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Jim Baumbach / Newsday:
Starting today, Mets' Randolph in line of fire — After losing three out of four home games to the lowly Washington Nationals, Willie Randolph is officially in danger of losing his job, writes Jim Baumbach. (Newsday / David L. Pokress) — Before the Mets' 1-0 loss to the Nationals yesterday …
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Kat O'Brien / Newsday:
Hal Steinbrenner on Yanks: We'll be fine — ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - Hal Steinbrenner flew back to Tampa from the Major League Baseball owners' meetings in Milwaukee yesterday, his belief that the Yankees can be a contender this season intact. — In a phone interview that took place shortly …
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New York Times, NJ.com, NY Daily News, New York Post, Rivera's Cutter, WasWatching.com and New Jersey Online
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Jon Heyman / Sports Illustrated:
Jon Heyman: Cashman bears brunt of Steinbrenner's wrath … According to a person familiar with what's going on in the upper reaches of the New York Yankees' hierarchy, new boss Hank Steinbrenner currently “blames Brian Cashman for everything.” — And, the way things are going right now, that's a lot of things.
Bryan Hoch / MLB.com:
Kennedy can't command in comeback — Righty allows five runs after being recalled from Triple-A — ST. PETERSBURG — When the Yankees' road trip opened a city ago, Ian Kennedy couldn't help but glance at the scoreboard in whatever Triple-A park he was working, looking toward the day he could help the big league club again.
Juan C. Rodriguez / Sun-Sentinel:
Outfielder Jacque Jones may be Marlin soon — Former Tiger would add depth; Willingham ailing — CINCINNATI - Former Tigers outfielder Jacque Jones cleared waivers Thursday morning and could be a Marlin as soon as today, according an industry source who has spoken with club officials.
Discussion:
FishStripes
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Joe Capozzi / Palm Beach Post:
Marlins gaining respect — CINCINNATI — Their series finale against the Reds was rained out by 5 p.m. Thursday, two hours before the start time, but the Marlins weren't going anywhere right away. — The charter plane that would take them back to Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport …
Discussion:
FishStripes
David Murphy / Philly.com:
Phillies Notebook: Phillies GM Gillick says Hamels will get his due, in time — When the Phillies renewed Cole Hamels' contract this spring and the lefthander expressed some frustration with his $500,000 salary, that line of thinking dictated the reaction from many fans.
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Shawn / Squawking Baseball:
The Risk and Reward of Long Term Deals — At a couple of different points in the last fifteen years or so, signing pre-arb players to long term contracts through their first FA-eligible seasons became a vogue move around Major League Baseball. It's now moved beyond that …
Jeff Barker / Baltimore Sun:
O's Angelos doesn't screech over Nats' downtown promotion — Turf war? What turf war? — The Washington Nationals sent their mascot and other representatives to distribute Nationals coolers and pocket schedules yesterday at the Inner Harbor, just blocks from Oriole Park at Camden Yards.
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Todd Zolecki / Philly.com:
Phillies Notes: Utley has the president's vote — It probably won't improve his approval ratings in the Philadelphia area, but President Bush offered an interesting answer this week when asked who would be the first position player he would want if he owned a baseball team again. — He would want Chase Utley.
Discussion:
The Big Picture
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Franz Lidz / Portfolio:
THE WINDUP — Bronx Cheer — Jason Giambi has a rock-star lifestyle, including a pair of gold lamé underwear. But when it comes to his batting slump this season, the thong remains the same. — Jason Giambi has a deep, dark secret. Deeper than his compulsion to sleep on the side …
Alyson Footer / MLB.com:
Homers fuel big comeback for Astros — Erstad's three-run shot ties it; Berkman's water shot a winner — SAN FRANCISCO — What the Astros are doing these days is borderline absurd. — Apparently, not even a bad starting performance and shoddy defense are enough to stop them.
Discussion:
The Crawfish Boxes
Barry Lewis / Tulsa World:
Naturals slip past the Drillers in 12 innings — Northwest Arkansas has won three in a row over Tulsa. — For the first time this season, the Tulsa Drillers played extra innings at home on Thursday night. — But working overtime didn't change the Drillers' luck as another close game slipped away from them.
Discussion:
Bottom9 Baseball
Howard Megdal / New York Observer:
Scott Schoeneweis and the Absence of Boos — It is a peculiar irony of this largely disappointing Mets season that one of the loudest sustained cheers any player at Shea received this year was on Sunday, May 11 for left-handed reliever Scott Schoeneweis, quite possibly 2007's least popular Met.
Discussion:
MetsBlog.com
Aaron Fitt / Baseball America College Blog:
Scheppers Has Stress Fracture — Jonathan Mayo has reported in his blog and Baseball America has confirmed with two scouts that Fresno State junior righthander Tanner Scheppers has a stress fracture in his shoulder and will not be able to throw for six weeks.
Discussion:
Phuture Phillies
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