Top News:
Anthony DiComo / MLB.com:
Notes: Gotay going great as starter — Second baseman thriving in new role as everyday player — NEW YORK — It's been a tough summer for Jose Valentin. The Mets' second baseman has been persistently plagued by a gimpy right knee, an injury that won't fully be healed without offseason surgery.
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Anthony Rieber / Newsday:
Mets' Alou scheduled to play rehab game today — Mets general manager Omar Minaya is hoping he will get a call sometime today telling him what he has waited two months to hear: — Moises Alou is ready to play in a baseball game. — Minaya said after yesterday's 5-2 Mets win over the Reds that Alou …
Mike Lupica / NY Daily News:
Thankful for 2nd chance, Gotay thrives on field of dreams — The boy's name is Jordan, and he tells you he is 9 years old, then comes fast behind a big smile with the fact that he is going on 10. He says he is a first baseman and from Harlem, and now here he is in the outfield at Shea Stadium …
Discussion:
MetsBlog.com
Jon Weisman / Sports Illustrated:
NL West: Bonds' big slump — Well, heck, his 2007 on-base percentage has just now dropped below .500. — It's important to keep things in perspective — Barry Bonds hasn't tumbled irredeemably off a cliff, not as far as on-field performance goes, anyway.
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Amalie Benjamin / Boston Globe:
Varitek gets thumbs down — Injured catcher is given a rest — Kevin Youkilis symbolized the Red Sox' day of missed chances when he struck out with a man on in the eighth inning. (JIM DAVIS/GLOBE STAFF) — With one out in the ninth inning yesterday and the Red Sox trailing by a run, Doug Mirabelli stepped to the plate.
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Tony Massarotti / Boston Herald:
Absent from drama class: These Sox lack theatrics — Drama queens they are not. In fact, when it comes to the 2007 Red Sox [team stats], there is simply no drama at all. — Facing a one-run deficit against the Toronto Blue Jays, the Red Sox went down in order in the bottom of the ninth inning …
Discussion:
Peter's Red Sox Forever
Rich Lederer / Baseball Analysts:
On James — Bill James will be inducted into the Shrine of the Eternals on Sunday, July 22, in Pasadena, California. James, Yogi Berra, and Jim Brosnan comprise the ninth class of electees in voting conducted by the membership of the Baseball Reliquary. All three honorees …
Discussion:
Long Beach Press-Telegram
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Inland Valley Daily Bulletin:
Q & A with Bill James, baseball analyst — This week, staff writer Paul Oberjuerge spoke with Bill James, baseball analyst, sabermetrician and famed author of "The Bill James Historical Baseball Abstract" (1985) and "The New Bill James Historical Baseball Abstract" (2001).
Joe Cowley / Chicago Sun Times:
Not what Williams had in mind — BALTIMORE — Before the start of this 11-game road trip, general manager Ken Williams fired his final warning shot, promising that anything less than a ''championship-caliber'' showing would leave him with no choice but to start trading off pieces.
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USA Today:
Comeback trail painfully slow for Nats' Johnson — WASHINGTON — At 2 p.m. on a rainy Wednesday, Nick Johnson cuts a lonely figure inside RFK Stadium. It is still 5 1/2 hours before his Washington Nationals play the Chicago Cubs. As he runs the ramps toward the upper deck he dodges carts bringing …
Stephen Hart / Staten Island Advance:
Elbow knocks out Betances in loss to Vermont — Prized righty leaves after three innings in 7-2 loss — STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — Losing a game was bad enough. Losing a prized prospect would be a lot worse for the Staten Island Yankees. — Right-hander Dellin Betances left after three innings …
George King / New York Post:
TORRE MUM ON LOFTON'S WORDS — ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - As he did Friday when Gary Sheffield accused him of treating white and black players differently, Joe Torre refused to comment yesterday in the wake of Kenny Lofton backing Sheffield's claims. — "I don't feel a need to respond," Torre said yesterday.
Roger Rubin / NY Daily News:
Mets pen happy finish — Mets relievers know better than to crave attention. Most of the time when they get it, it's for all the wrong reasons. — Now, though, it's for all the right ones. — The Mets got three more innings of scoreless relief yesterday - one each from Pedro Feliciano …
Stephen Fastenau / MLB.com:
Phils handed 10,000th loss — Right-hander Eaton allows six runs in four-plus innings — PHILADELPHIA — Many of the Phillies' bags were packed and sitting by their lockers before Sunday's game against the Cardinals. — It's a standard practice of every road trip …
Discussion:
Knuckle Curve
The Feed:
La Russa's Dogs Drink Phillie Tears — Celebrating losing is always a touchy thing. There are plenty of Phillie fans who don't share the glee that fans at the Park last night had for loss #10,000. Enrico of The 700 Level is one of them and since he is the man for all things Philly, we'll give him his say.
