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Joe Capozzi / Palm Beach Post:
Uggla's return date in doubt — NEW YORK — Rookie second baseman Dan Uggla remains hopeful that he'll return this week, but there's a chance he might not play until after the All-Star break. — Uggla, who leads the Marlins with 13 home runs, hasn't been able to run without pain since …
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FishStripes
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Joe Frisaro / MLB.com:
Sanchez a winner in debut — Righty gets win as Fish become first team to shut out Yanks — NEW YORK — It may be a matter of time before Anibal Sanchez earns a rotation spot. But if first impressions mean anything, the latest Marlins rookie pitcher certainly looks like he belongs in the big leagues.
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FishStripes
Juan C. Rodriguez / Sun-Sentinel:
Marlins' Sanchez called up, shuts down Yankees — NEW YORK — The Marlins were still 10 outs away from beating the Yankees Sunday night. Yet Anibal Sanchez's role in positioning the team for the sweep-averting victory was so significant, Miguel Cabrera gave him an early embrace.
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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Dejan Kovacevic / Pittsburgh Post-Gazette:
Players seek changes after 11th consecutive loss — Wells gives up five runs as Dodgers beat Pirates, 7-4 — LOS ANGELES — It is time, perhaps, for a change. — That was the overwhelming sentiment in the players' portion of the clubhouse on the occasion of the Pirates' 11th consecutive loss …
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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Joe Roderick / Contra Costa Times:
A victory can solve a lot of problems — A's take series from Giants to ease rash of injuries, clubhouse tension — SAN FRANCISCO - Just a typical day in the maddening season of A's manager Ken Macha. — Before Sunday's game against the Giants, Macha was missing his Gold Glove third baseman Eric Chavez …
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Baseball Musings
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SBG / SBG, The World's Greatest Online Magazine:
Hunter Makes His Stand — Write a Letter to the Editor: 4 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:
Bernie Miklasz / St. Louis Post-Dispatch:
Cards have time to address their major weaknesses — After getting slapped around by the big boys during a revolting 0-6 road trip, the Cardinals can take comfort in knowing that they're nearly finished with interleague play for 2006. — After six home games against Cleveland and Kansas City …
Christian Red / NY Daily News:
Ghost of Billy Buck — The 'real' Curse revisited as Mets, Sox meet 20 years later — BOSTON - It was a crisp night in late October, 1986, but Ron Darling had the top down in his convertible. The Mets' righthander was headed home, moments after pitching coach Mel Stottlemyre urged …
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.
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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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.
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El Guapo's Ghost Rambles …
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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.
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Baseball Musings
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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 …
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.
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.
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AZ Snakepit
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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ESPN:
White Sox brass not amused by Guillen's antics — This has not been a good week for Ozzie Guillen. — In the past three days, the White Sox manager has been fined, suspended and, most recently, made headlines for his apparent refusal to attend sensitivity training, as ordered …
Discussion:
The Catbird …
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