The tip-off that Selig may now be inclined to pardon baseball's all-time hit king was Hank Aaron's seemingly impromptu interview session with a small group of reporters in the lobby of the Otesaga Hotel on Saturday. In declaring for the first time that he would want an asterisk put on the achievements of any steroid cheats elected to the Hall of Fame, Aaron brought up Rose, who, in August of 1989, was given a lifetime ban for gambling on baseball, saying: "I would like to see Pete in. He belongs there."

It is no secret that Selig considers Aaron one of his closest friends and values his opinions over perhaps all others. It was also learned by the Daily News that in a meeting of the Hall of Fame's board of directors at the Otesaga later on Saturday, two of Rose's former teammates on the board, vice chairman Joe Morgan and Frank Robinson, also expressed their hope that Selig would see fit to reinstate Rose.

With Carlos Beltran kept out of a third straight game because of what the team is calling a stomach virus, and John Maine showing only slight improvement, trainer Ray Ramirez addressed the team before yesterday's game. Ramirez briefed the players on the developments involving the sick producer, who regularly travels on the team's chartered plane, and told them what to look out for. The producer returned to New York Tuesday afternoon.

"It has not been confirmed as swine flu, but it definitely is a case of the flu," assistant general manager John Ricco said. "We've been told it's not a type of illness that's transmitted through the air. It's something more with droplets, shaking hands or sneezing, so we're not too worried.

"The symptoms we've been told have been marked by generally high fever, joint aches, and fatigue. It comes on you rather quickly - not something that comes on in a slow fashion. These symptoms are not consistent at all with what Carlos Beltran and John Maine have at the present time. Our players are being informed that this has happened, and if they are at present with any of the symptoms to let our trainer know."

Grimes, who has been criticized for letting the game get so far out of hand, made it clear in the e-mail Sunday to the newspaper that he does not agree with his school's assessment.

"In response to the statement posted on The Covenant School website, I do not agree with the apology or the notion that the Covenant School girls basketball team should feel embarrassed or ashamed," Grimes wrote in the e-mail to USA TODAY. "We played the game as it was meant to be played. My values and my beliefs would not allow me to run up the score on any opponent, and it will not allow me to apologize for a wide-margin victory when my girls played with honor and integrity."

Adding Bradley was one of the top priorities this offseason for the Cubs, who got swept out of the playoffs for the second straight year after a lineup loaded with right-handers struggled against the Los Angeles Dodgers. A switch-hitter, Bradley batted .321 with 22 homers for Texas while leading the American League with a .436 on-base percentage. He made the All-Star team while serving primarily as a designated hitter.

In Chicago, he'll fill the Cubs' need for a left-handed bat in the middle of the order and will be used mostly in right field even though he has played 100 games in the field just once -- in 2004 with the Dodgers. The Cubs will likely spell him with Kosuke Fukudome, who also will platoon with Reed Johnson in center. Fukudome was in right field last season.

While the Red Sox may dislike being mentioned with their main rivals, they have become more like the Yankees than the Yankees, who have not won a title in seven years. The Red Sox recorded World Series sweeps twice in a four-year span, making them the first team to do that since the Yankees in 1998 and 1999. The A.L. has won 7 of the last 10 World Series, including five with sweeps.

"Right now, the American League seems to be a little bit better," said John Henry, the Red Sox' principal owner.

When the Red Sox were down, three games to none, to the Yankees in the A.L. Championship Series three years ago, they were one loss from extending an 86-year title drought. But after the Red Sox' comeback against the Yankees led to an elusive championship, they are no longer burdened by those doubts. Instead, the Red Sox are an organization to be envied: they have talent, money and intelligence.

There's no exaggerating how long it has been since baseball has seen this kind of offensive display. The 30 runs scored are the fourth most in major league history. The Chicago Colts (now the Cubs) defeated the Louisville Royals, 36-7, in 1897. No American League team has surpassed the Rangers' output, with the Boston Red Sox and Chicago White Sox totaling 29 in 1950 and 1955, respectively.

Bonds was 1-for-4 with an infield single on the final day of the San Francisco Giants' homestand, failing to come close to a home run during an 8-5 loss to the Florida Marlins.

Still one from tying Hank Aaron's record of 755, Bonds even took a rare swing on a 3-0 pitch in an effort to reach Hammerin’ Hank. Now he takes his quest to a place where his reception figures to be anything but friendly: Dodger Stadium.