The Mets continue to hope Pedro Martinez will get ready in a hurry. He said after a rehab assignment Tuesday in the rookie-level Gulf Coast League that he might need only one more start before being ready to go, but early results do not suggest he is going to throw big-league zeros anytime soon. …
The current feeling is that Joe Maddon will get a contract extension as the manager in Tampa Bay. …
Teams that are built around their hitting attacks are always prone to slides. Just ask the Indians, who scored two runs or fewer in 11 of 19 games recently. …
The Twins coveted infielder Matt Macri years ago but couldn’t stop him from honoring his scholarship to Notre Dame. They finally landed him, getting him from Colorado in a deal for Ramon Ortiz. Macri is general manager Terry Ryan’s kind of player, which means he might force his way into the 2008 picture. …
Texas is expected to trade Gerald Laird this winter and turn over the catcher’s job to Jarrod Saltalamacchia. Laird could be in demand, given the dearth of quality catchers on the free-agent market. …
Jeff Weaver again has made an amazing turnaround, raising his career record for August to 20-13. The Cardinals really wanted him to stay, and they might have been able to keep him from getting off to such a horrible start if he had stayed. …
Like Barry Bonds, Braves manager Bobby Cox just kept going after he claimed the record, getting ejected from Wednesday night’s game after setting the all-time record with his 132nd ejection Tuesday. …
Talk about being held together with Band-Aids. The Phillies are getting good work in the bullpen from Antonio Alfonseca, who was released by the Rangers last season; Jose Mesa, released by the Tigers in June, and J.C. Romero, released by the Red Sox in June. …
The Astros’ Hunter Pence could be back this week, rejoining an intriguing Rookie of the Year race headed by Milwaukee’s Ryan Braun and Colorado’s Troy Tulowitzki.
