Top News:
USA Today:
Red Sox Nation new king of the road — TAMPA — Terry Francona recalls walking into a hotel elevator in Baltimore this month, still smarting from a galling loss that night. The Boston Red Sox manager was joined by two Sox fans, also guests in the hotel where the team was staying.
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Gordon Edes / Boston Globe:
Support lacking by Sox — Matsuzaka takes loss despite pitching well — ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — If, in an idle moment, Daisuke Matsuzaka happened to glance at the Tropicana Field scoreboard last night and noticed that the Texas Rangers had scored a record-setting 30 runs in Baltimore …
Discussion:
Peter's Red Sox Forever
Jeff Horrigan / Boston Herald:
Squander squad: Sox waste ton of chances in loss — ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - Considering the sporadic offensive support he has recently received, Daisuke Matsuzaka might have been justified if he'd caught a peek at the out-of-town scoreboard at Tropicana Field, saw what was happening in Baltimore …
Marty Noble / MLB.com:
Reyes steals his way to the top — Mets shortstop breaks franchise's stolen base record in fifth — NEW YORK — Jose Reyes established a franchise record for stolen bases in a season on Wednesday night, when he stole third base on the front end of a double steal in the fifth inning of the Mets' 7-5 loss to the Padres.
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Mike Puma / New York Post:
REYES SWIPES RECORD — Jose Reyes will need a big finish to reach 100 steals this season, but he hit one milestone last night, setting the Mets' single-season record for stolen bases. — Reyes tied a career high with three stolen bases, giving him 67 for the season, breaking the club mark Roger Cedeno established in 1999.
Tim Dierkes / MLB Trade Rumors:
Cubs Acquire Craig Monroe — Today, the Cubs acquired outfielder Craig Monroe and cash considerations for a player to be named later. Monroe has approximately $1.06MM left on his contract for 2007. — The 30 year-old outfielder enjoyed a career season in '06, smacking 28 homers and knocking in 92.
Discussion:
GoatRiders of the Apocalypse
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Jayson Stark / ESPN:
Very few quality starters will be available this winter … We came across a National League general manager the other day who was perusing his handy-dandy roster of this winter's free-agent starting pitchers. — Let's just say it wasn't up there with "Harry Potter" on his list of uplifting summer reading.
Adam Rubin / NY Daily News:
Mets tumble to road warrior Peavy — Padres hurler silences Shea — The Mets handled Chris Young well enough to beat the Padres in Tuesday night's series opener. They couldn't solve teammate Jake Peavy, the runner-up to Young for the top ERA in the National League.
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Spencer Fordin / MLB.com:
Twin bill a day to forget for Orioles — O's yield 39 runs in both ends of record-setting doubleheader — BALTIMORE — On some level, the Orioles have to be pleased just to survive the night. — Baltimore saw its pitching staff get throttled on Wednesday like few other nights in franchise history …
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Andrew Bagnato / Associated Press:
Streak over, Webb bids for 2nd Cy Young — PHOENIX (AP) — Now that his scoreless streak is over, Brandon Webb is setting his sights on something else: a second straight Cy Young Award. — Webb's string ended at 42 innings Wednesday night when he gave up a run in the first against Milwaukee.
Discussion:
AZ Snakepit
Anthony McCarron / NY Daily News:
Is Moose cooked? — Mussina looking older and shakier than ever — Mike Mussina pitched credibly enough for more than two months during the summer, keeping the Yankees in games he started while they straightened out their miserable season. But he's been horrible in consecutive clunkers …
Discussion:
Bronx Banter
John Perrotto / Beaver County Times & Allegheny Times:
Column: Hamilton loses season to wrong diagnosis — Clayton Hamilton felt the persistent pain in his lower side for more than a year. — The Pittsburgh Pirates doctors and trainers kept telling the right-handed pitching prospect that he had a strained oblique muscle, which has become the baseball injury of the 2000s.
Drew Sharp / Detroit Free Press:
Outlook bleak without Sheffield, Rogers — Concern took a solemn step closer to panic Wednesday as Gary Sheffield walked to his cubicle with his ailing right shoulder wrapped tightly. — He hasn't been right for a while. Missiles explode from his bat when the violent acceleration in his swing is there …
Carlos Gomez / Hardball Times:
The DRAFTYs: The 2007 MLB draft awards — With the Aug. 15 signing deadline behind us, it is time for this year's draft awards and "winners and losers." For a more complete video analysis of the draft, please refer to my other articles on the draft: — Picks 1-10: Favorable analysis on Price, LaPorta and Parker.
Discussion:
The View From The Bleachers
thestamfordtimes.com:
COLUMN — Andy Rooney — A no-hit game for me — Baseball has never been my game. I never liked it as a kid, probably because I could never throw a ball very well. My friends said I threw like a girl and that's enough to put any young boy off a game. As I've probably told you …
