Top News:
Kit Stier / MLB.com:
Yanks sweep Mariners on six-run third — Starting for Hughes, Rasner gets much support in season debut — NEW YORK — Darrell Rasner, unbowed by all of the chatter of potential young aces like Phil Hughes and Ian Kennedy, knows he has been given a golden opportunity.
RELATED:
Anthony Rieber / Newsday:
Kennedy returns to minors, Igawa gets next shot — The New York Yankees Melky Cabrera, Robinson Cano, Derek Jeter and Johnny Damon celebrate their sweep of Seattle. (Newsday / Audrey C. Tiernan / May 4, 2008) — Brian Cashman says Ian Kennedy is “turning the corner” and “going in the right direction.”
Peter Abraham / The LoHud Yankees Blog:Game 33: Mariners at Yankees
Discussion:
On the Yankees beat, Pinstripe Alley, Yankee Stadium Insider Blog, Sliding Into Home, iYankees, MY BASEBALL BIAS and NJ.com
Anthony McCarron / NY Daily News:Yankees send Ian Kennedy down to Triple-A
Discussion:
New York Post, WasWatching.com, The LoHud Yankees Blog, Bronx Banter, Blogging the Bombers and Bats
Adam Rubin / NY Daily News:
Wise, Castro close to coming back — PHOENIX - Matt Wise and Ramon Castro both may be activated for next weekend's series against the Reds at Shea, assistant GM John Ricco said. — Wise, on the DL with a bruised right forearm, is expected to work back-to-back days this week with Single-A St. Lucie.
Discussion:
The 'Ropolitans
RELATED:
Joe / Mets Today:
Making Room for Wise — Last week, it was reported that reliever Matt Wise was fully recovered from a forearm bruise and would activated from the DL in time for the weekend series against the Diamondbacks. — You may not have noticed, but Wise did not suit up in Arizona.
Discussion:
MetsBlog.com
Anthony DiComo / MLB.com:
Next step for Pedro is facing hitters — Once righty gets past that point, Mets will draw up rehab sked — PHOENIX — Slowly, Pedro Martinez is pushing toward a return. — Having spent the past month rehabbing at the Mets' Spring Training complex in Port St. Lucie, Fla. …
David Lennon / Newsday:
Church's throw helps Mets top Diamondbacks — PHOENIX - With the Mets' Johan Santana, a two-time Cy Young winner, matched against Dan Haren, another of the Diamondbacks' elite starters, there was a good chance that one of those golden arms would decide yesterday's series finale at Chase Field.
RELATED:
Associated Press:
Mets rally in ninth, beat D-Backs — PHOENIX - First baseman Conor Jackson's ninth inning throwing error allowed Carlos Beltran to score the go-ahead run from second and the New York Mets went on to beat the Arizona Diamondbacks 5-2 on Sunday. — The Mets won at Arizona for the 15th …
Juan C. Rodriguez / Sun-Sentinel:
Batting order doesn't matter much to Cody Ross — MIAMI GARDENS - Cody Ross joked last week he had plenty of experience leading off. Not the game, but the third inning. Sunday, he led off the third inning yet again, only this time it wasn't his initial at-bat.
Discussion:
FishStripes
NY Daily News:
Roger Clemens says sorry for ‘mistakes’ — On the eighth day, Roger Clemens. apologized. — Following a week in which the Daily News reported his affairs with several women, Clemens released a statement Sunday night apologizing for “mistakes in his personal life,” while again denying he ever used performance-enhancing drugs.
Patrick Saunders / Denver Post:
RHP Wells set to have surgery to remove clots — Right-hander Kip Wells is scheduled to have surgery Tuesday to remove blood clots from his pitching hand. Doctors also want to see what's causing the clots. The Rockies are concerned because of Wells' history of circulation problems.
Discussion:
Bugs & Cranks
RELATED:
Paul Sullivan / Chicago Tribune:
Piniella compares Soriano to Bobby Bonds — ST. LOUIS - ESPN analyst Joe Morgan asked manager Lou Piniella during Sunday night's telecast if he had contemplated moving Alfonso Soriano down in the order. — Piniella didn't chide Morgan but pointed out that he has been asked about it “for quite a while.”
Bob Dutton / Kansas City Star:
Royals' Bale diagnosed with broken hand after punching door — Royals left-hander John Bale won't be returning to active duty any time soon after breaking his pitching hand Friday night by punching a door at the team's downtown hotel. — Bale apparently was frustrated by his slow recovery from a fatigued left shoulder.
RELATED:
Marc Topkin / St. Petersburg Times:
Starting pitching lets Rays down in Fenway sweep — BOSTON — In detailing how the Rays went from sweeping the Red Sox last weekend to being swept this weekend, it's best to start with the starting pitching. — At Tropicana Field, the Rays got an okay outing from Matt Garza and stellar work …
