Soriano still a Nat

The Washington Nationals are working the phones trying to find favorable deals, while Alfonso Soriano is amused by the rumors flying around ahead of Monday’s trade deadline.

“The last seven days, I’ve seen my name (linked) with five different teams, so I’m laughing,” Soriano said before Washington’s game against San Francisco on Tuesday night. “I know and I understand it’s a very difficult decision for the team.”

With the Nationals in last place, and a stated goal of improving with an eye to the future, general manager Jim Bowden is rather busy these days. He said on Tuesday alone, as of 5 p.m., the Nationals had spoken to 27 of the other 29 major league teams about various players.

“The fire department is presently in my office, hosing down my phone, because all it does it burn,” Bowden said.

He wouldn’t go into specifics about Soriano or any other player that could be involved in a swap. But Bowden did say his goal is to acquire talent – regardless of whether a player is already in the majors or in rookie ball. The preference would be for pitching.

If Soriano sounds like he’s taking all of the trade talk in stride, he’s looked like it at the plate, too. He has a hit in 10 of his previous 12 games, with five home runs, six doubles and 13 runs scored in that span.

Showalter back on the bench

Buck Showalter was back in the Texas Rangers dugout after missing two games because of an irregular heartbeat brought on by dehydration.

“It’s good to be back, I’m ready to go,” Showalter said about two hours before the game against the New York Yankees.

When the game started, Showalter was back in his usual perch, standing on the steps and leaning on the rail in front of the Texas dugout. He had missed consecutive games for the first time in his 11 seasons as a major league manager with Arizona, the Yankees and the Rangers.

Madson ties dubious record

Phillies starter Ryan Madson tied the major league record with four wild pitches in one inning against Arizona.

Madson allowed a leadoff double in the third inning to Luis Gonzalez, who scored after the right-hander threw two wild pitches. Chad Tracy followed with a single and also advanced two bases on two wild pitches, but was left stranded.

Atlanta’s Phil Niekro was the last National League pitcher to throw four in one inning, with the knuckleballer doing it in the fifth inning of a 1979 game, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.

Walter Johnson threw four in one inning for the Washington Nationals in 1914 and Anaheim’s Kevin Gregg was the last to do it in 2004.

Madson now has 10 wild pitches this season. Arizona’s Miguel Batista leads the league with 11.

Clearing the bases

Johnny Damon was out of the New York Yankees lineup, missing his second straight game in Texas because of a sore back. … Center fielder Vernon Wells was out of Toronto’s starting lineup for a second straight game with a sore back. … Andruw Jones and Chipper Jones were held out of the Atlanta Braves’ starting lineup for the third straight game. … The Los Angeles Dodgers dealt starting pitcher Odalis Perez to the Kansas City Royals for reliever Elmer Dessens. … The Milwaukee Brewers acquired utliltyman Tony Graffanino from the Kansas City Royals in exchange for reliever Jorge De La Rosa.