Top News:
Associated Press:
Hank: Yankees must play smarter, harder — TAMPA, Fla. (AP)—Hank Steinbrenner expects his struggling New York Yankees to focus and turn around their season. — “They've got to play smarter and harder,” he said Wednesday. “The injuries—when you're missing Alex Rodriguez and Jorge Posada, that makes it tough.
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iYankees
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ESPN:Hank speaks, wants more effort out of Yankees
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Pinstripe Alley, New York Post, Cobra Brigade, Outs Per Swing, Big Apple Sports and The LoHud Yankees Blog
New York Post:BABY BOSS BASHES BUMBLING BOMBERS
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NY Daily News, Sliding Into Home, St. Petersburg Times, The LoHud Yankees Blog, The Heater, NJ.com, Scott Proctor's Arm, FanHouse, The Bronx Block, Bronx Banter, WasWatching.com, New York Times, New Jersey Online, iYankees, Lady At The Bat, IT IS HIGH, IT IS FAR, IT IS and Yanksfan Soxfan
Associated Press:
Broken fingernail lands BoSox's Buchholz on DL — BALTIMORE — Clay Buchholz was put on the 15-day disabled list Wednesday by the Boston Red Sox because of a broken nail on his right middle finger. — The Red Sox filled his roster spot by recalling outfielder Jonathan Van Every from Triple-A Pawtucket.
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Nick Cafardo / Boston Globe:
A few things.... BALTIMORE - According to acting manager Brad Mills, Clay Buchhholz' stint on the DL is due to a concern that 1) Buchholz' tender middle finger as a result of a torn fingernail, needs to heal; and 2) the possibility he could alter his delivery and injure a shoulder or an elbow if he pitched with it.
Marc Topkin / The Heater:
Kazmir agrees to extension — The Rays and ace LHP Scott Kazmir have agreed on contract extension though 2011, with a team option for 2012. The deal guarantees the lefthander $28.5-million and has a maximum value of approximately $39.5 million. — “As we continue to win games and play …
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Fred Goodall / Associated Press:
Rays sign Kazmir to 3-year, $28.5M deal — ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP)—Tampa Bay left-hander Scott Kazmir agreed Wednesday to a $28.5 million, three-year extension through 2011, a deal with a club option that could raise the contract's value to $39.5 million over four seasons.
Justin Terranova / New York Post:
ON DECK: NATIONALS AT METS — It may be a downgrade for Claudio Vargas to go from pitching against Triple-A competition to “softball girls,” but he will deal with it. Vargas makes his Mets' debut tonight against the Nationals (7:10, SNY, WFAN) two days after Nelson Figueroa's struggles …
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Federal Baseball, Associated Press, Mets Geek, Shea Nation and The Musings and Prophecies …
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Associated Press:
Sabathia 5-hits A's, fans 11 in 2-0 win — CLEVELAND (AP)—C.C. Sabathia pitched a five-hitter and struck out 11 in the Cleveland Indians' major league-leading seventh shutout, a 2-0 victory over the Oakland Athletics on Wednesday night. — Sabathia (3-5) extended the scoreless streak …
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Baseball Musings
Adam Rubin / Surfing the Mets:
Lo Duca calls WFAN — Brian Schneider is no Paul Lo Duca on his weekly spots on WFAN - not that the newest Mets catcher wants to match Lo Duca's penchant for being a lightning rod. — We were reminded of how things used to be when Lo Duca, on the DL with the Nationals with a broken hand …
Jonathan Mayo / MLB.com:
Crystal ball: Projecting the first 10 picks — Top of draft difficult to put together with no clear-cut No. 1 — The conversation usually goes something like this: — Me: I'm working on my first projection of the first 10 picks. — Scout X: (Laughter). Good luck with that.
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MLB Rumors
Marty Noble / MLB.com:
Shea Apple may move over to Citi Field — If home run icon is transferred, it'll be placed left of center — NEW YORK — Citi Field may have a something-less-than-new component. — The Mets' new home next season may have a piece of their current home — the Apple.
Maury Brown / The Biz of Baseball:
Report: Magowan to Step Down from Giants Friday — The San Francisco Giants will be holding a special ownership meeting on Friday, at which time, managing partner Peter Magowan will reportedly step down from the leading position within the organization. — As reported yesterday …
USA Today:
Some stats still anomalies one-quarter into season — By Ron Shandler, Special for USA TODAY — Another week gone and Chipper Jones is still batting around .400. Cliff Lee's ERA is still less than 1.00. Ryan Howard and Robinson Cano are still batting less than .200
Leitch / Deadspin:
Ah, Manny, Manny, Manny — From today's Orioles-Red Sox game: If there has ever been a more definitive Manny Ramirez moment in his career, we can't think of one.
Chicagosports / Hardball:
Hollywood Edmonds en route to Chicago — Jim Edmonds is expected to be in a Cubs uniform Thursday afternoon, playing centerfield and batting ninth in the lineup. — Ninth? — “He's going to hit ninth,” manager Lou Piniella said. “I'm going to move the pitcher to eighth, and hit him ninth.”
Leitch / Deadspin:
Simmons: “Certain Promises Were Not Kept” — We're not the only ones who noticed that Bill Simmons hasn't written a column in two weeks — until today, anyway — and hasn't been featured much on the home page of ESPN.com. We figured it was nothing; the man has taken extended breaks before.
