Top News:
David Picker / New York Times:
Mets Have No Defense for Pérez's Seven Ball Fours — Oliver Pérez's last outing at Shea Stadium in 2006 went a lot better than his first one in 2007. — Pérez started Game 7 of last year's National League Championship Series and left the mound to a standing ovation …
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Associated Press:
Philadelphia 5, NY Mets 2 — NEW YORK (AP) — The Philadelphia Phillies hardly had to take the bats off their shoulders to beat Oliver Perez. Good thing for them, too, because they're still not hitting. — Adam Eaton pitched seven steady innings and Philadelphia walked its way to its second victory …
Discussion:
Mets Today
Marty Noble / MLB.com:
Notes: Milledge eyeing the weather — Young outfielder's short-term fate lies with forecast — NEW YORK — Lastings Milledge has uncommon interest in the Thursday weather; so, too, Willie Randolph, Rick Peterson and Mike Pelfrey. The equation is quite simple.
Discussion:
MetsBlog.com
Roger Rubin / NY Daily News:
Mets shudder at Perez gone wild — Oliver walks seven, hits one as Phillies take stroll in park — Pitchers are allowed eight throws to warm up for the start of an inning. About the only people who are paying attention to them are the first two hitters about to come to the plate.
Ben Shpigel / New York Times:Mets' Milledge May Go to Minors to Get More At-Bats
Discussion:
Blastings! Thrilledge, The Eddie Kranepool Society, Mets Fever and Ben Maller's Sports …
Sports Illustrated:Oliver's twist — Ace in waiting? Mets optimistic about Perez's future
Discussion:
Amazin' Avenue
Dan Shaughnessy / Boston Globe:
On this night, not good enough — There's a good chance the commuter trains were a little less crowded in Tokyo today. It was morning rush hour (8:11 a.m.) in the Japanese capital when Ichiro stepped to the plate to face Daisuke Matsuzaka at 7:11 p.m. at Fenway Park last night.
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Ian Browne / MLB.com:
Matsuzaka outdueled by Hernandez — Red Sox manage just one hit against Mariners phenom — BOSTON — It was a spectacle, for sure, with a flash-bulb record undoubtedly set for a batter-pitcher matchup in April. In other words, who could have possibly predicted that Daisuke Matsuzaka's Fenway Park debut …
Associated Press:
Seattle 3, Boston 0 — BOSTON (AP) — There were no Venezuelan flags fluttering at Fenway Park, no doughnut signs in Castilian, no concession stands selling arroz con coco for reporters or fans who had flown in from South America to see their countryman pitch.
Zachary Dowdy / Newsday:
Falling body sends fan to DL — Ellen Massey always counted being struck by a baseball or a bat at Shea Stadium among the hazards of being a Mets fan, but she never thought a 300-pound man would come crashing down the stands — and onto her. — That's what the Manhattan resident, 58, said happened on Monday, Opening Day at Shea.
Discussion:
The Biz of Baseball, Peter's Red Sox Forever, NJ.com, The FanHouse - Mlb and Can't Stop The Bleeding
USA Today:
Numbers too large for Jackie Robinson tribute? — MINNEAPOLIS — It was designed as a tribute to Jackie Robinson, but Minnesota Twins center fielder Torii Hunter and others are questioning the motives of a growing number of players who will wear Robinson's retired number Sunday.
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Bill Ladson / MLB.com:
Nats lose for sixth straight time — Williams tosses five effective innings, but bats silenced — ATLANTA — Prior to Wednesday's game against the Braves, manager Manny Acta was a patient man, even though the Nationals had struggled over the previous eight games.
Discussion:
Federal Baseball
Sports Illustrated:
Mussina leaves game at Minnesota in third — MINNEAPOLIS (AP) -Yankees starter Mike Mussina was taken out of Wednesday's game at Minnesota three batters into the third inning. — After allowing consecutive hits to Luis Rodriguez and Alexi Casilla at the start of the inning …
Discussion:
The FanHouse - Mlb
Sports Illustrated:
Here Today ... ... but gone after '08? It's starting to look that way for Johan Santana, who has broken off contract talks with the Twins — The Twins may be fighting a losing battle in their efforts to extend Johan Santana's four-year, $40 million contract, which expires at the end of next season.
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Ken Daley / MLB.com:
Notes: Wright sore, struggling — Starter could be odd man out with Gagne set to return — ARLINGTON — Jamey Wright's disappointing effort Tuesday could be his last start for a while. Reports of lingering shoulder discomfort, coupled with his inability to pitch out of the third inning …
Discussion:
Lone Star Ball
Anthony DiComo / MLB.com:
Citi Field taking shape — Hopes for area revival rise alongside Mets' future home — NEW YORK — It's not much to look at right now — a twisted mass of concrete and steel, hovering low beyond Shea Stadium's outfield wall — but the cranes bobbing and weaving systematically through …
Associated Press:
LA Angels 4, Cleveland 1 — MILWAUKEE (AP) — Joe Saunders made sure any home-field advantage the Cleveland Indians brought with them to Milwaukee was only temporary. — Now if he could just figure out where he fits in the Los Angeles Angels' future. — Saunders allowed a run and four hits …
Discussion:
Let's Go Tribe
Associated Press:
Encarnacion benched for not running out pop fly — PHOENIX — Cincinnati manager Jerry Narron benched cleanup hitter Edwin Encarnacion after he failed to run out a pop fly in the first inning of the Reds' 3-2 victory over Arizona on Wednesday night. — "I don't care if we lose every game …
