Who's hot

Royals starters have a 2.09 ERA (eight runs in 38 2/3 innings) during the past six games.

Who's not

The Pirates have only four more victories after 87 games than they did while losing 100 games last season.

Line of the day

Placido Polanco, Cards 2B

AB ................. R ........ H ........... RBI ......... HR

5 .................... 3 ......... 5 .............. 1 ............ 0

On deck

Matt Williams, who broke his left ankle in March, is expected to rejion the D'backs after the All-Star break.

He said it

"It was a terrible trade. We just traded a No. 1 starter who's 25 years old and wanted to stay here. ... I think he'll win a Cy Young with New York, a couple of them."

Bobby Higginson, Tigers outfielder, on the trade of Jeff Weaver