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Bill Ladson / MLB.com:
Notes: Guillen struggling — Hitting coach Page believes right fielder needs to relax at plate — BALTIMORE — Since returning from the disabled list on June 10, Nationals outfielder Jose Guillen is 9-for-44 (.205) with two home runs and seven RBIs. The slump resulted in manager Frank …
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Bill Ladson / MLB.com:
Notes: Johnson returns to lineup — Manager Robinson places Clayton in third spot of batting order — BALTIMORE — In need of offense, manager Frank Robinson put first baseman Nick Johnson back in the lineup after he missed five games because of a lumbar strain in his lower back …
Discussion:
District of Baseball
Dejan Kovacevic / Pittsburgh Post-Gazette:
McClatchy 'extremely disappointed' in Pirates' play — But expresses confidence in Littlefield, Tracy — LOS ANGELES — The Pirates' frustration is boiling to the top. — "I'm extremely disappointed," owner Kevin McClatchy said shortly after the team's 11th loss in a row, 7-4, to Los Angeles yesterday at Dodger Stadium.
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Bob Smizik / Pittsburgh Post-Gazette:
A whole bunch of Nutting — It seemed like a good idea at the time. It seemed like the best way to get answers about the Pirates was to speak directly with Robert Nutting, who is the chairman of the board of the team. — People who know him say he's not as reclusive as his father, G. Ogden Nutting, who also is on the board.
SBG / SBG, The World's Greatest Online Magazine:
Hunter Makes His Stand — Write a Letter to the Editor: 3 Letters So Far » — The day after advocating a Garnett trade, Top Jimmy frets over Torii Hunter. Once again, it's not about play for TJ, it's about some intangibles. — Writes Top James:
Steve Gilbert / MLB.com:
D-Backs avert series sweep by Angels — Hudson's three-run homer in fifth inning the difference — PHOENIX — Before his starts, Miguel Batista finds a quiet spot in the Diamondbacks clubhouse and works on his next novel, writing longhand in a leather journal.
Discussion:
AZ Snakepit
Associated Press:
Bonds leaves game with knee irritation — SAN FRANCISCO —Barry Bonds left Sunday's game against the Oakland Athletics after the second inning with irritation in his left knee, a day after the San Francisco slugger connected for his 719th home run. — Bonds is day to day.
Discussion:
Baseball Musings
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Rich Draper / MLB.com:
Bonds makes early exit with ailing knee — Slugger walked and scored in second and did not return — SAN FRANCISCO — Giants slugger Barry Bonds left Sunday's game against the Oakland A's following the second inning after aggravating his surgically repaired left knee.
Tony Massarotti / Boston Herald:
Papelbon proves to be a dominant factor — In discussing the New York Yankees dynasty of the late 1990s, veteran right-hander David Cone once described closer Mariano Rivera as "The X Factor." Now, inside the walls of antiquated Fenway Park, that is precisely what Jonathan Papelbon is becoming for the Red Sox.
Discussion:
El Guapo's Ghost Rambles …
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Paul Sullivan / Chicago Tribune:
Caught napping on the job — Cubs stumble to 10th loss in last 12 games despite Lee's return — MINNEAPOLIS — Derrek Lee was driven from Des Moines to Minneapolis after Saturday night's game at Triple-A Iowa, getting only a few hours of sleep before his long-awaited return to the Cubs' lineup.
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Patrick Saunders / Denver Post:
The mystery man — Texas can't solve Kim, who delivers second straight dominant outing — Not so long ago, Byung-Hyun Kim was something of a mystery to his own team. — Now, comfortable and happy in a Rockies uniform, he's evolving into a central character in a solid starting rotation.
Associated Press:
Asheville Tourists manager loses it following ejection — LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) — Minor league manager Joe Mikulik had a major league tantrum Sunday night. — The manager of the Asheville Tourists, a Class-A affiliate of the Colorado Rockies in the South Atlantic League …
Jay Mariotti / Chicago Sun Times:
Ozzie's slurring topped only by Ozzie's skating — I keep thinking of a sportswriter who was suspended 30 days, without pay, for a first-case slip of the tongue. I keep thinking of an owner who was banished from baseball, a general manager who was disgraced for life, broadcasters who have lost their jobs.
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Richard Justice / Houston Chronicle:
May be time for Purpura to act boldly — CHICAGO — The Astros are a broken team. Let's begin with that fundamental word. Team. — Baseball is a game of numbers. They're used to evaluate players and analyze seasons. They're at the core of every decision. Numbers, numbers, numbers.
Ken Rosenthal / Fox Sports:
New stadium not on time for Hunter — Normally when a team moves into a new ballpark, it generates enough money to keep its stars long-term. — Twins center fielder Torii Hunter, however, isn't sure he wants to wait for the Twins to open their new park in 2010. — "It's not the Twins.
Associated Press:
Mariners-Padres Preview — Seattle's Joel Pineiro hopes to even his record and defeat San Diego for the third time in his career as Mariners and Padres close their series at Petco Park on Sunday. — In his last start, Pineiro (6-7, 5.34 ERA) struggled through 6 1-3 innings …
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Mike Lewis / Daytona Beach News-Journal:
Visionary Johnson can relax — SHORT AND SWEET — DAYTONA BEACH — Twenty years ago, the man in the sunglasses was in the middle of the biggest story in sports. — The tanned, rested 63-year-old sitting behind home plate Friday night at Jackie Robinson Ball Park was the calm maestro …
Jason Williams / TwinCities.com:
White has sore shoulder checked — Rondell White's Twins career might not be as short as many have assumed. That is because he and the Twins might have gotten to the root of the designated hitter's struggles. — White was in Cincinnati on Saturday, having his surgically repaired left shoulder examined …
Discussion:
TwinsGeek.com
Mike Scarr / MLB.com:
Angels fall short of sweep in Arizona — PHOENIX — Orlando Hudson broke open a tie game by drilling a three-run homer in the fifth inning as the Diamondbacks handed the Angels a 9-7 loss in front of 24,778 on Sunday afternoon. — The loss prevented the Angels from getting their first sweep …
Discussion:
6-4-2 &mdash …
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