Top News:
Mark Bowman / MLB.com:
Wickman designated for assignment — Veteran closer converted 20 of 26 save opportunities — ST. LOUIS — Adam Dunn said goodbye to Bob Wickman's 12th-inning fastball on Thursday night, and the Braves said goodbye to Wickman on Friday afternoon. — Somewhat surprisingly …
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Carroll Rogers / Atlanta Journal-Constitution:
Braves cut ties with Wickman — Designate closer for assignment — St. Louis — In a fairly surprising move in the heat of a pennant race, the Braves cut ties with closer Bob Wickman on Friday, designating the 38-year-old for assignment. — Braves manager Bobby Cox …
Mark Hale / New York Post:
SIXTH SPOT IS NO HELP FOR DELGADO — With his struggles continuing, Carlos Delgado's time in the fifth spot has expired, at least for now. — Whether it's temporary is to be determined, but Delgado again was dropped to sixth in the batting order last night.
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Peter Botte / NY Daily News:
Delgado hits sixth and the skids — Carlos Delgado smiled when asked about the significance of his place in last night's lineup against the Dodgers. — "I just go to the plate a minute later, as far as I'm concerned," Delgado replied. — The scuffling first baseman and former cleanup man …
Kobrien / On the Yankees beat:
Yankees lose in 11 innings — The Yankees lost a torturously long and delayed game 9-6 in 11 innings. Read below for more info. — Kat.OBrien@Newsday.com — DETROIT - The longest and latest of games came to a conclusion at 3:32 a.m with a three-run walkoff homer in the 11th inning by Carlos Guillen.
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Chris Jenkins / San Diego Union-Tribune:
Pads won't let dust-up at second just slide — PHILADELPHIA - So much for that City of Brotherly Love business. — There was none for one of the locals from anybody in the Padres clubhouse last night. The common adjective being applied to the incendiary slide by Phillies catcher Carlos Ruiz …
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Rob Bradford / Boston Herald:
Sharp Schilling caps off dominant doubleheader — CHICAGO - As players got dressed and attempted to end the longest of days by making the first bus back to the hotel, Curt Schilling [stats], David Ortiz [stats] and Ozzie Guillen teamed up to speak volumes about the Red Sox [team stats]' current lot in life.
George King / New York Post:
NO GUARANTEES FOR MOOSE — TORRE REFUSES TO ENDORSE ROTATION SPOT — With talk swirling through the Yankees universe that Mike Mussina could be pitching for his rotation spot Monday night against the Tigers, the right-hander said he isn't feeling the pressure. — "Who would they replace me with?"
Paul Meyer / Pittsburgh Post-Gazette:
Nutting serves as committee of one in the hunt for new CEO — The Pirates' search for a new CEO is piquing interest around baseball for at least two reasons — the extremely close-to-the-vest manner in which chairman of the board Bob Nutting is handling it and what it could mean for general manager Dave Littlefield.
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BBTF's Baseball Primer …
Roger Rubin / NY Daily News:
Boomer back on Big Apple hill — David Wells always has loved New York. It's where all of the biggest moments in his career have happened, from pitching his perfect game in 1998 to winning the World Series later that same year. Now he is looking to the Big Apple for one more small miracle.
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New York Post
Dejan Kovacevic / Pittsburgh Post-Gazette:
Pirates Notebook: Nady frustrated by hamstring — HOUSTON — Outfielder Xavier Nady's hamstring has regressed to the point he had difficulty completing running drills yesterday at Minute Maid Park, and he was restricted to pinch-hitting duties for a second consecutive game.
Associated Press:
Weaver bests Halladay, Angels keep lead — ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Jered Weaver didn't pitch as long as Roy Halladay did — just better. — Weaver threw six scoreless innings and the Los Angeles Angels got RBI singles from Vladimir Guerrero, Maicer Izturis and Orlando Cabrera to beat the Toronto Blue Jays 3-0 Friday night.
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6-4-2
Kevin Baxter / Los Angeles Times:
Dodgers can't make a move — Wells arrives, but offense fails in the clutch in a 5-2 loss to Mets that drops L.A. 31/2 games back in wild-card race. — NEW YORK — If the message wasn't clear before Friday, the Dodgers made it official just after 5 p.m. when newly acquired pitcher David Wells stepped …
Jack Curry / New York Times:
4 Words Remind Him How to Play the Game — Before Curtis Granderson slips on his Detroit Tigers cap, he reads the words written in black ink under the brim. He wrote "Don't Think. Have Fun" on his cap last year, as a reminder to play baseball loosely and not scrutinize every situation.
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Bless You Boys