Top News:
Bryan Hoch / MLB.com:
Girardi holds closed-door meeting — Manager trying to spark underperforming Yankees — ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Joe Girardi held the first closed-door meeting of his Yankees managerial tenure on Wednesday, addressing his team for about 30 minutes before the club's game against the Rays at Tropicana Field.
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Bill Madden / NY Daily News:
Madden: Hank lights fire, threatens to burn bridges — You have to understand, it's not easy being Hank Steinbrenner, entrusted with restoring his dad's Yankees to their past glory, looking at the standings and seeing them wallowing around .500 while, of all people, those longstanding baseball doormats …
Tyler Kepner / New York Times:
Cashman Under Fire as Yankees Struggle — ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — The top baseball operations executive under Hank and Hal Steinbrenner in the Yankees' hierarchy is General Manager Brian Cashman, whose contract expires after the season. The more the Yankees lose, and the more impatient …
Bryan Hoch / MLB.com:
Mussina stifles Rays, ends Yanks' skid — Veteran wins fifth straight start after closed-door team meeting — ST. PETERSBURG — In his eighth year with the Yankees, Mike Mussina has by now realized that no season will pass without a little controversy — a minor losing skid …
Discussion:
The Bronx Stop
Bryan Hoch / MLB.com:
Yanks understand Hank's frustrations — Team says it has the energy, but that hasn't translated to wins — ST. PETERSBURG — Now that Hank Steinbrenner's voice carries a similar tone and volume to the missives once barked by his father, it was only a matter of time before the Yankees' co-chairman broke …
Discussion:
Sliding Into Home
Peter Abraham / The LoHud Yankees Blog:Hank: Yanks tank
Discussion:
Associated Press, Bugs & Cranks, The Bronx Stop, NJ.com, BASEBALL HOT CORNER, River Ave. Blues and Baseball Musings
Carrie Muskat / MLB.com:
Cubs make it official with Edmonds — Veteran outfielder passes physical, could play on Thursday — CHICAGO — Jim Edmonds will now try to revive his career with the Cubs. — The veteran outfielder passed his physical, and was officially added to the Cubs on Wednesday.
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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.
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Associated Press:
Lackey sharp, but Angels fall to ChiSox — ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP)—Carlos Quentin did what he does every day—checked the lineup card to see if he was playing. This time, he was batting third for the first time this season. — Quentin made White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen look smart …
Kat O'Brien / Newsday:
A-Rod will test quadriceps by running bases — ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - Alex Rodriguez is expected to run the bases at Tropicana Field before Thursday's game, in what could be the final test before playing in rehab games. — Rodriguez has been on the disabled list since April 30 with a right quadriceps strain.
Discussion:
iYankees
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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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 …
Discussion:
Baseball Musings
Andrew Bagnato / Associated Press:
Diamondbacks improve to 7-1 vs. Rockies — PHOENIX (AP)—Micah Owings has made headlines with his bat. — He can pitch too. — Owings threw six shutout innings as the Arizona Diamondbacks defeated the Colorado Rockies 4-3 on Wednesday night, extending their domination of the defending NL champions.
Discussion:
AZ Snakepit
ESPN:
Padres' Prior tweaks back of shoulder in rehab — San Diego Padres right-hander Mark Prior has had a setback in his rehabilitation, ESPN.com's Buster Olney reports. — In his last rehab outing, he threw 10 or 15 pitches and had a feeling “like a firecracker going off in the back of his shoulder.”
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 …
