Top News:
ESPN.com:
Mets fan killed in two-story fall over railing at Shea — NEW YORK — A man attending a New York Mets game with his family lost his balance on an escalator and fell two stories to his death, police said. — Antonio Nararainsami, 36, and several relatives, including his two young daughters …
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Bart Hubbuch / New York Post:
CASTILLO ACHING FOR REST — An ailing Luis Castillo admitted he could use some time off after getting dumped all the way to eighth in the Mets order last night. — Willie Randolph demoted the slumping second baseman in favor of right fielder Ryan Church.
Discussion:
Mets Fever, MiracleMets.net, NY Daily News, MetsBlog.com, NJ.com, The 'Ropolitans, Newsday and On the Mets beat
Ken Davidoff / Newsday:
Booing at Shea stems from 2007 fears — It takes so little to set the negativity into overdrive here at Shea Stadium, it's incredible. — Mike Pelfrey walks Lastings Milledge in the third inning, loading the bases? A booable offense. Carlos Beltran grounds into a double play in the bottom of the third?
Rob Bradford / Boston Herald:
Heckuva 1st game — Lowrie's debut a big hit … CLEVELAND - Jed Lowrie finally got his ball. — The story of how the toothy-grinned kid arrived in the glory that surrounded his major league debut last night would seem to start on his family's three-quarters of an acre plot where tennis balls …
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Tom Yantz / Hartford Courant:
Lowrie Ties Rookie Record — CLEVELAND — When Jed Lowrie hit first base, he said he felt jubilation and relief. — His two-run single in the seventh was his first major league hit in his first major league game. — “I can't even describe it,” he said. “It's one of the moments in your life that you'll always remember.
Bryan Hoch / MLB.com:
Hawkins gives up No. 21 for No. 22 — Yanks reliever criticized for wearing O'Neill's number — ST. PETERSBURG — Tired of receiving flak for wearing a number last used by Paul O'Neill, the Yankees' LaTroy Hawkins has decided to surrender his No. 21 before the club opens a two-game series against the Red Sox on Wednesday.
Discussion:
It is about the money, stupid, Lady At The Bat, YanksBlog.com, iYankees, WasWatching.com and matsuifan.com
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MLB.com:
Sanchez ready for more game action — New York Mets (6-6) vs. Washington (4-10), Wed., 7:10 p.m. ET — NEW YORK — He's a veteran, sure, but Duaner Sanchez still strolled around Shea Stadium's home clubhouse Tuesday afternoon as if he had never stepped inside. Some teammates got hugs; others received high fives.
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Chicagosports / Hardball:
Another Cubs' lineup fantasy ... it's dirty. — Had another lineup fantasy last night on the heels of Alfonso Soriano's hop-related calf injury (and nearing trip to the 15-day DL). And this one was rated XXX. — In my dream, Kosuke Fukudome moves into the leadoff spot and plays centerfield …
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Lisa Kennelly / New Jersey Online:
Pavano can't rehab his image — ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — The days blur together, distinguished only by minor developments in his throwing program — an extra 10 feet of distance, another dozen throws. For Carl Pavano, even these marginal increments serve as benchmarks on yet another agonizingly slow journey back to the mound.
USA Today:
Self-examination may bring Rays solutions — ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — The Tampa Bay Rays, the only franchise in the majors never to win more than 70 games in a season, are taking a long, hard look at themselves. — One man critiquing the performance is former big-league infielder Tim Bogar …
Richard Durrett / TEXAS RANGERS:
A few thoughts... I'll admit that I'm stunned at the way this team has played the last five games. Where do we start? — • It was a quiet clubhouse yesterday. Marlon Byrd still looked a little shocked by the time the media walked in. He said he had a “brain freeze” and thought he was going to get a hold sign.
Discussion:
Baseball Musings
Joel Sherman / New York Post:
RIVALRY'S BUZZ TAKES A BEATING — I DO NOT want to write this column, but I must, because the Red Sox and Yankees start a series tonight and someplace next to the original Gutenburg press is a journalistic playbook that demands we trumpet each new sighting of The Rivalry as if it were the ball coming down on New Year's.
Discussion:
Sliding Into Home
Josh Leventhal / Baseball America Business Blog:
End of an Era in Buffalo? — Opening Day in Buffalo was missing a regular tradition this year. Sure, fried bologna sandwiches were a hit as always at the concession stands and Buster the mascot was as entertaining as ever. — However, unlike the four previous times that Buffalo's player …
Jerry Crasnick / ESPN:
Young starters trying to make the long-term leap … Somewhere between the promise of a Johnny Cueto or Clay Buchholz and the $15 million guaranteed payout that Fausto Carmona just received as a 19-game winner, there exists a world of ambitious young starters trying to bridge the gap from hopeful to fulfilled.
Discussion:
Hot Foot
Jeff Passan / Yahoo! Sports:
Griffey keeps Robinson's legacy alive — CHICAGO - The stories stuck with him. Ken Griffey Jr. would sit at the dinner table and hear old ballplayers like Joe Black and Chuck Harmon wax on about Jackie Robinson. He would travel to Arizona and listen to Willie Mays tell tales about Jackie.
Discussion:
Bleed Cubbie Blue
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Chuck King / St. Louis Post-Dispatch:
Mulder works 5 good innings — JUPITER, Fla. — For five innings Mark Mulder looked like the groundball pitcher the Cardinals expected to have the last two seasons. — Making his first rehab start since shoulder surgery ended his 2007 season, Mulder threw 61 pitches in five innings of work …
Awful Announcing:
Breaking News: A Settlement Has Been Reached In Harold Reynolds Lawsuit Against ESPN — The trial wasn't supposed to happen until 2009, and according to AP it's not going to happen at all. A settlement has reached in Reynolds vs. ESPN..... Obviously no numbers are going to be released …
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