ANAHEIM, Calif. – Hey, Josh Hamilton(notes) wishes he was sturdy enough, too. He wishes he hadn't run into a couple walls, hadn't been to the disabled list twice, hadn't needed abdominal surgery, hadn't had all that stuff happen to him in just half a stinkin' season.

So, yeah, he'd like to be hitting something more representative than .240. A week before the All-Star Game, he has six homers and 24 RBIs? A year ago he boarded a flight to New York with 21 and 95, then lit up Yankee Stadium with those 28 bombs in the first round of the Home Run Derby, a few clearing 500 feet.

He came off the disabled list Monday night for a three-game series against the Los Angeles Angels hoping, he said, to be the “same old Josh,” but he might not be that hitter right now. For the time being, he'll concentrate on staying on the field and helping the surprisingly competent Texas Rangers remain surprisingly competent for the rest of the summer, which means, sorry, no Derby this year in St. Louis.

And,

ANAHEIM, Calif. – Stumping for his first All-Star appearance, this by way of MLB's final vote gimmick, Angels third baseman Chone Figgins(notes) said Monday that if elected he would pay tumbling tribute to one of the great players in St. Louis Cardinals history.

Figgins' campaign promise (delivered with a grin): He'll arrive at his position in the manner of his favorite player growing up, with a backflip, just like former Cardinals shortstop Ozzie Smith.

“If it wouldn't bother either team and it wouldn't bother Ozzie, I would do it,” Figgins said. “I would do it.”

He's on the American League ballot with Detroit's Brandon Inge(notes), Texas' Ian Kinsler(notes), Toronto's Adam Lind(notes) and Tampa Bay's Carlos Pena(notes). Only Figgins has promised any in-game gymnastics.

In his walk year, Figgins, 31, is having one of his best big-league seasons, entering Monday batting .312 with 25 RBIs and 24 stolen bases. Among qualifying major-league leadoff hitters, only Derek Jeter(notes) (.396)

SAN DIEGO – In Joe Torre's view, the game has seen plenty of great hitters and then, just beyond them, there are a handful of men that swing a baseball bat like Manny Ramirez(notes).

Willie Mays, Barry Bonds(notes), Hank Aaron, Frank Robinson, Alex Rodriguez(notes), Ted Williams, Reggie Jackson. He didn't put them in order as much as he plucked them from the dugout ceiling, and he didn't presume it a complete list. They were the different hitters, though, better by enough to make them just more than great. Better in their heads, he said, better in their hands, and better in their wills.

Now, Torre said, he has no guess at what Manny might have ingested to improve that swing or maintain it over the years or carry it into his late 30s. That's Manny's to bear, or not.

Of greater interest to Torre and the Los Angeles Dodgers today is what Manny is from here, if he'll be the hitter he was before he went off to do his time. Is he still a physical brute? Is he still psychologically – if not

SAN DIEGO – Just noise. So appropriately.

Not a condemnation, taken as a whole. And not confirmation.

Just noise, foisted upon an occasional rivalry, draped with dreadlocks, scented by a sea breeze and framed by a sad, sullied era.

Manny Ramirez(notes) was free again on the eve of Independence Day.

Take it or leave it.

A ballpark that for weeks was two-thirds empty was filled to the last few feet Friday night. Rows of heads were visible on the Marriott's rooftop bar across the street. Dozens of looky-loos stood on the sixth-floor deck of the building beyond the left-field bleachers.

They were here – or leaning in or on the corner scalping tickets – for Manny, who came off baseball's suspended list to the sound of rampant, raging, numbing ambivalence. They cheered. They booed. They wore tangled wigs. They turned their backs. They begged him to hit a ball off the brick wall of the Western Metal Supply Co. They hoped he'd fall onto a bat shard. They bought stuff at the concession stands.

SAN DIEGO – Rebuilding under new ownership, the San Diego Padres intend to extend manager Bud Black's contract in the coming weeks, according to a club source.

Black, 52, is in his third season managing the Padres after leaving Los Angeles Angels manager Mike Scioscia's staff after the 2006 season. The Padres lost a play-in game to the Colorado Rockies in 2007, finished last in the NL West in 2008 and were 34-44, 15½ games behind the division-leading Los Angeles Dodgers before the teams' series opener Friday night.

Black does not have a contract beyond this season. While the team has cut about $30 million in payroll, attempted to trade organizational face Jake Peavy(notes), and then lost Peavy and Chris Young, among others, to injury, Black has maintained a steady, positive demeanor.

A group led by former Arizona Diamondbacks CEO and player agent Jeff Moorad purchased the Padres from John Moores in April. Moorad has been satisfied with the work of Black and GM Kevin Towers, who is

I'm thinking if Albert Pujols(notes) were a baseball team all by himself, he'd rank somewhere after the Reds and before the Astros on this list. Joe Mauer(notes) would go ahead of the Dbacks, Indians and Nats.

Week 14:

1. Los Angeles Dodgers (50-29; Previous: 1) – Manny due back Friday; Dodgers forgiving, really hope he wasn't on same stuff as A-Rod.

2. Boston Red Sox (48-30; Previous: 2) – Lowell gets lube injection in hip, Sox believe he'll be gellin' like Scott Rolen(notes).

3. New York Yankees (45-32; Previous: 4) – Club lowers expectations on Wang, now happy when he can throw ball all the way to catcher on fly.

4. Detroit Tigers (43-35; Previous: 3) – Tigers call up reliever Fu-Te Ni(notes), are sure he can only help team chemistry.

5. Los Angeles Angels (42-34; Previous: 9) – Saunders bombed again in Texas, tells reporters, "Maybe you guys can figure it out for me." Ball writers suggest more beer, less exercise, '80s wardrobe.

6. Milwaukee Brewers (42-36; Previous: 7) – Brewers

The agent for several Cuban major leaguers said he could have defector Aroldis Chapman signed, in shape and ready for next spring training, but has not yet heard from Chapman, who he understood was on his way to Miami on Thursday after leaving the Cuban national team at a tournament in the Netherlands.

Jaime Torres, who has represented Jose Contreras(notes), Yunieski Betancourt, Alexei Ramirez(notes) and Dayan Viciedo(notes), among others, said he'd confirmed with the Cuban delegation that Chapman had defected. Chapman, who is left-handed and throws 100 mph, is one of the world's top pitching prospects. He is 21.

If he wants to avoid the draft and become a free agent, Chapman must first establish legal residency in a country outside of the U.S. or Cuba. The Dominican Republic has been a popular choice. Torres said he hoped to speak to Chapman before he chooses a representative.

“With the proper work and dedication and coaching he could make a team out of spring training, or maybe late

LOS ANGELES – If you didn't know better, you'd think the Los Angeles Dodgers were beginning to wonder where Manny was.

You'd think after all those wins, all those winning streaks, all that running away with the West, they weren't too sure of themselves anymore.

Like they'd held up about as long as they could, and now can hear the San Francisco Giants coming, and the Colorado Rockies coming, from all the way back there.

If you didn't know better, that is, because the race has been over for a month. Right?

So now that the Giants are pitching better than the Dodgers, and the Rockies (along with most other teams recently, including the Giants) are hitting better, maybe what Joe Torre has on his hands is a clubhouse counting Xs on the Manny suspension calendar and staring at the door.

"I know what you're going to say," Torre said before his guys needed 13 innings to beat the Rockies on Monday night. "I don't know. I'll certainly mention it when we talk today. With all the conversation about