Johan Santana

NEW YORK Mets pitcher Johan Santana had shoulder surgery for the second time in 31 months. The Mets said the 34-year-old lefthander was operated on Tuesday at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York. Mets medical director David Altchek repaired a tear in the capsule in the front of Santana's left shoulder. The team said the two-time Cy Young Award winner will be hospitalized overnight. Santana is likely to miss the entire season for the second time in 3 years. He had surgery on Sept.

The Mets say Johan Santana has injured his left shoulder again and likely will need surgery and miss the 2013 season. The two-time Cy Young Award winner missed the 2011 season following shoulder surgery in September 2010, then returned last year and pitched the first no-hitter in the team's history. He hasn't pitched in an exhibition game this year because of arm weakness. Mets general manager Sandy Alderson said Thursday that an MRI in New York a day earlier showed a "probable" re-tear of Santana's left shoulder capsule.

JOHAN SANTANA AND the New York Mets were amply pleased with his latest outing. The lefthander who missed the entire major league season last year after shoulder surgery pitched 2 2/3 innings without allowing an earned run yesterday in the Mets' rain-shortened 4-2 loss to the Miami Marlins. The game was called after the fifth inning. Miami shortstop Jose Reyes, who left the Mets to sign with the Marlins in the offseason, did not make the trip. "We're still building up pitches," Santana said.

THE NEW YORK Mets say Johan Santana has injured his left shoulder again and likely will need surgery and miss the 2013 season. The two-time Cy Young Award winner missed the 2011 season following shoulder surgery in September 2010, then returned last year and pitched the first no-hitter in the team's history. He hasn't pitched in an exhibition game this year because of arm weakness. Mets general manager Sandy Alderson said Thursday that an MRI in New York a day earlier showed a "probable" retear of Santana's left shoulder capsule.

Oakland's Eric Chavez blasted a three-run home run in the top of the first inning, and Bobby Crosby added a three-run shot in the ninth as the Athletics rolled to a 10-3 win over the Los Angeles Angels yesterday. The game featured a sixth-inning brawl: Angels starter John Lackey (3-2) yielded a pair of singles and a walk in the inning before his skirmish with Jason Kendall, who charged the mound after an inside pitch. Both benches cleared, but only Lackey and Kendall were ejected.

TORONTO - Miguel Batista, Jason Frasor and Terry Adams combined on a five-hitter as the Toronto Blue Jays handed Johan Santana his first loss in 20 starts with a 5-3 victory over the Minnesota Twins last night. In the sixth inning, Santana (2-1) hit Dave Berg with a pitch with the bases loaded, giving the Blue Jays a 3-2 lead. Ex-Phillie Joe Roa then came on in relief, and he surrendered a two-run double to Reed Johnson. It was Santana's first setback since July 23, 2003, against Kansas City.

Playing it safe? Not Torii Hunter's style. That's why he has five Gold Gloves. Trying to make a tough catch right after his Minnesota teammates tied the game with back-to-back home runs, Hunter missed - and Oakland took advantage. Mark Kotsay circled the bases for a two-run, inside-the-park homer after the centerfielder's ill-advised dive for a sinking line drive, lifting the visiting Athletics over the Twins, 5-2, yesterday for a 2-0 lead in their American League Division Series.

Al Newman isn't used to being the center of attention. But the 55,915 fans at the Metrodome in Minneapolis gave the erstwhile Minnesota Twins third-base coach a hearty standing ovation yesterday as he returned to the field for the first time since suffering a brain hemorrhage Sept. 10 in Chicago. Newman smiled and mouthed "thank you" several times before throwing the ceremonial first pitch to manager Ron Gardenhire. Newman was an inspiration to the Twins during their September drive toward the American League Central title.

Ballparks around the nation have been very interested in human waste lately. Early last week came news that the Lehigh Valley IronPigs will have a "urinal gaming system" at their park this season. Step up, aim, and see how high you can score. Meanwhile, fans in Milwaukee may be upset because the Brewers are gaming the urinal system. The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported on Friday that the Brewers have decided to prevent fans from bringing portable toilets to the parking lot for their tailgate parties.

Capital concerns Unburdened by expectations, the young Washington Nationals rolled to baseball's best record last season, arriving to prominence ahead of schedule. They won't get a free ride this time. A Washington newspaper ran a picture of the World Series trophy on the cover of its season preview, along with the words, "World Series or Bust. " The heat will be on phenom Bryce Harper to avoid a sophomore slump, and Stephen Strasburg's rebuilt right elbow will have to last an entire season, and maybe deep into October.

NEW YORK Mets pitcher Johan Santana had shoulder surgery for the second time in 31 months. The Mets said the 34-year-old lefthander was operated on Tuesday at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York. Mets medical director David Altchek repaired a tear in the capsule in the front of Santana's left shoulder. The team said the two-time Cy Young Award winner will be hospitalized overnight. Santana is likely to miss the entire season for the second time in 3 years. He had surgery on Sept.

Capital concerns Unburdened by expectations, the young Washington Nationals rolled to baseball's best record last season, arriving to prominence ahead of schedule. They won't get a free ride this time. A Washington newspaper ran a picture of the World Series trophy on the cover of its season preview, along with the words, "World Series or Bust. " The heat will be on phenom Bryce Harper to avoid a sophomore slump, and Stephen Strasburg's rebuilt right elbow will have to last an entire season, and maybe deep into October.

Ballparks around the nation have been very interested in human waste lately. Early last week came news that the Lehigh Valley IronPigs will have a "urinal gaming system" at their park this season. Step up, aim, and see how high you can score. Meanwhile, fans in Milwaukee may be upset because the Brewers are gaming the urinal system. The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported on Friday that the Brewers have decided to prevent fans from bringing portable toilets to the parking lot for their tailgate parties.

The Mets say Johan Santana has injured his left shoulder again and likely will need surgery and miss the 2013 season. The two-time Cy Young Award winner missed the 2011 season following shoulder surgery in September 2010, then returned last year and pitched the first no-hitter in the team's history. He hasn't pitched in an exhibition game this year because of arm weakness. Mets general manager Sandy Alderson said Thursday that an MRI in New York a day earlier showed a "probable" re-tear of Santana's left shoulder capsule.

THE NEW YORK Mets say Johan Santana has injured his left shoulder again and likely will need surgery and miss the 2013 season. The two-time Cy Young Award winner missed the 2011 season following shoulder surgery in September 2010, then returned last year and pitched the first no-hitter in the team's history. He hasn't pitched in an exhibition game this year because of arm weakness. Mets general manager Sandy Alderson said Thursday that an MRI in New York a day earlier showed a "probable" retear of Santana's left shoulder capsule.

NEW YORK - Johan Santana pitched the first no-hitter in New York Mets' history Friday night, helped by an umpire's missed call and an outstanding catch in left field in an 8-0 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals. After a string of close calls in their 51-season history, Santana finally finished the job in the Mets' 8,020th game since the team was born in 1962. "Finally, the first one," Santana said. "That is the greatest feeling ever. " He needed a couple of key assists to pull off the majors' third no-hitter this season.

JOHAN SANTANA AND the New York Mets were amply pleased with his latest outing. The lefthander who missed the entire major league season last year after shoulder surgery pitched 2 2/3 innings without allowing an earned run yesterday in the Mets' rain-shortened 4-2 loss to the Miami Marlins. The game was called after the fifth inning. Miami shortstop Jose Reyes, who left the Mets to sign with the Marlins in the offseason, did not make the trip. "We're still building up pitches," Santana said.

ANDREW McCUTCHEN sounded a bit overwhelmed. "It all really hasn't sunk in for me yet," the All-Star centerfielder said yesterday after agreeing to a $51.5 million, 6-year contract with the Pittsburgh Pirates. "It like when you're getting remarried and you are renewing your vows. That's how I feel. " Though he hit just .259 last year, McCutchen had career highs in home runs (23) and RBI (89) while stealing 23 bases. He would have been eligible for free agency following the 2015 season.

MINNEAPOLIS - Thanks to Target Field, their new, post-retro ballpark in this city's warehouse district, the Twins, those paragons of Midwestern thrift, at last have a little pocket change. But, like the contented miser who awakes one day to find he's won the lottery, the newfound wealth also concerns this historically frugal franchise. All around baseball, people are asking the same question: Will money spoil the Twins? "We don't want to change the way we work," said general manager Bill Smith.

No city in America buzzes about a big baseball series quite like New York, and though the rivalry between the Phillies and the Mets isn't as intense or deeply rooted as the one between the Boston Red Sox and the Yankees, Shea Stadium will crackle with electricity as the National League East lead goes up for grabs tonight. The Yankees will also be in town, against Minnesota, but Yanks-Twins doesn't match up to Mets-Phillies, not the way things have gone between the teams for the last year or so. The Phillies, of course, came back from seven games down to overtake the Mets down the stretch and win the division title last season.