"It's always difficult to say goodbye," Magowan said. "It's an emotional time for me. We've been through a lot together these 15 years. A lot of good things have happened. Unfortunately a lot of bad things have happened. But there comes a time when you have to go in a different direction." (My guess? A winning one, though, some think they're screwed.)

So where does this leave good ol' Barry boy? Well, blogging, naturally. Bonds, via his website: "There is more baseball in me and I plan on continuing my career. My quest for a World Series ring continues." Yup. Look out American League, here he comes!

• Boston Breathes. Josh Beckett pitched six strong innings to become the first 20-game winner in the majors since '05, as the Sox snapped a four-game losing streak in an 8-1 win over the Rays. Meanwhile, the Yankees rallied to send the game to extra innings by scoring four runs in the ninth off Jays ace Doc Halladay, but lost it in the 14th on a home run by Toronto catcher Gregg Zaun. (Silently pumps fist.) The BoSox have a 2 1/2 game lead in the East.

• Rising Arizona. Tony Clark had three hits and drove in four, leading the D-Backs to a 12-3 rout over the Dodgers. The win, coupled with the Padres 14-inning loss to the Rockies, pushes Arizona up to a 1 1/2 game lead in the NL West. Math is fun.

• The More Games Played, The More Things Stay The Same. The Mets and Phillies won to keep the margin in the NL East at 1 1/2 games. Same situation in the NL Central, where the first-place Cubs and second-place Brewers both were Victorious B.I.G.

Bonds blasted Rick Vanden Hurk's 2-1 changeup over the outfield fence just to the right of the 404 marker in left-center. Bonds knew it was gone immediately, and gave a little fist pump as he rounded the bases. I have no idea why I just told you that. He was also wearing pants.

Barry will face Bay Area native Dontrelle Willis tonight seeking his first long ball off the left-hander. First pitch is scheduled for 9:05 p.m. Eastern Standard, homes. TIVO that shit.

• Bonus Action. Jeremy Guthrie allowed only two runs in six innings to lead the Orioles to a 4-2 victory over the Yankees. HOWEVA, earlier in the day, New York defeated Baltimore 8-7 in the completion of that game suspended on June 28 by rain. Play resumed in the eighth with the Yankees up 8-6, and closer Mariano Rivera gave up a late before earning his 16th save. Or was that his 10th save? Help!

• Oh My God, They Brought Back Kenny! Kenny Lofton, playing in his first Cleveland game since the '01 playoffs, started in left field and finished 3-for-5 with an RBI as the Indians beat the Twins 10-4. Lofton received several loud ovations and got creamed in the face by Trot Nixon ... with pie.

• Break Up Dem D-Backs! Um, is that even a baseball saying? Break 'em up. I think so. Tony Clark's homer to lead off the bottom of the eleventh inning pushed the Diamondbacks past the Braves 8-7. Arizona has now won seven straight.

Free-agent left-hander Barry Zito and the San Francisco Giants have agreed to a seven-year, $126 million contract, according to baseball officials.

Zito, the 2002 American League Cy Young Award winner with the Oakland Athletics, considered offers by the New York Mets, Texas Rangers and Seattle Mariners before relocating across the Bay.

And oh, no, to the best of my knowledge Barry Zito is not Japanese and/or plays small forward for the Knicks. Sorry. You see, I was just about to tell you how the New York Yankees signed Japanese pitcher Kei Igawa today, and couldn't find it in my heart to take his photo down, OK?

Giants Land Zito [Yahoo! Sports]
Igawa Inks $20M Deal With Yanks [The Staten Island Advance]