Top News:
Corey Brock / MLB.com:
Mariners won't bid for Matsuzaka — Team instead expected to pursue Schmidt and/or Eaton — SEATTLE — There figures to be a handful of Major League teams who will be involved in the posting process for the right to sign Japanese starting pitcher Daisuke Matsuzaka. — But the Seattle Mariners won't be one of them.
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Seattle Post-Intelligencer:
Matsuzaka too pricey for M's — Team decides not to bid for rights to Japanese pitcher — The Mariners have decided the price for Japanese pitching sensation Daisuke Matsuzaka is too steep, confirming Wednesday they will not bid for the rights to sign him.
Adam Rubin / NY Daily News:
Bidding war is on deck — Japanese ace on way — TOKYO - Daisuke Matsuzaka was so enamored by Major League Baseball, the Japanese righthander made a special trip to the United States to watch the Yankees and Braves meet in the World Series seven years ago. Next season he plans to return, this time as a big leaguer.
Discussion:
Bronx Banter
Lyle Spencer / MLB.com:
Padres to interview Baker on Monday — Former longtime Giants manager candidate for skipper job — A new but familiar name — Dusty Baker — has been added to the list of candidates for the Padres' managerial vacancy. — A three-time National League Manager of the Year …
Discussion:
Gaslamp Ball
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Associated Press:
Reports: Tribune Willing to Sell Parts — Reports: Tribune Co. Willing to Sell Itself Off in Pieces — CHICAGO (AP) — With bids for the mammoth Tribune Co. coming in far lower than expected, the media giant is telling prospective bidders that individual pieces are now available for sale, according to published reports.
Ian Browne / MLB.com:
MLB stars rally, tie Yomiuri Giants — TOKYO — Quicker than you could say "World Baseball Classic carryover", the traveling team of Major League Baseball All-Stars put together an epic comeback in the top of the ninth to stave off defeat against the Yomiuri Giants.
Discussion:
Bleed Cubbie Blue
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David Lennon / Newsday:
Wright's HR gives MLB stars tie with Yomiuri — What a day for David Wright. A few hours after joking with Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe in his downtown office, the Mets third baseman crushed a two-run homer with two outs in the ninth inning Thursday night as the MLB All-Stars finished …
Discussion:
the metropolitans
Barry Svrluga / Washington Post:
Pirates' AAA Skipper Is Latest to Interview — The Washington Nationals have interviewed yet another candidate for their open managerial job, talking to Trent Jewett, the manager for the Pittsburgh Pirates' Class AAA affiliate, about becoming Frank Robinson's replacement.
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Mike DiGiovanna / Los Angeles Times:
Matthews has Angels interested — Team also reportedly will bid on Zito, but not Japanese sensation Matsuzaka. Stoneman tells Kennedy he will not be retained. — The representative for free-agent center fielder Gary Matthews Jr., said the Angels are "extremely interested" …
Discussion:
6-4-2
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Troy E. Renck / Denver Post:
Kim appears to be a piece of the puzzle — The Rockies are convinced of Byung-Hyun Kim's durability, but they want assurances of his creativity before picking up his club option at today's deadline. — All signs point toward the team exercising the $2.5 million option …
Discussion:
Purple Row
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Barry M. Bloom / MLB.com:
Mota handed 50-game suspension — Reliever tests positive for performance-enhancing drugs — Free agent reliever Guillermo Mota, most recently of the New York Mets, became the first Major League player to be suspended for 50 games under the league's revamped drug program after testing positive …
Discussion:
Chicks Dig The Pitchers' Duel
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Kat O'Brien / Dallas Star-Telegram:
Search in phase two — The Rangers finished their first round of interviews for a new manager Wednesday, wrapping up by interviewing bench coach Don Wakamatsu. — On Tuesday, they interviewed Nippon Ham Fighters manager Trey Hillman. — Rangers general manager Jon Daniels said earlier …
Discussion:
Lone Star Ball
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David Appelman / Baseball Analysts:
Generalities in Pitch Location — How often have you heard a player attribute his success to "throwing more pitches inside," or heard a manager say a pitcher was "hitting his spots?" Pretty much everyone talks about pitch location, but how often is it actually quantified?
Jim McLennan / AZ Snakepit:
Ranking the D'backs (and everyone else) — The Elias rankings are out! The Elias rankings are out! The what? They're a statistical formula used to work out how valuable a player has been - but unlike most such toys, these actually mean something. The Elias ranking determines …
Dave Studeman / Hardball Times:
Batted Balls in 2006 — Here at the Hardball Times, we're known for our batted ball stats, things like fly balls and ground balls and line drives. To be fair, they're not really our stats. We purchase them from Baseball Info Solutions and make them available to you on our website and in our Annual.
Jeffrey Flanagan / Kansas City Star:
Randa on free-agent list but off market — Y ou may have seen former Royal Joe Randa's name pop up on the list of free agents available for 2007. — Just ignore that. — "That was just paperwork, just a formality," Randa told me. "I'm retired. I pretty much made up my mind …
