* Geoff Baker of the Seattle Times speculates that the Mariners are close to trading Yuniesky Betancourt after he was scratched from a minor-league rehab game Thursday despite claiming to be healthy.
* Sony has hired Aaron Sorkin to rewrite the Moneyball movie script in the hopes of salvaging the project after Steven Soderbergh walked away. According to the New York Times, if Sorkin can make the rewrites quickly Sony is hoping to find a new director and the shoot the film “in the fall of this year” with Brad Pitt still in the Billy Beane role.
* Last night David Ortiz became the 124th member of the 300-homer club, joining 18 other active players. Ortiz is batting .300 with 10 homers in his last 29 games after hitting just .188 with one homer through 49 games.
* Derek Jeter talked up the homefield advantage of the Metrodome and opined that “it’s going to be tough” for the Twins in their new ballpark next season ... after the Yankees completed a three-game sweep in Minnesota. Jeter and the Yankees are now 46-16 against the Twins since 2002.