Top News:
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 …
RELATED:
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.
Discussion:
Rain Delay
Charles Odum / Associated Press:
Howard lifts Phillies to sweep of Braves — ATLANTA (AP)—Ryan Howard drove in two runs in the ninth inning with his third double of the game and the Philadelphia Phillies beat the Atlanta Braves 6-3 on Sunday to complete a three-game sweep. — Howard finished 3-for-5 with four RBIs.
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.
RELATED:
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
Ken Davidoff / Newsday:
Cash: Hank's behind me — Yankees general manager Brian Cashman confirmed yesterday that Hank Steinbrenner has officially expressed an interest in retaining his services beyond 2008, when his current contract expires. There have been no official negotiations, but Cashman stressed that he isn't looking to leave the Bronx.
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 …
Evan Grant / Dallas Morning News:
Ailing Young extends hitting streak to 22 games — egrant@dallasnews.com — ARLINGTON - Playing despite a broken left ring finger, shortstop Michael Young wasted no time extending his hitting streak to 22 games Saturday by lining a single to left in his first at-bat. — But how long Young can keep it up is uncertain.
Discussion:
Baseball Time in Arlington
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
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.
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
