down, the key to limiting the Angels’ prolific offense is throwing heat and hitting spots. They tend to struggle against flamethrowers, and that’s just what the Red Sox happen to have plenty of — both in the rotation and the bullpen.

As long as Boston’s hurlers can keep their composure and limit their walks against the Halos — particularly considering the Angels’ speed and the Red Sox’ ineptitude at throwing runners out — they are easily capable of handling the Angels’ lineup.

The real concern for the Red Sox shouldn’t be keeping the Angels’ hitters at bay; it should be getting on base and scoring runs themselves. After getting shut out by John Lackey in Game 1, Boston will face yet another difficult test in Jered Weaver on Friday night. Weaver’s numbers this year have been better than Lackey’s in almost every category — including ERA, WHIP and strikeouts.

It’s almost a given that Beckett, who boasts a 2.90 postseason ERA, is going to toss a strong game against the Angels. But ultimately, it will be up to the Red Sox’ batters to string together timely hits and put up some crooked numbers on the scoreboard.

If they can’t do that, they’ll be headed home a bit sooner than expected.

For Aroldis Chapman, though, defection was as easy as walking out the door. A former member of the Cuban national baseball team, Chapman was with the squad in the Netherlands on July 1 when he sauntered out of the team’s hotel, hopped in car with an acquaintance and drove away for good. Defection complete.

But there’s more to Chapman than just the quirky story of his expatriation. There’s a reason that he left his country: The kid can play baseball. Standing at 6-foot-4 and 180 pounds, Chapman is one of the most intriguing baseball prospects in the world — and perhaps the most exciting international product since Daisuke Matsuzaka himself.

A mere 21 years old, Chapman throws a fastball that has been clocked as high as 102 miles per hour, as well as what scouts refer to as a “plus” curveball and a “plus” slider. And if that wasn’t enough to get your attention, he’s also a southpaw.

To put his heater in perspective, the left-handed starters in the majors with the highest average fastball velocity are CC Sabathia (94.2), Clayton Kershaw (93.9) and Jon Lester (93.6). Now, there’s obviously no way that Chapman could average a 102-mph fastball. But it’s surely not a stretch to imagine that he’d be among the cream of the crop in MLB.

So when will we see Chapman playing in the United States? As soon as next season.
   
A week ago, MLB officially declared Chapman a free agent. That means that any team can sign him — right now. Unlike the impending MLB free agents that will have to wait until November to consider deals from other teams, Chapman can ink a deal whenever he receives an offer that he likes.
   
And surprise, surprise: The Red Sox and Yankees are interested. As are the Angels, Mets and likely numerous other major league teams whose GMs have a pulse.
   
But let’s be honest, this one almost certainly is going to boil down to another classic showdown between the Red Sox and the Evil Empire. Everybody knows that the Yankees won the last contest for a talented Cuban import when they landed Jose Contreras in 2003 (though that one didn’t exactly work out the way they expected). And of course, the Red Sox took it to another level in their bid for Dice-K.
   
So who will sign Chapman? It likely will take a lengthy contract and a lot of money, and it is anybody’s guess who will dish out enough dough to satisfy Chapman’s demands.
   
One thing that’s for certain, though, is what Chapman will potentially bring to the table: superstar talent.
   
But still, he’ll have to go through a development phase like anyone else — and possibly a lengthy one. Despite his immense natural ability, Chapman hasn’t exactly dominated his competition. He posted a 4.03 ERA in the Cuban league last year and a 5.68 mark in the World Baseball Classic.

Most scouts agree that Chapman will have to spend some time in the minor leagues before he can help a big league club, as he has yet to truly harness his stuff. Nonetheless, he would be a valuable acquisition for any team, including the Red Sox.
   
The team could simply work him through the minor leagues the same way it did Junichi Tazawa, who made it from Double-A all the way to the majors this year. And while Chapman will probably get a much bigger contract than Tazawa — who signed for three years and $3.3 million — and quite possibly will need more time down on the farm, his potential impact as a big leaguer is greater.
   
The Red Sox seem to have their pitching pretty well covered for the next few years. Josh Beckett, Jon Lester, Clay Buchholz, Tim Wakefield and Daisuke Matsuzaka all figure to be in the team’s rotation next season.  Plus, they have guys like Tazawa and Michael Bowden waiting in the wings.
   
But as the old baseball adage goes — and as the organization learned this year — you can never have too much pitching. Sometimes players get injured, and sometimes they just aren’t effective.  In those cases, it’s always nice to have a fireballer down in the minors just waiting for an opportunity to prove himself.
   
And in the worst case scenario, even if Chapman can’t crack the Red Sox’ starting rotation for a couple of years, he could certainly provide some support from the bullpen. After all, effective lefty relievers are already rare. One who could throw a 102-mph fastball would be wholly unique.

Toronto general manager Bryan Colangelo purportedly was a fan of Belinelli's leading up to the 2007 NBA draft, but he was unable to do anything about it, as the Raptors had traded away all their picks that year. The Warriors nabbed him with the 18th overall selection, and after spending most of his rookie season on the bench, the 6-foot-5 native of Bologna averaged 8.9 points, 1.7 rebounds and 2.1 assists in 42 games for Golden State in 2008-09.

He will join countryman Andrea Bargnani on the Raptors' roster, as well as fellow Europeans Hedo Turkoglu and Jose Calderon.

Meanwhile, George goes to the Warriors after being traded for the second time this offseason — the first being the sign-and-trade deal that sent Shawn Marion to the Mavericks. George averaged 3.4 points and 1.8 rebounds with Dallas last season.

Joba Chamberlain

Chamberlain, taking almost no time in between pitches, tossed eight scoreless innings, allowing just three hits and two walks while striking out five against the Rays. After struggling to start the season, Chamberlain has looked like a different pitcher in his past three starts, going 3-0 while surrendering just eight hits in 21 2/3 innings. He now stands at 7-2 with a 3.58 ERA.

Matt Garza wasn't bad for the Rays, allowing three runs on eight hits over seven innings, but the Yanks touched up Tampa's bullpen for three runs in two innings to put the game out of reach. Robinson Cano, Melky Cabrera and Mark Teixeira all went deep for the Bombers — with Cabrera and Teixeira's shots coming in the ninth inning — as New York improved to 62-39 on the year.

The Yankees held a seemingly insurmountable 6-0 lead heading into the bottom of the ninth, but reliever Brian Bruney and the Rays' lineup made it interesting. Carl Crawford led off the frame with a triple, while Evan Longoria followed with a long ball to make it 6-2. After getting Ben Zobrist to pop up, Bruney then surrendered a double to Carlos Pena and was promptly removed from the game by manager Joe Girardi.

Despite it being a non-save situation, Girardi wasn't taking any risks, calling upon closer Mariano Rivera to record the final two outs. Mo did so without much incident, allowing a walk to Gabe Gross but striking out Pat Burrell and Michael Hernandez to shut the door on the Rays and give the Yankees their fourth consecutive series victory.

The Yankees now have gone a sizzling 11-2 since the All-Star break on the strength of a team 3.03 ERA in that time. They hold a 7 1/2 game advantage over the Rays and a 3 1/2 game lead over the Red Sox in the AL East.

Though the Padres have said over the past weeks that they would not move Gonzalez and risk alienating a fan base that has little to believe in these days, San Diego has reportedly reconsidered, according to ESPN's Buster Olney (subscription required). The Padres are now open to dealing both Gonzalez and closer Heath Bell if they believe it will help the team in the long-term.

San Diego's front office has spent the past day evaluating talent from other organizations that have expressed interest in striking a deal — including the Red Sox, who have asked about the availability of A-Gon — and began listening to offers for their first baseman and closer on Wednesday.

Gonzalez, 27, now becomes arguably the best hitter on the trade market. He's hitting .252 with 28 home runs this year — more than any slugger in the American League, despite the pitcher-friendly nature of the Padres' Petco Park.

He would likely command a king's ransom in return, not only because of his tremendous ability, but also because of his favorable contract situation: He's making just $3 million this year, $4.75 million next year and $5.5 million in 2011 (assuming his club option is picked up). Any offer from the Red Sox would likely be built around Clay Buchholz, though it would surely take more to pry Gonzalez away from San Diego.

Of course, if the Red Sox were able to get Gonzalez, it would leave them with a glut of infielders, not all of whom would be able to receive regular playing time. But with a bat as talented and impactful as Gonzalez's in the lineup, it almost certainly would be a problem that Theo Epstein & Co. would like to have.

Ingram started his collegiate playing career as a walk-on defensive end at Hawaii in 2005, but he switched to long snapper during his fourth game and quickly found success. The 6-foot-3, 235-pound lineman was taken 198th overall in the NFL draft and was the only long snapper to be selected.

To make room for Ingram on the roster, the Patriots released defensive back Jamar Love, who signed with New England on April 30th as an undrafted free agent.

Hirsh has spent all of 2009 in the minors, compiling a 6.66 ERA in 101 1/3 innings at Triple-A Colorado Springs. The 6-foot-8 righty's best season came in 2007, when he helped the Rockies make the playoffs by putting together a 4.81 ERA in 112 1/3 innings for big league club.

The Yankees gave up a player to be named later for Hirsh, who will be sent to their Triple-A affiliate at Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.

In an unrelated move, the Yankees also released pitcher Brett Tomko, who had been designated for assignment on July 22 to make room for No. 5 starter Sergio Mitre.

Michael Phelps, wearing only long pants instead of a full body suit, won the 200-meter butterfly at the world championships on Wednesday in a record time of 1:51.51. Phelps broke his own previous world record of 1:52.03, which he set at the Beijing Olympics, in the event that many consider to be his best.

"I've always done well in it," Phelps told ESPN.com. "I guess you can call it my bread and butter event."

Phelps' win comes one day after his upset loss to Paul Biedermann in the 200 freestyle. Following his first setback in a major individual swimming event in over four years, Phelps was determined to get back to his winning ways on Wednesday.

"I wanted to step on it in the first 100 to get out there in the clean water, and that's pretty much what happened," Phelps told ESPN. "It was a lot more pain last night than tonight."

Phelps' loss on Tuesday was a controversial one, as Biedermann was wearing a buoyancy-aiding suit that helped him set two world records in the course of three days. But Phelps simply used that as motivation, according to an anonymous source that works closely with the swimming superstar.

"I can tell you this: He swam that 200 meters pissed off," the source was quoted by ABCNews.com. "He was out [through the first 50 meters of the race] in 24.7 [seconds] … That is ridiculous. He never swims like that. He was out of control from the start."

Wang went on the disabled list for the second time this season on July 5 with a strained right shoulder. He was examined by the famed Dr. James Andrews, and it was determined that Wang would have to shut it down for the rest of the year.

"It's a tough loss for us," manager Joe Girardi told The Associated Press. "I feel for him. He's been through a lot the last 14, 15 months. Hopefully this will be the end of the surgeries for him and he'll have the rest of his career to be real healthy. We'll be there for him and we'll help him get through this. We'll get him back pitching as soon as we can."

Wang also missed most of last year after injuring his right foot running the bases in an interleague game against the Astros on June 15. He had struggled to regain his form in nine starts this season, going 1-6 with a 9.64 ERA in 12 games.

With the news of Wang's prognosis, the Yankees — already short on starting pitcher depth — may have even more reason to be active in the trade market before Friday's deadline.

Coming off a 27 up, 27 down performance against the Rays, Buehrle
held the Twins without a baserunner for 5 1/3 innings on Tuesday,
stretching his streak to 45 consecutive batters retired. That broke a
major league record shared by White Sox teammate Bobby Jenks, who retired 41 straight in relief in 2007, and Jim Barr, who accomplished the feat over two starts back in 1972.

Buerhle set the record by inducing a grounder from former teammate Joe Crede to shortstop Alexei Ramirez for the second out of the fifth inning. He then got Brendan Harris to do the same thing, extending his perfection to 14 consecutive innings.

But things started to fall apart for Buehrle in the sixth. With two outs, he allowed a walk to Minnesota's Alexei Casilla to end the streak, followed by a Denard Span single to break up the no-hitter. Joe Mauer then smacked a ground-rule double to plate a run.

Buehrle got out of the inning by means of a Justin Morneau groundout, but the Twins would go on to score four more times in the subsequent frame, chasing him from the game.

The 30-year-old southpaw now stands at 11-4 on the year with a 3.45 ERA.

On the other side, Scott Kazmir pitched like the ace he can be, not the guy who had a 6.69
ERA coming into Tuesday's contest, tossing seven innings of one-run
ball. He allowed five hits and one walk while striking out four to improve to 5-6 on the season and lower his ERA to 6.22. It was his first win since May 9 of this year.

The Rays got on the scoreboard first in the second inning, when Dioner Navarro hit a sacrifice fly to score Ben Zobrist. Tampa then plated two more in the following frame, as Carl Crawford tripled to knock in B.J. Upton and came around to score himself on an error from Alex Rodriguez.

The Yankees were able to get one across in the fifth on a Hideki Matsui RBI single, but the Rays put up three more runs in the next two innings to put the game out of reach.

New York managed to score one more run in the ninth, but it was too little, too late for the Bombers, who dropped to 61-39 on the season. The lone bright spot of the game for the Yankees was the performance of recently recalled reliever Mark Melancon, who allowed one hit and struck out two over 2 1/3 shutout innings.

The Rays, fighting to stay alive in the playoff race, now stand 6 1/2 games behind the Yankees in the AL East.

New Orleans sent Tyson Chandler to Charlotte in exchange for former UConn star Emeka Okafor in a straight-up, one-for-one trade of 26-year-old centers. Both players were No. 2 overall picks in the NBA draft — Chandler in 2001 after coming out of high school, and Okafor in 2004 after winning a national championship and graduating in three years with Connecticut.

In Okafor, the Hornets get a guy who has averaged a double-double for his career (14.0 points, 10.7 rebounds) to complement Chris Paul and give the team a low-post scoring option. They also get a guy that they expect to be on the floor, as Okafor has played in all 82 regular season games the past two years — 39 more games than Chandler.

"Emeka is one of the premier centers in the NBA with All-Star caliber
scoring and rebounding averages throughout his career," Hornets GM Jeff Bower told ESPN.com. "His potential to improve is endless once you
put him on the court running with Chris Paul."

In return, the Bobcats receive the taller, more defensive-minded Chandler, who coach Larry Brown feels is a better fit for his system.

"We're getting a young kid who is long and athletic and can play multiple positions and fills a need that we obviously have," Brown told ESPN.com.

The Hornets tried to trade Chandler to the Oklahoma City Thunder in the middle of last season, but the deal fell through after he failed a physical. The 7-foot-1 center averaged 8.8 points and 8.7 rebounds last year with New Orleans but missed significant time with ankle and toe injuries.

Michael Phelps lost in a major individual competition for the first time in four years on Tuesday, as Germany's Paul Biedermann topped him with a new world record in the 200-meter freestyle — one which Phelps previously owned — at the world swimming championships. But it wasn't necessarily because Biedermann is the better pure swimmer.

Biedermann was wearing Arena X-Glide polyurethane suit, considered faster than Phelps' Speedo LZR Racer. With the technological advantage, Biedermann was not only able to topple Phelps and his world record by over a second. He also trumped Ian Thorpe's world record in the 400 free.

"The suits make a difference," Biedermann told ESPN.com. "I hope there will be a time when I can beat Michael Phelps without these suits. I hope next year. I hope it's really soon."

That time will have to come soon for Biedermann, as swimming's governing body, FINA, has banned buoyancy-aiding suits like the Arena X-Glide starting in 2010.

But that might not be soon enough for Phelps' coach Bob Bowman, who was outraged after the loss.

"We've lost all the history of the sport," Bowman told ESPN.com. "Does a 10-year-old boy in Baltimore want to break Paul Biedermann's record? Is that going to make him join swimming?"

"I'm done with this," Bowman continued. "[The changes have] to be implemented immediately. The sport is in shambles right now, and they better do something or they're going to lose their guy who fills these suits."

Phelps, though disappointed, was a little more in control than his coach after the race.

"Theoretically, that was a pretty good swim for me — three-tenths off my best time after taking six months off," Phelps said. "I mean, I'm not happy, but I mean I know I didn't train much this year. For right now, I'll take it."

Still, Phelps — who was noticeably uncomfortable when taking pictures with Biedermann and bronze medalist Danila Izotov after the race — couldn't help but take a parting shot at the suit that beat him.

"It's going to be fun next year," he said, "when swimming is back to swimming."

The decision to put Burress on the stand is a calculated move by Burress' attorney, Benjamin Brafman, in response to Manhattan District Attorney Robert Morgenthau's comments about the case on Monday.

"My concern is that the comments by the district attorney's office may have irreparably prejudiced those proceedings," Brafman was quoted by ESPN. "I am now considering the legal options available to respond."

Morgenthau told the New York Post that while the former Giants wide receiver was willing to spend a year behind bars, the prosecution was pushing for two in a plea deal.

"We've always taken the position that he's going to have to go to jail, whether by trial or by plea," Morgenthau said.

Burress is facing a minimum of 3 1/2 years in prison — and maximum of
15 — if convicted for unlawful possession of a firearm after he shot himself in a New York night club with
an unlicensed gun on Nov. 29, 2008. But Brafman believes there are numerous reasons for his client to be exonerated.

"There are many mitigating circumstances in this case," Brafman told ESPN.com. "First, the gun was not used in the commission of a crime. The only victim here was Plaxico Burress. And the gun was registered in the state of Florida, which has reciprocating registration agreements in 32 states. My client was under the impression that the same was the case in the city of New York."

Burress is currently a free agent after being released by the Giants in April. The 6-foot-5 receiver has garnered some interest from teams around the NFL, but he could still face punishment from commissioner Roger Goodell regardless of how his legal proceedings play out.

Though Robinson has been searching for a multiyear pact, the one-year deal with the Knicks would pay him above market value and allow him to pursue another contract next offseason. Robinson reportedly could have signed for a similar annual salary with the Greek team Olympiakos — which offered him a two-year, $10 million deal — but he declined to take his playing career overseas.

The deal would also be beneficial for the Knicks, who would preserve salary cap space for the illustrious free agent class of 2010. They also would keep their options open with Robinson, as they very well could offer him the biggest contract next summer by means of the Larry Bird (or "qualifying veteran free agents") exception, which allows teams to retain their own players even if they are above the salary cap.

Meanwhile, the Knicks are continuing to negotiate with their other restricted free agent, forward David Lee. Though Robinson's deal could give the Knicks more financial breathing room to sign Lee to a long-term contract, the New York Daily News is reporting that the team is still attempting to ink him to a one-year contract worth around $7-8 million. If the two sides cannot agree, Lee might be shipped out of town in a sign-and-trade maneuver.

According to a report from the New York Daily News, commissioner Bud Selig is strongly considering removing Rose's name from the baseball's "permanently ineligible" list.

Several Hall of Famers expressed support for Rose over the weekend's induction ceremony, including ex-teammates Joe Morgan and Frank Robinson. He also received an endorsement from former home run king Hank Aaron, who met with reporters on Saturday.

"I would like to see Pete in [the Hall of Fame]," Aaron said. "He belongs there."

If Rose were reinstated, his Hall of Fame candidacy would go straight to the Veterans Committee ballot — a vote taken by the 65 living members of the Hall of Fame — as his 15 years of eligibility on the baseball writers’ ballot passed during his ban.

"I think a lot of the guys feel that it's been 20 years now for Pete, and would lean toward leniency and time served," an unnamed Hall of Famer told the Daily News. "If he had admitted it in the first place and apologized way back then, he'd probably be in the Hall by now."

Red Sox skipper Terry Francona also voiced his support for Rose on Monday. 

"First of all, I feel for Mr. Selig," Francona told projo.com. "He's in an impossible position. Saying that, when people ask me, 'Should Pete Rose be in the Hall of Fame?' I have very little ability to give an unbiased answer. I love the guy. I played for him. I played with him. I respect the position Mr. Selig is in, because it's a no-win or very-little-win situation on his part. But I also hope this guy ends up in the Hall of Fame."

Of course, not everyone sees eye-to-eye on Rose's potential plaque in Cooperstown.

"I know there are still guys who feel strongly against him, and I don't know if that would change even if Selig clears him," another Hall of Famer told the Daily News.

Former commissioner Fay Vincent agreed that Rose was anything but a lock for the Hall of Fame. In fact, he was quoted by ESPN.com as saying that he did not think pardoning Rose would be a prudent decision for Selig.

"It's not about Pete Rose,” Vincent said. “It's about what's best for baseball. The deterrent for gambling is uppermost and it works. Amidst enormous gambling in this country, if you touch the 'gambling third rail' in baseball, you die. Nobody has ever been reinstated. If you change that, you run the risk of a spate of episodes like Tim Donaghy in the NBA. It's not wise and not necessary."

Still, it appears that the movement for Rose to be reinstated is gaining significant steam. With steroids now the most controversial topic in baseball, perhaps people are starting to take a softer stance on Rose's transgressions.

"I know him probably better than most people, and certainly from a different vantage point, being a teammate and playing for him," Francona said. "I know this guy loves the game more than himself. Whatever mistakes were made, I know this guy loves the game. I know he respects the game."

"Believe me, that little session Hank had with [reporters] was anything but impromptu," Reggie Jackson told the Daily News of Hank Aaron's Saturday news meeting — when Aaron also suggested for the first time that steroid users go into the Hall of Fame with asterisks accompanying their statistics. "He wanted to get [his support for Rose] out there. It was time."

The incident occurred during an exhibition match between the L.A. Galaxy, Beckham's current team, and A.C. Milan, with whom Beckham played earlier this year. After Beckham said he wanted to remain overseas past the expiration of his loan, Galaxy fans treated him in a hostile manner during his first game back in the U.S.

With the L.A. "Riot Squad" — a group of confrontational fans — getting on his case, Beckham attempted to climb into the stands at halftime before security stopped him.

"We support our players interacting with fans, whether it is at clinics, charity events or by high-fiving their supporters in the stands while celebrating a goal," commissioner Don Garber told the AP. "However, our players should never engage in conduct that can be interpreted as encouraging fans to come out of the stands and onto the field, regardless of the reason."

Despite the embarrassing nature of the entire sequence of events, Beckham refused to apologize following the game.

"It's not a setback for myself," Beckham told CBSSports.com on Thursday. "It's other people that have to change. It's not about whether I can move on. I wasn't the one booing.

"Of course, I don't like my son seeing that and hearing that. From an organized group of fans, I think it was disrespectful."

The Riot Squad released its own statement through its Web site, claiming that Beckham was mostly to blame for the incident.

"Had David responded differently on Sunday, the booing and the chanting probably would have ended at halftime," the statement said. "We don't believe questioning Beckham's commitment to our team is over the line, but it's clear that David feels otherwise."

Despite being formally "punished" by the MLS by means of a fine, Beckham's wallet won't be getting too much lighter. The $1,000 penalty represents only 0.002 percent of Beckham's $50 million annual salary — not including endorsements.