Top News:
MiamiHerald.com:
Cuban baseball player defects — Dayán Viciedo, a promising 19-year-old third baseman, wants to play baseball in the major leagues. — Facebook — AIM — El Nuevo Herald — Cuban baseball's brightest star, Dayán Viciedo, has escaped from Cuba and is now in Miami …
Discussion:
Baseball Digest Daily
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Associated Press:
Cuban prospect defects to U.S. … MIAMI (AP) — One of Cuba's top baseball prospects has defected and settled in South Florida in hopes of playing in the major leagues. — Dayan Viciedo arrived in the United States at the end of May and is now living with friends and family, his agent, Jaime Torres, said Sunday.
Nat Boyle / MLB Rumors:
Dayan Viciedo Defects From Cuba — 12:45pm Baseball America's John Manuel has a solid write up on Viciedo and his free agent status. Agent Jamie Torres says, “He was processed at the end of May. … The catch here is whether or not Viciedo is subject to the rules of the draft now that he's …
Discussion:
Yankee GM Blog
Mark Bowman / MLB.com:
Chipper out with slight tear in leg muscle — Third baseman hopes he will be able to return soon — ATLANTA — Chipper Jones was held out of Sunday afternoon's lineup with a right quadriceps strain that he hopes won't force him to miss more than just a few games.
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Rain Delay
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ESPN.com:
Braves' Jones sidelined with slight injury to thigh — ATLANTA — Braves third baseman Chipper Jones wasn't going to play Sunday due to a small tear in his right quadriceps and may miss one or two more games. — Jones, leading the majors with a .420 batting average, injured the muscle …
Discussion:
THE BASEBALL SAVANT
Justin / On Baseball and the Reds:
Why do I keep using OPS? — In a comment to my latest “weekly” stat review for the Reds, Bluzer politely critiqued my use of OPS (and, by extension, PrOPS). OPS is certainly not a great statistic. For details on some of the arguments made against it, check out Patriot's fine assault on it here.
Evan Grant / Dallas Morning News:
Pen writes story of Texas Rangers' frustrating loss to Rays — egrant@dallasnews.com — ARLINGTON - Maybe it's the result of all those innings they had to pitch early in the season. Maybe it's due to the encroaching summer heat. Maybe the constant shuffling of bodies has played a part.
Marc Topkin / St. Petersburg Times:
Rays' Gomes drops appeal of five-game suspension — ARLINGTON, Texas — OF/DH Jonny Gomes dropped his appeal and served the first game of his five-game suspension Saturday as the Rays began taking their punishment for last week's brawl, a process that will leave them short-handed …
Irv Moss / Denver Post:
Hawpe's slam sinks Brewers — Forget about a fire sale for the Rockies. — With Brad Hawpe back, the only heat being felt in the Rockies' dugout is coming from Hawpe's bat. — With one mighty swing in the first inning Saturday night at Coors Field, Hawpe crushed the first grand slam …
Discussion:
Purple Row
Joel Sherman / New York Post:
FIX OF THE TRADES — YANKS CAN WIN NOW IF THEY DEAL NOW — THE Yankees are trapped between objectives. They are the $200 million-plus team that is playing or tomorrow. They are doing onthe- job training - and restraining - of young pitchers while targeting World Series victory No. 27 in 2008.
Discussion:
The Sommer Frieze
David Pinto / Baseball Musings:
Walking a Tightrope — Greg Reynolds picked up his first major league win Saturday night, allowing two runs over six innings against the Brewers in Colorado. However, he walked two and struck out none. In his six MLB starts so far, Greg walked 20 and struck out 9. That's a K/BB of 0.45.
Aaron Fitt / Baseball America College Blog:
The Number 23 Proves Unlucky For LSU — Saturday was the only day assured to feature a full slate of eight super-regional games, but Sunday will bring seven more games, as three of Friday's losers evened their series to force rubber games. The lone team to punch its ticket to Omaha on Saturday …
Discussion:
The Griddle
Anthony DiComo / MLB.com:
Damon, Yankees scorch Royals — NEW YORK — Back and forth the pendulum swung until finally the Yankees wrested it back to their side. They were not about to lose this game. — Johnny Damon hit a walk-off single in the ninth inning on Saturday, boosting the Yankees to a wild 12-11 win over the Royals on Yankee Stadium.
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