Around the majors

	The White Sox are interested in young Mets right-hander Mike Pelfrey. AP
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• The White Sox asked the Mets for Duaner Sanchez and Mike Pelfrey for Freddy Garcia. No go. The Sox have spoken to several clubs about Garcia and Javier Vazquez but prefer to keep Vazquez since he's contractually tied to the team for three more years. Garcia has told people he wouldn't be devastated to go to New York.

• Aggressive White Sox GM Ken Williams will try anything: He recently called  Atlanta about Andruw Jones.

• Orioles starter Rodrigo Lopez threw 5 2/3 shutout innings on Sunday and has improved from 1-7 to 6-10, aiding Baltimore's efforts to move him. Javy Lopez and Jeff Conine may be stuck in Baltimore, however.

• Trey Hillman, manager of the Nippon Ham Fighters of the Japanese League, is drawing interest from several major league teams. It would make sense for the Royals to make a run at Hillman to replace Buddy Bell, who isn't expected to be retained.

• It's no surprise that the Padres are drawing strong interest for stellar setup man Scott Linebrink. He could be dealt to the Braves for third baseman Wilson Betemit, although three-way scenarios are still being discussed.

• Texas' Gary Matthews Jr. was telling his All-Star teammates that his stark turnaround (.331 this season, up from his .249 lifetime average entering '06) is attributable to one person: Rangers hitting coach Rudy Jaramillo. "That man is a magician,'' Matthews said.

• The most unheralded top pitcher in baseball may be the Angels' John Lackey, who hasn't allowed a run in three straight starts (24 2/3 innings) and has struck out 10 in each outing. While Lackey isn't overpowering, the key, according to one AL hitter, is that "he can throw a breaking ball for a strike anytime he wants.''

• Competing execs are still questioning why the Reds traded two every-day players (Austin Kearns and Felipe Lopez) for two relievers. Said one exec, "One starting player I could understand, but not two.''

• The Twins' Torii Hunter, who has a stress fracture in his foot, needs to save his career by getting off that turf in Minnesota.

• One AL hitter said the best free-agent starter on the market is the Rangers' Vicente Padilla (9-5, 4.25 ERA). "He has electric stuff, even better than [Barry] Zito,'' the hitter said.

• Speaking of Zito, a friend of his said the pitcher wants to go to a big market "so he could sell his music,'' and believes he would prefer one of three teams: 1) Dodgers (his parents live in the Los Angeles area), 2) Mets, 3) Yankees.

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