Top News:
Tim Brown / Yahoo! Sports:
Mets to name Johnson hitting coach — Howard Johnson will be named hitting coach of the New York Mets on Friday, getting the nod over Rickey Henderson, who will coach first base, baseball sources said. — Ninth in the National League in runs after finishing third in the NL last season …
RELATED:
John Harper / NY Daily News:
Minaya's strange move shows us who's The Boss — Depending on who you believe, Omar Minaya fired hitting coach Rick Down either to shake up his underachieving team or to appease a few of his key players. Or both. Whatever the case, the Mets GM offered such a vague explanation …
Don Burke / New Jersey Online:
Down questions handling of release — NEW YORK — Rick Down has been around baseball for a long time. And he has seen a lot. But he wonders what would have happened yesterday had he not been tipped off by a reporter the night before. — Down was officially fired as the Mets hitting …
Daniel Malloy / Boston Globe:
Halladay outing cut short by Sox outburst — Neither Dustin Pedroia nor Roy Halladay cared to watch this fourth-inning encounter. Halladay was roughed up by Boston's bats, surrendering five earned runs in five innings. (JIM DAVIS/GLOBE STAFF) — At times, Toronto pitcher Roy Halladay's 12 …
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Gordon Edes / Boston Globe:
Growing pains — Hurting Ortiz acknowledges knee injury — For those looking for a harbinger of better things to come for the Red Sox in the season's second half, last night's 7-4 win over the Toronto Blue Jays abounded with candidates, but none more encouraging than this:
Discussion:
Cursed To First
Rick Morrissey / Chicago Tribune:
Cuban in the mix for Cubs, but does MLB want him? — How one goes about sending in an application to buy a Major League Baseball franchise is a mystery to those of us who aren't in the ballclub-acquisition business. By fax? By standard mail? Or is there an online form?
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Fox Sports:
Mavs owner Cuban enters Cubs fray — FOXSports.com, Updated 57 minutes ago — LIKE THIS STORY? — Add internet billionaire and Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban to the list of potential Chicago Cubs buyers. — "I submitted an app," Cuban said in an e-mail to The Associated Press.
Discussion:
Baseball Musings
NY Daily News:
Yankees opt to give A-Rod an ultimatum — ST. PETERSBURG - The Yankees have a message for Alex Rodriguez: sign an extension before opting out of your contract, or don't sign with us at all. — A source told the Daily News that the Bombers have made it clear to A-Rod and his agent …
Discussion:
MLB Trade Rumors, New York Post, River Ave. Blues, THE BASEBALL SAVANT and The Team. The Time …
Bill Ladson / MLB.com:
Notes: Escobar on way back to bigs — Nationals outfielder to play left field once he returns — MIAMI — Outfielder Alex Escobar is expected to play a few games for Triple-A Columbus before being called up to the big leagues. Manager Manny Acta said there is nothing wrong with Escobar's health.
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Ian Browne / MLB.com:
Big Papi dealing with torn meniscus — Slugger may undergo offseason surgery on right knee — BOSTON — A revived David Ortiz had already delivered three hits and two RBIs Thursday night before fouling a ball soundly off his right knee. You could call it a case of bad aim or painful irony.
Discussion:
The Joy of Sox
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Rob Bradford / Boston Herald:Small problem for Big Papi: Ortiz says he has meniscus tear in knee
Discussion:
Boston Sports Media Watch
Patrick Brown / MLB.com:
Wild play lifts Mariners in opener — Seattle scores three in strange fifth inning; Hernandez gets win — SEATTLE — Adrian Beltre and John McLaren weren't sure what happened. Even the umpires seemed confused. One thing is for sure: Thursday, July 12, appeared more like Friday the 13th.
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Clark Spencer / Florida Marlins:
Willis, team want comforts of home — Dontrelle Willis hasn't won since May 29. The Marlins have gone the entire season without winning a home stand. — How significant is the coming stretch for Willis and the Marlins, who begin a 10-game home stand — their longest of the season …
Marc Topkin / St. Petersburg Times:
Upton expected to return tonight — ST. PETERSBURG - The Devil Rays have been in a hurry to get B.J. Upton back in their lineup. But to be sure he was ready, they had to see him run hard and fast. — After again delaying his expected return, the Rays saw enough Thursday in another rehab appearance …
Joe Sheehan / Baseball Analysts:
Under Pressure — Jake Peavy has been a fantastic success so far this season. Using a fastball that sits in the high 90's, a slider that breaks in on right-handed hitters and a changeup that breaks the opposite direction, Peavy has dominated the National League.
T.R. Sullivan / MLB.com:
Notes: Rangers won't have fire sale — Owner say any trades would need to benefit team long-term — ANAHEIM — Rangers owner Tom Hicks made it clear Thursday. — The Rangers are not getting ready to have a fire sale as they approach the July 31 trade deadline.
