Top News:
Barry Svrluga / Washington Post:
No Relief From the Nationals' Starter — Hernandez Lasts Only 12/3 Innings: Red Sox 11, Nationals 3 — BOSTON, June 20 — Here were the two guys to defy any obsession with radar guns, who respond to urges for harder and faster with softer and slower. Tim Wakefield took the mound Tuesday night …
RELATED ITEMS:
Chris Snow / Boston Globe:
Finally, a show of support — Red Sox back hard-luck Wakefield with 17 hits and 11 runs in a rout — Had he not caught the statistic on a clubhouse TV last night, Tim Wakefield never would have known or cared that in his eight losses this season, the Red Sox have scored a total of six runs while he was in the game.
Adam Rubin / NY Daily News:
Mets' bats get back on Trach — 4 homers back Steve — Willie Randolph settled into a chair in an interview room, responded to an inquiry about Cliff Floyd's health, then faced a zinger of a second question. — "You were 9-1 on your last road trip. You dropped three of your last four at home.
Discussion:
Metsblog.com
RELATED ITEMS:
David Picker / New York Times:
Practice Helps Nady Find His Timing, and It's Right on Time — Xavier Nady returned to the Mets' lineup Monday, but he went hitless in four at-bats. Nady said that his timing was off, the result of not playing in the majors since the end of May. He pledged to spend some extra time in the batting cage to sharpen his swing.
Chris Girandola / MLB.com:
Notes: Randolph raves about Reyes — Streaking shortstop locked in at top of Mets lineup — NEW YORK — Mets skipper Willie Randolph spent a good part of his pregame conference with the media discussing the maturation of Jose Reyes. — The topic of Reyes came about because of the Mets …
Mike Kiley / Chicago Sun Times:
Lee takes BP, eyes weekend return — CLEVELAND — First baseman Derrek Lee might make his return to the Cubs' starting lineup this weekend in Minnesota. — He wasn't quite ready to predict an exact date for his comeback, but he made it clear he is leaning toward returning this weekend …
RELATED ITEMS:
Steve Herrick / MLB.com:
Tough night for Maddux, Cubs — Veteran right-hander gives up three runs in the first — CLEVELAND — Greg Maddux is all about results. — So it's easy to see why the veteran right-hander found little consolation in the fact that he was able to recover from a rocky first inning on Tuesday night against the Indians.
Juan C. Rodriguez / Sun-Sentinel:
Willis club's top winner as Marlins ties wins mark — BALTIMORE — The 1997 World Series champion Marlins never did it. Neither did the 2003 group that brought a second title to South Florida. — No team in the franchise's 14-year history has been hotter for longer than this $15 million, future-is-now assemblage.
Discussion:
FishStripes
RELATED ITEMS:
Phil Rogers / Chicago Tribune:
Plunk! La Russa's return doesn't go well — Cardinals' manager chooses a fine night to start beanball war, writes Phil Rogers — Oh, brother. — Tony La Russa is a good guy, but he never has been a good loser. Maybe it was just coincidence that his pitcher, Sidney Ponson …
RELATED ITEMS:
Associated Press:
If it's 'best for team,' Smoltz says he's open to trade talk — ATLANTA — John Smoltz said he's ready to leave Atlanta if a trade can help the last-place Braves. — The 17-year veteran, who's played his entire career in Atlanta, said his once-firm opinion against leaving the Braves changed this year.
RELATED ITEMS:
San Diego Union-Tribune:
Padres edge Rangers but Trevor makes it exciting — ARLINGTON, Texas - Mike Cameron hit a tiebreaking two-run homer in the sixth inning to help the Padres beat the Texas Rangers 6-5 on Tuesday night - but just barely. — Trevor Hoffman got the final three outs for his 17th save of the season.
Discussion:
Gaslamp Ball
RELATED ITEMS:
Laurence Miedema / Contra Costa Times:
Giants get just enough to beat Lackey, Angels — Morris pitches well and hits a two-run double off S.F.'s Series nemesis — SAN FRANCISCO - It took almost four years, but the Giants finally got their series-clinching win against the Angels. — Sure, it'll never make up for the heartbreaking failures …
RELATED ITEMS:
Mark Feinsand / MLB.com:
Damon, Yanks rally to upend Phillies — Center fielder laces go-ahead two-run triple in four-run eighth — PHILADELPHIA — It appeared as though the Yankees had run out of chances on Tuesday after Ryan Howard's seventh RBI of the night gave the Phillies a two-run lead in the seventh inning.
RELATED ITEMS:
Contra Costa Times:
Moises Alou to have MRI — Giants notebook — SAN FRANCISCO — Moises Alou missed his third game in a row because of a cranky lower back, and the ailment has the Giants medical staff concerned enough to schedule the veteran outfielder for an MRI exam today.
Jayson Stark / ESPN:
Seat-diving, wall-crashing players … Where there's a wall, there's a way. — Where there's a will, there's a wall. — Something like that. — We're working on a slogan here, a slogan we'll be posting over the clubhouse door for our new favorite team: — The All-Run-Through-A-Wall team.
Discussion:
Hot Foot
