Top News:
Mike Berardino / Sun-Sentinel:
A healthy A.J. Burnett may be what the Jays need — A healthy A.J. Burnett may be piece to puzzle Jays need to finally overtake N.Y., Boston — Nine long years have passed since the American League East last sent any team to the playoffs besides the Yankees or Red Sox.
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David Lennon / Newsday:
Only a mild pinched nerve in neck for Sanchez — TORONTO - In this charmed season, the Mets caught another break yesterday when Duaner Sanchez was diagnosed with a "mild pinched nerve" in his neck. The pain was enough to scare Sanchez into coming out of Friday's game after only two pitches …
Associated Press:
Wells rings Mets' bell, ending New York's road win streak — CBS SportsLine.com wire reports — TORONTO — Vernon Wells' latest power surge has brought out the "MVP!" chants from Toronto Blue Jays fans. — Wells homered twice and the Blue Jays ended the New York Mets' franchise record nine …
Amalie Benjamin / Boston Globe:
Ortiz is be-all, end-all — His walkoff HR in 10th propels Sox — The ball barely had touched off the black sheeting in center field when a white-towel-whipping Jonathan Papelbon (and the rest of the Red Sox) spilled out of the dugout bound for home plate and another wild reception …
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Dan Shaughnessy / Boston Globe:
Phillies should have stopped Myers's start — Here's a toast to the fans who filled Fenway Park yesterday afternoon. David Ortiz rewarded the throng with yet another walkoff wonder, but this crowd did itself proud long before Big Papi unloaded his latest game-winning thunderbolt.
Matthew Borenstein / MLB.com:
Kim, Rockies set sights on rubber game — Texas (40-35) at Colorado (37-37), 1:05 p.m. MT — He's not a soccer fan. In fact, he never even played. He's not following the World Cup. But that doesn't stop the always relaxing Byung-Hyun Kim from playing a World Cup video …
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Jan Hubbard / Dallas Star-Telegram:
Rockies' big first inning helps deep-six Rangers — DENVER — While some may believe the old proverb that dog is man's best friend, Robinson Tejeda hoped to differ. Saturday night, the Rangers pitcher's best friend was almost Mother Nature. — Unfortunately for Tejeda, she wasn't enough of a pal.
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Evan Grant / Dallas Morning News:
Better shop around: Rangers to trade lefty — Club says there is interest around league in 21-year-old reliever — DENVER - Unable to balance having an unproven reliever in the bullpen of a team with division championship aspirations, the Rangers will try to extract some help from Fabio Castro in another manner.
Discussion:
Lone Star Ball
Associated Press:
Injury-depleted Cubs summon Lee for Sunday's game — CBS SportsLine.com wire reports — DES MOINES, Iowa — Derrek Lee will be back with the Chicago Cubs for Sunday's game at Minnesota after just one minor league rehab appearance. — The move to activate Lee from the disabled list …
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Dejan Kovacevic / Pittsburgh Post-Gazette:
Pirates Notebook: No 'low point' for Littlefield — LOS ANGELES — The Pirates, quite obviously, have taken a decisive step backward from the modest progress made earlier in the month. — They have gone from feeling good in taking three of four in San Francisco ... to losing a few …
Discussion:
Honest Wagner
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Murray Chass / New York Times:
Unexplained in Oakland: The Annual About-Face — Oakland players after beating the Dodgers in the 17th inning on June 17 for their 10th straight victory. The Athletics, keeping with tradition, have won 17 of their last 22 games. — THE Oakland Athletics need not be students of history to avoid panic.
Ryan Mink / MLB.com:
Cone, Strawberry make Old-Timers debut — Former Yankees reminisce on their days in pinstripes — NEW YORK — Their belt sizes are a bit bigger and steps a little slower, but before Saturday's 60th Yankees Old-Timers' Day, the question was still the same. — You ready to go?
Baltimore Sun:
O's set to sign starter Ortiz … Free-agent starter Russ Ortiz flew to Baltimore yesterday evening to sign a contract with the Orioles. — Ortiz will make a prorated portion of the minimum major league salary, $327,000, and is expected to start for the Orioles immediately.
Marc Topkin / St. Petersburg Times:
As Upton waits, trading Lugo makes sense — ST. PETERSBURG - Within the next five weeks, the Devil Rays must make two decisions that could have a major impact on the team's short- and long-term future. — One is whether to trade shortstop Julio Lugo. The other is whether to promote shortstop B.J. Upton from Triple A.
Ken Gurnick / MLB.com:
Dodgers team up vs. Pirates — Ethier's four RBIs set the tone for third straight win — LOS ANGELES — The Pirates are on pace to lose 106 games and the Dodgers are doing what they can this weekend to make it happen. — After a six-run whipping Friday night, four Dodgers pitchers threw …
Joe Capozzi / Palm Beach Post:
Abercrombie gets tutoring — NEW YORK — Outfielder Reggie Abercrombie had no problem finding his way to Yankee Stadium on Saturday. — He made sure he didn't get lost like he did Friday when he took the wrong train and wound up at Shea Stadium in Queens before finding his way to the Bronx.
Discussion:
FishStripes