Top News:
Jack Curry / New York Times:
Selig May Have a Way Out After All — Now that Barry Bonds of the San Francisco Giants has resumed his pursuit of Hank Aaron's career home run mark, he still does not know if Commissioner Bud Selig will attend the record-setting game. There have been indications that Selig will eventually agree to trail Bonds.
Discussion:
BBTF's Baseball Primer …
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David Pinto / Baseball Musings:
Blowout Afternoon — The three Fox games are all being decided by lopsided scores. The Cubs picked up their first home run of July as Alfonso Soriano took deep in the sixth for three runs. It was all a part of nine runs scored by Chicago in the middle innings as the Cubs take a 9-1 lead to the bottom of the eighth.
Anthony DiComo / MLB.com:
Notes: Sosa back; Pelfrey to bullpen — Pitching shuffle continues as hurlers return from disabled list — NEW YORK — Jorge Sosa is healthy. And as it turns out, Mike Pelfrey's Friday night bullpen stint wasn't a stint at all. — It was the first day of a new job.
Rick Freeman / Associated Press:
Mets' Glavine earns 298th career win — NEW YORK (AP) — Tom Glavine pitched one of his best games this season — and nearly went home without a win. — After leaving runners on base in all but one inning Saturday night, the Mets finally came through in the eighth when Lastings Milledge hit …
Mark Feinsand / NY Daily News:
Lofton: Sheff is right on Joe — ST. PETERSBURG - Gary Sheffield isn't the only player who feels Joe Torre treated black players differently than white players, as Sheffield's former teammate, Kenny Lofton, chimed in with his thoughts yesterday before his Rangers played in Anaheim.
Associated Press:
Soriano homers as Cubs win — LIKE THIS STORY? — CHICAGO (AP) - Ted Lilly won his fourth straight start, Aramis Ramirez had four RBIs and Alfonso Soriano hit a three-run homer Saturday as the surging Chicago Cubs roughed up Roy Oswalt in a 9-3 victory over the Houston Astros. — FOX Bite
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Dan Rosenheck / New York Times:
It's a Pitch-by-Pitch Scouting Report, Minus the Scout — If you've tried to catch up on the home team this year while traveling, you may already be familiar with Enhanced Gameday — the application available on Major League Baseball's Web site that reports the trajectory of every pitch thrown in a game in real time.
Discussion:
The Griddle
T.R. Sullivan / MLB.com:
Notes: Sosa on the block — Texas exploring trade options for DH, but little interest so far — ANAHEIM — The Rangers most immediate priority leading up to the July 31 trade deadline is to find a new home for Sammy Sosa. — The Rangers, according to Major League officials …
Joe Cowley / Chicago Sun Times:
Extension snub irks Dye — BALTIMORE — There's a reason Jermaine Dye has seemed a bit distant to a handful of his teammates since the start of the second half of the season. — And on Saturday, the White Sox outfielder told the Sun-Times why. — Before the All-Star Break …
Discussion:
BBTF's Baseball Primer …
Nick Cafardo / Boston Globe:
Issue has plenty of juice — Canseco says steroid talk not going away — Jose Canseco is living in Southern California, pursuing an acting career and trying to get funding for the movie adaptation of his best-selling book "Juiced," which blew the lid off baseball's steroid problem.
Dylan Hernandez / Los Angeles Times:
Saito saves his high notes — Every time Takashi Saito prepares to run out of the Dodgers' bullpen, he taps himself twice on the chest and asks himself aloud, "Takashi Saito, what did you come here to do?" — Every time he asks himself that question, Saito says, he wants to feel the answer.
Joe Strauss / St. Louis Post-Dispatch:
Broke after the break — By — PHILADELPHIA — The Cardinals reached the All-Star break determined to look ahead rather than behind. — So they reach Sunday night's series finale against the Philadelphia Phillies still in pursuit of their first lead of the second half. How's that for looking ahead?
Paul Sullivan / Chicago Tribune:
Floyd's injury really stings — Was Cliff Floyd's shoulder injury Saturday a matter of "Police brutality"—the result of Floyd falling onto a harder-than-usual outfield surface after the recent Police concerts at Wrigley Field? — Or is the outfield grass always that hard?
Associated Press:
Tourist breaks neck at Yankee Stadium — NEW YORK (AP) — A tourist who suffered a broken neck at Yankee Stadium when another fan fell on him is recovering from his injuries. — Paul Robinson, 53, of Kirkland, Wash., was sitting in the stadium's steep upper deck with his wife and 13-year-old son …
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Rick Freeman / Associated Press:
Mets will name new broadcast booth for Kiner — NEW YORK (AP) — Ralph Kiner was in the New York Mets' broadcast booth before they played at Shea Stadium, and he'll be there after the team moves to Citi Field in 2009. — On Ralph Kiner Night, the Mets announced Saturday that their new broadcast booth …
Charles Odum / Associated Press:
Braves win on Francoeur's single in 9th — ATLANTA (AP) — Jeff Francoeur hit a bases-loaded single with two outs in the ninth inning Saturday night, giving the Atlanta Braves a 5-4 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates. — Willie Harris led off the ninth with an infield single …
Discussion:
Where have you gone …
Associated Press:
Royals rough up Sabathia, beat Tribe 6-5 — CLEVELAND (AP) — Emil Brown hit a three-run homer in the third inning and the Kansas City Royals hung on for a 6-5 win over the Cleveland Indians on Saturday night. — The Royals built an early 5-0 lead off ace C.C. Sabathia, but needed strong work from their bullpen to seal the win.
Discussion:
Catbird in the Nosebleed Seats
Amy Shipley / Washington Post:
Nats Win Slugfest Vs. Willis, Marlins — It was extremely difficult to decide what was more unusual: seeing Florida Marlins starting pitcher Dontrelle Willis, known for his throwback style and nice-guy image, booed off the field by his hometown fans, or the Washington Nationals …
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La Velle E. Neal III / Minneapolis Star Tribune:
Suzuki's deal sets a higher bar for Hunter — Torii Hunter says the Twins should make a bid even though his value appears to be skyrocketing. — In recent weeks, Twins center fielder Torii Hunter has watched Cleveland sign designated hitter Travis Hafner and the White Sox sign lefthander Mark Buehrle to contract extensions.
Discussion:
Baseball Analysts
