Boston has sent RHP David Riske (above) to the White Sox in exhange for 28 year old lefty Javier Lopez. The latter has 12 saves in ’06 for the International League’s Charlotte Knights, and could well occupy the spot in the Red Sox pen since vacated by Keith Foulke (ie. the guy who only wants to talk about trucks, hockey and barbeque).

The Chicago Sun-Times’ Chris DeLuca writes that Mark Prior is expected to make his first major league start of the season this Sunday against Detroit. Which means, in all probability, Prior will return to the DL no later than Monday night. The Cubs are clinging to a 2-1 lead over the Astros today at Wrigley ; Carlos Zambrano has stuck out 4 and allowed 5 hits over 6 innings, while Jacque Jones homered off Houston’s Ferando Nieve.

The San Jose Mercury News’ Chris Haft reports the Sultan Of Surly is now wearing a girdle. I am certain Barry isn’t the only guy in the big leagues who enages in this practice, but he’s just the most prominent one to have been caught.

Alex Rodriguez hit his 14th HR of the season earlier today against the Indians’ Cliff Lee. Though the Yankees were trailing 6-1 at the time, I would like to point out a) they all count the same and b) A-Rod is every bit as “real” a Yankee as Chad Curtis. New York is currently down, 8-4 in the top of the 9th. Mike Mussina had a pretty bad day, but so did Gary Glitter. It’s all relative.