Top News:
Associated Press:
Tigers INF Perez suspended 80 games — DETROIT (AP) — Detroit Tigers' infielder Neifi Perez was suspended for 80 games Friday after testing positive for a third time for a banned stimulant, a penalty that finishes his season. — Perez was suspended for 25 games on July 6 when he tested positive for a second time.
Discussion:
Hardball Times
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Associated Press:
White Sox hit 3 HRs, top slumping Tigers — DETROIT (AP) — The White Sox finally got the combination of power and pitching that has been so elusive this season. — Juan Uribe hit his third career grand slam, and Jermaine Dye and Josh Fields added solo shots as Chicago beat the Detroit Tigers 7-4 on Friday night.
Discussion:
Bless You Boys
Will Carroll / Baseball Prospectus:
Triple Shot! — Neifi Perez becomes the first player …
Triple Shot! — Neifi Perez becomes the first player …
Discussion:
Mack Avenue Tigers
Janie McCauley / Associated Press:
Bad-luck Milton Bradley strains right hamstring — SAN DIEGO (AP) — Padres left fielder Milton Bradley left Friday night's game against the San Francisco Giants because of a strained right hamstring — yet more bad luck for the injury-plagued Bradley. — The switch-hitting Bradley …
Discussion:
BBTF's Baseball Primer …
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Associated Press:
Delgado double spurs Mets' big ninth — LIKE THIS STORY? — CHICAGO (AP) - Carlos Delgado hit a go-ahead double off Ryan Dempster in a four-run ninth inning, and the New York Mets beat the Chicago Cubs 6-2 Friday to extend their winning streak to three. — Delgado's double off Dempster …
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Rick Gano / Associated Press:
Mets score 4 in 9th to defeat Cubs 6-2 — CHICAGO (AP) — Carlos Delgado and the Mets were walking all over Wrigley Field, courtesy of the Chicago Cubs. — But when it came time to swing the bats Friday, the Mets were ready in the ninth inning. — Delgado walked four times before hitting …
Discussion:
The Musings and Prophecies …
Alex McPhillips / MLB.com:
Lester, Sox take on Mariners in Seattle — Boston (66-42) at Seattle (59-47), Friday, 10:05 p.m. ET — Once again, the scheduling gods have denied Jon Lester a hero's welcome. — Or, rather, a hero's welcome in Boston, Lester's adopted home. There will certainly be no shortage …
Discussion:
Associated Press, Boston Globe, seattlepi.com Mariners blog, The Joy of Sox and Union-News
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Gordon Edes / Boston Globe:
No safety in Safeco — It's overcast and a little drizzly …
No safety in Safeco — It's overcast and a little drizzly …
Discussion:
The Joy of Sox
Carrie Weimar / St. Petersburg Times:
Dukes charged with violating terms of order … TAMPA - The Hillsborough State Attorney's Office charged troubled Devil Rays outfielder Elijah Dukes on Thursday with violating his estranged wife's protective order. — The charge is a first-degree misdemeanor, punishable by up to a year in jail, prosecutor Douglas Covington said.
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Jay Cohen / Associated Press:
A-Rod stays at 499 HRs, Yanks rip Royals — NEW YORK (AP) — Melky Cabrera put one into the seats — behind the dugout, that is. Yep, the New York Yankees are doing just fine without any homer help from Alex Rodriguez. — Cabrera hit a bizarre two-run double and Robinson Cano homered …
Steve Gilbert / MLB.com:
D-backs claim Cirillo, Kim off waivers — LOS ANGELES — The D-backs picked up a pair of veterans Friday, bringing former closer Byung Hyun Kim back to Arizona on a waiver claim from Florida and claiming infielder Jeff Cirillo from the Twins. — Kim began his professional career …
Discussion:
MLB Trade Rumors
Yahoo! Sports:
Braves place SS Renteria on 15-day DL — Shortstop Edgar Renteria was put on the disabled list by the Atlanta Braves on Friday, one day after he sprained his right ankle while trying to field a hard grounder. Renteria, hitting .336 with 11 homers and 53 RBIs, was put on the 15-day DL after he was found to have a high ankle sprain.
Joe Strauss / St. Louis Post-Dispatch:
No respect for Ryan Ludwick — Ryan Ludwick is no rookie. He has been with the Cardinals since May 6 and entered Friday night's game against the Nationals leading the team with nine pinch hits, three pinch home runs and averaging one RBI every six at-bats. — Yet "Brian Ludwig" gets no respect.
Dave Sheinin / Washington Post:
Robinson Steps In for Selig on the Bonds Watch — The official representative of the commissioner's office at Thursday night's Barry Bonds Traveling Home Run Circus Show arrived in his suite at Dodger Stadium literally seconds before first pitch, his expertise with freeway traffic patterns, as a resident Angeleno, in full evidence.
Discussion:
Associated Press
Bob Smizik / Pittsburgh Post-Gazette:
Needed: Exorcist for Pirates' woes — Forget about the CEO, what Pirates need most is an exorcist — The most difficult challenge facing the Pirates' next CEO will not be upgrading the team's current talent level or expanding the Latin American base of operation or persuading owner Bob Nutting to increase the payroll significantly.
DCScrap / Epic Carnival:
EC Survivor Series: What's the Coolest Jersey in All of Sports? — There are many debates in sports. Who was better: Jordan or Chamberlain? Which NFL dynasty is the greatest: the 49ers or the Cowboys? Did Tom Brady really sleep with Tara Reid? These are all great questions, but I have yet another one for you to ponder.
Chris / The Blog of Hilarity:
MIDGET FRIDAY! Midgets take risks in the wrestling ring — As professional wrestling seems to go through dark times, let's remember some of the amazing things that made us all love or, at least, tolerate wrestling at one point in our lives. Through midgets. — Yowza, look at those midgets fly.
Tom Haudricourt / JSOnline:
Conflict management — Yost's rebuke prompts irate defense — The altercation in the Milwaukee Brewers' dugout Thursday afternoon at Miller Park wasn't a dispute between manager Ned Yost and catcher Johnny Estrada, as it appeared when captured by a television camera.
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