Ricky Ledee

The New York Yankees and Minnesota Twins neared agreement in trade talks for Chuck Knoblauch, and a person familiar with them said the deal could be announced as early as today. Outfielder Ricky Ledee, one of the Yankees' prized prospects, has been dropped from discussions, a lawyer familiar with the talks said Wednesday night on the condition he not be identified. Pitcher Ramiro Mendoza also has been dropped.

Willie Randolph swears there was no special message in the New York Mets' three-game sweep of the St. Louis Cardinals. After all, in this runaway season, the Mets have swept eight other series. "It doesn't mean anything," the manager said. "We don't focus on any particular team." But this particular Cardinals team has won 205 games the last two years. So in the matchup of first-place teams, it was time for a statement, and the Mets made one.

Yankee Manager Joe Torre continued to play musical left fielders Tuesday night, starting Ricky Ledee in Game 6 after playing Shane Spencer, Chad Curtis and Tim Raines there in the first five games. Spencer, Curtis and Raines combined to go one for 19. "I figured, why not?" Torre said. "It could go one way or another. He's a young guy, and whatever he gives us is a bonus. I've tried everyone else out in left field, I just thought we would give it a shot." Ledee went 0 for 4.

At his age, Orlando Hernandez takes his starts inning by inning. Add them up, and they have produced some strong outings for the New York Mets. Hernandez won his fourth straight decision Thursday, giving up four hits in seven innings in a 7-3 win over San Diego that stretched the Mets' East Division-lead to a season-high 14 games. "I don't look at seven innings," Hernandez said. "I look at it one inning at a time, three outs. I get through that inning, I look at the next inning."

Second baseman Jeff Kent was a last-minute scratch from the lineup Tuesday after aggravating an abdominal muscle on his left side during batting practice. Kent first felt soreness Monday during the 10-4 win over the Arizona Diamondbacks, and despite being penciled into the lineup Tuesday, he was concerned enough to ask Manager Grady Little for some rest. "It feels more like a cramp," said Kent, who said the pain was a small issue. "I'm concerned enough to rest it."

There was no apparent resolution Sunday in the New York Yankees' attempt to get Juan Gonzalez to waive his no-trade clause and agree to become their left fielder. Nor was it clear whether the Yankees had asked for and received an extension on a 72-hour negotiating period with representatives of the Detroit Tiger outfielder. That period began Thursday when the Yankees agreed to trade outfielder Ricky Ledee, third base prospect Drew Henson and double-A pitcher Randy Keisler for Gonzalez.

Randy Wolf wanted to keep this game to himself. Wolf pitched a four-hitter, Jim Thome hit a two-run home run to reach 1,001 runs batted in and the Philadelphia Phillies beat the Cubs, 3-0, Wednesday night. Wolf (11-5) struck out four and walked three, earning his sixth career shutout despite three Philadelphia errors. It was his second shutout this season. Before the game, Wolf told pitching coach Joe Kerrigan how long he wanted to pitch.

Jim Bronner, the agent for Detroit Tiger left fielder Juan Gonzalez, told the New York Yankees on Friday that his client would agree to waive a no-trade clause and join the Yankees, sources said, but only if he could retain his free-agent eligibility at the end of the season.