* Former Yankees, Indians, Cubs, and Giants outfielder Mel Hall has been sentenced to 45 years in prison after being convicted of raping a 12-year-old girl who he coached on a basketball team.
The 48-year-old Hall, who has also been accused of carrying on inappropriate relationships with several other children, will be eligible for parole in 22.5 years.
* It’s probably not a great sign that A.J. Hinch is holding a team meeting 36 games into his managerial career. As Ozzie Guillen put it last week: “Good teams win games. Bad teams have meetings.”
* Also not a good sign for a manager: Cleveland’s most prominent sports columnist is wondering if Eric Wedge has “reached his limit with floundering Tribe.”
* Chipper Jones is happy that John Smoltz’s altered comeback timetable has him avoiding the Braves in his second start. Instead of facing his former teammates, Smoltz will start against the Orioles after getting the Nationals in his Red Sox debut next Thursday.
* After eight straight Republican victories, the Democrats finally won the annual Congressional Baseball Game at Nationals Park last night.