Joe Randa

The Orioles will be without their top starting pitcher for at least a month now that right-hander Jason Hammel has decided to have loose cartilage surgically removed from his right knee. Hammel, who was forced out of Friday's game because of intense pain...

The Cubs' rotation goes on trial this weekend at PNC Park with three starters trying to prove they belong there for the long haul. Rookie Sean Marshall made his opening statement Friday night in an 11-6 victory over Pittsburgh, pitching five solid...

The old Carlos Zambrano was back Tuesday night at PNC Park, screaming out loud on the field during the sixth inning after a Cubs error cost him a run. But this time the object of Zambrano's ire was himself. The Cubs' ace made two mind-numbing errors,...

Before Monday night's 2-1 victory over Pittsburgh, Cubs manager Dusty Baker explained his philosophy on motivating struggling players. "Sometimes when you're down and things aren't right and you're trying to figure it out, sometimes you need a hug versus...

After losing outfielder Angel Pagan to a hamstring injury Saturday night in a 2-1 loss to Pittsburgh, the Cubs faced a big decision on whether to call up top prospect Felix Pie from Triple-A Iowa. Though the Cubs had hoped to let Pie get playing time...

Despite all the hoopla surrounding the arrival of exuberant manager Ozzie Guillen when he replaced Jerry Manuel, the White Sox are just one game better than they were at this point last season: 54-50 as opposed to 53-51. Wednesday night's 11-0 loss to...

After Corey Patterson scaled the right-field wall like Spiderman and robbed Joe Randa of a potential home run to end the first inning of Tuesday night's 7-1 victory over Cincinnati, a handful of Cubs waited on the field to greet him before he reached...

Frank Thomas said in spring training it was time for the White Sox to become Magglio Ordonez's team. "Magglio has grown up into that role," Thomas said in March. "He's making $14 million, and he's a superstar. Let him do his thing." Ordonez did his...

Among the many great expectations and grand plans the White Sox had in spring training, one of the biggest was for Jon Garland to take a major leap and begin fulfilling the promise everyone expected of him. It hasn't quite worked out that way, but...

Cuban-born Jose Contreras speaks very little English, but all of his new teammates could understand the pitcher's natural anxiety before his White Sox debut. "I am sure he had some butterflies. We had some butterflies for him," said catcher Ben Davis,...

One big inning. And two big scares. The White Sox earned a 5-4 victory over the Royals on Tuesday night by scoring five runs in the second inning, highlighted by Roberto Alomar's heady baserunning and a two-run homer by Frank Thomas. Then they had to...

2006 record: 67-95, 5th Manager: Jim Tracy (2nd season). Home games: McKechnie Field (6,602), 1611 9th Street West, Bradenton, Fla. 34205. Directions: Travel on I-75 to Highway 64 (Manatee Avenue) west. Turn left onto 9th Street West, and stadium is about...