Top News:
Joe Posnanski:
Fenway and No Hitters — One of the best parts about being a sports fan is that moment before the moment when you know something remarkable is about to happen. This feeling comes over you. It's not something that you can easily explain, but you sense that someone is about to hit a home run …
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Gordon Edes / Boston Globe:
Just say no — Lester throws no-hitter at Fenway Park — He put the ball in his cowboy boot. A temporary refuge, to be sure, but a measure of how Jon Lester chose to wear his fame on a magical, windswept Monday night in May. — The Red Sox lefthander threw a no-hitter …
Discussion:
Boston Sports Media Watch, Projo SoxBlog, YanksBlog.com, Rany on the Royals and Baseball Musings
ESPN.com:
Piazza hangs up catching gear after 16 seasons — BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. — Mike Piazza is retiring from baseball following a 16-season career in which he became one of the top-hitting catchers in history. — “After discussing my options with my wife, family and agent …
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Associated Press:
Piazza retires from baseball — BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. (AP) — Mike Piazza is retiring from baseball following a 19-season career in which he became one of the top-hitting catchers in history. — “After discussing my options with my wife, family and agent, I felt it is time to start …
Adam Rubin / Surfing the Mets:
Piazza announces his retirement — Mike Piazza officially retired from baseball today. Here's a statement, released through his agent Dan Lozano: — After 19 wonderful years, I have come to the decision to officially retire from Major League Baseball. At this point in my career …
Discussion:
Hot Foot
ESPN:
Five MLB teams on the brink? — The Tigers, Rockies, Padres, Mariners and Yankees are all off to slow starts this season, raising questions about their viability as contenders. Are these five teams' hopes for this season dead or alive? With apologies to Rob's good friend and frequent collaborator …
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Scott Miller / CBS SportsLine.com:With little power or speed, cellar-dwelling Padres don't have a prayer
Discussion:
Baseball Musings
Roger Rubin / NY Daily News:
Heavy heart for Mets' Pedro — PORT ST. LUCIE - Pedro Martinez may be on the fast track back into the Mets' starting rotation, but he is traveling that road with a heavy heart. — After facing minor leaguers in game competition Monday at Tradition Field, Martinez was equal parts enthusiasm and concern in an extended interview.
Discussion:
MLB Rumors, MetsBlog.com, Kranepool Society, Hot Stove New York, Chop-n-Change and FanHouse
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Marty Noble / MLB.com:
Martinez could be back next week — Expected to throw bullpen session Wednesday or Thursday — ATLANTA — The reunion of Pedro Martinez and the Mets, not to be confused with the return of Martinez to active duty, is to happen this week while the team is here to play four games in three days against the Braves.
Discussion:
Shea Nation
Josh Curtis / New York Observer:Why the Yankees and Mets Don't Get What They Pay For
Discussion:
Mets Merized Online
Bob Klapisch / NorthJersey.com:
Halls of Fame — Throughout this final season of memories at both Shea and Yankees Stadium, we will look back at all the great times we have shared with our teams and fellow fans. — Yankees — Klapisch: Some troubling times for Girardi — It's not often the Yankees are thankful for a Mets' crisis …
Discussion:
Sliding Into Home
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Tyler Kepner / New York Times:Support for Girardi, a Bit Less for Cashman
Discussion:
NY Daily News, New York Post, New York Sun, Bats, FanHouse, iYankees, Sliding Into Home, Bronx Banter, WasWatching.com and River Ave. Blues
Dan Graziano / New Jersey Online:
Yanks, Mets likely bidders for Teixeira — They have, for reasons fair and unfair, become the symbols of what's wrong with New York's baseball teams. Highly paid, once-great sluggers in the final years of huge contracts. Jason Giambi and Carlos Delgado have started this year slowly …
Discussion:
River Ave. Blues
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Bob Nightengale / USA Today:
Amid big expectations, just paper Tigers so far — The ashtray is filled with cigarette butts and the pack of Marlboros is sitting next to an empty bag of chips inside the visiting manager's office at Arizona's Chase Field, but Jim Leyland is just getting started.
The Times-Tribune:
McCutchen called to Triple-A … Still haven't heard who's being sent down from New York to make room for Alex Rodriguez, but I'm starting to lean toward Chris Britton over Shelley Duncan. Still a guess, though. — Miley said he still wasn't sure whether Juan Miranda would be placed on the disabled list …
Michael S. Schmidt / New York Times:
Yanks May Be Scratching Surface of Sox Items at New Stadium — If inexperienced pitchers and key injuries were not enough to explain the Yankees' struggles, fans may have a new reason. — On MSNBC's “Countdown With Keith Olbermann” on Monday night, Olbermann reported that the construction worker …
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Matthew Leach / MLB.com:
Draft day could bring pitcher for Cards — With farm system on rise, club leaning toward college hurler — With their highest Draft pick in eight years, the Cardinals have an exciting opportunity in front of them next month in the First-Year Player Draft.
Discussion:
MLB Rumors
Steve Treder / Hardball Times:
The 10 worst cleanup hitters since 1957 — So far in this series, we've examined leadoff hitters, second-slot hitters and No. 3 men. Now it's time to focus on the very worst No. 4 hitters of the past half-century (defined as starting at least one-half of their team's games in that lineup slot).
