Low rubber makes pitchers duck. (Caught On The Fly).

The home-road splits on the stat sheets of Aaron Boone and Austin Kearns scream that their home is a Great Hitters Ball Park. The downswing to those big swings, though, is all those runs aren't just going to the pitchers' ERAs, but also to their heads. Cincinnati is getting a Coors Lite rep in pitching circles, meaning guys are half-defeated even before they are defeated. It would help if Reds officials would fix the mound, which is too flat. But when Cincy pitchers complain about it, they get this company line: Quit making a mountain out of a mole hill.

A (baby) bear market

The Cubs have enough pitching to keep a June swoon at arm's length, but they need to step up to the plate and get another bat, especially because the clock's ticking on Grandpa Moises' annual breakdown. The biggest hole is at third because Mark Bellhorn really is a superutility square peg. Mike Lowell and Shea Hillenbrand are the known targets, but what's unknown is if G.M. Jim Hendry will give up Juan Cruz, who has the stuff to be a pretty big thing.

Tee time

While Annika Sorenstam was creating a frenzy on the course last week, Red Wings winger Brett Hull quietly was trying to make it through a U.S. Open qualifying ...