YankeeDoodle

There were indications late last night that trade talks between the Padres and Red Sox concerning first baseman Adrian Gonzalez were still active and would likely peak today before the trade deadline. Padres GM Kevin Towers was said to be asking for “a ton” for Gonzalez according to one major league source familiar with the Padres’ thinking.

ARLINGTON — Just about everyone in the Texas Rangers’ organization, on the field or off it, wants to make a deal before the non-waiver trade deadline passes at 3 p.m. today. The Rangers have the prospects to get any potential trade partner’s attention. But in a sport where $5 million seems like spare change, it’s been suggested for the past few months that the Rangers come up with only lint when they dig into their pockets. That might not be entirely true.

But the last out to secure his second career no-hitter? That seemed to unwind in slow motion. Buehrle delivered a curveball that started high in the zone. Tampa Bay Rays No. 9 hitter Jason Bartlett chopped at it and hit a high-bouncing ball to shortstop. Alexei Ramirez glided over a few steps, scooped up the ball and delivered a looping throw to first base. Josh Fields steadied his hands and gathered in the routine throw. Twenty-seven batters, 27 outs.

Manager Jerry Manuel said tomorrow night in Washington against Nationals left-hander John Lannan is a good possibility for Sheffield to be in the lineup, but the manager wasn’t making any promises. “He’s sore,” Manuel said of the 40-year-old Sheffield, who exited early from Friday’s game after suffering the injury. When a reporter remarked how unusual it is for a player to still be sore if the injury was just a cramp, Manuel became circumspect — still mindful, it seemed, of the heat he got for joking about the team’s medical staff.

Ramon Hernandez had good reason for not sliding the other night. The Reds announced Sunday that the catcher (sore left knee) will be placed on the 15-day disabled list Monday. Hernandez is scheduled to have surgery Tuesday to clean out the knee, and he is expected to miss four-to-six weeks. “I’ve been playing with it and doing stuff and trying to keep the pain away, and I guess it got worse,” Hernandez said after Sunday’s game. “Now we’ve got to do something about it, because I can’t run.”