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Sports Illustrated:
Mets seriously considering changes … Willie Randolph's status as Mets manager is extremely tenuous now. General manager Omar Minaya is seriously considering changing managers and at least a couple of the team's coaches, sources told SI.com. — A Mets official indicated that nothing …
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New York Post, MetsBlog.com, Baseball Musings, Seven Train to Shea Mets Blog, Loge 13, FanHouse, Watchdog, Phillies Nation, Shea Nation and ShysterBall
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Newsday:
Willie has the weekend to save his job — Source confirms Mets manager has until the end of this weekend's series against Texas to turn team around — A source confirms Mets manager Willie Randolph has until the end of this weekend's series against Texas to turn the team around.
Discussion:
New York Post, MagicMets.com, Mike's Mets, Ya Gotta Believe, Seven Train to Shea Mets Blog and Shea Nation
Tyler Kepner / New York Times:
Yanks Would Have Interest in Sabathia — OAKLAND, Calif. — A painful swing by the Cleveland Indians' Víctor Martínez on Wednesday could have significant ramifications for the Yankees. An elbow injury to Martínez all but ended the Indians' flickering playoff hopes …
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Jayson Stark / ESPN.com:
Sources: MLB working to start replay this season — Major League Baseball is attempting to institute instant replay on home-run calls before the end of this season, according to two sources familiar with those discussions. However, in order to accomplish that, MLB still needs to settle …
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Paul White / USA Today:
MLB may use instant replay starting Aug. 1 — Major League Baseball wants to implement instant replay by Aug. 1, according to two high-ranking officials within the World Umpires Association. — The officials said MLB approached the umpires Wednesday to request that replay be used on …
Jon Heyman / Sports Illustrated:
Would Griffey consider being dealt to surprising Rays? … Those who know Ken Griffey Jr. know that nothing is more important than family to the newest member of baseball's 600-home run club. Now Griffey, a longtime resident of the Orlando, Fla. area, is telling friends he's monitoring …
Denver Post:
Spilborghs' potential puts others on bench — Ryan Spilborghs' promotion could have ramifications. — With Spilborghs set to receive a string of at-bats in center field, that has created uncertainty regarding the future of backups Willy Taveras and Scott Podsednik.
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Bottom9 Baseball
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Associated Press:
Significant damage found in Smoltz's shoulder … ATLANTA (AP) — Atlanta Braves pitcher John Smoltz says he still hopes to pitch again following shoulder surgery. — Smoltz said Friday that doctors found significant damage in his right shoulder during the surgery earlier this week.
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Dejan Kovacevic / Pittsburgh Post-Gazette:
Doumit walks the walk in walloping Washington — Third game in row with a home run boosts Pirates, 7-5 — It is one thing to pipe up, as Ryan Doumit did four days ago after the Pirates' tumultuous takedown of the Arizona Diamondbacks, brashly declaring, “We let 'em know we weren't going to be pushed around in our own house.”
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William World News
Peter Mandzuk / News-Times:
Letter: A special visit to Yankee game — I attended the Yankees' game last Friday with my wife Joan, my son Eric, and his girl Sandy Sequeira. — We initially thought the evening's highlight would be the models of Yankee Stadium given out to fans. Little did we know what was in store for us.
Josh Dubow / Associated Press:
Matsui's slam helps Yankees beat A's 4-1 — OAKLAND, Calif. (AP)—Hideki Matsui had no use for the birthday cake he was given before the game, not wanting to add the extra calories to his waistline. — He found a much better way to celebrate his 34th birthday than eating a piece of cake.
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Steven Goldman / New York Sun:
Like Mets, Rangers Have Rich History of Frustration — Interleague play kicks off again today in an all-Texas way, with the Yankees visiting the Houston Astros and the Mets hosting the Texas Rangers. As disappointingly and strangely as things have gone for the Mets this year …
Jeff Zrebiec / Baltimore Sun:
Red Sox walk all over O's — Intentional free pass to Ramirez leads to Lowell's slam; Guthrie chased after 4 2/3 innings, his shortest outing of the year — BOSTON - As good of a hitter as Mike Lowell is, Orioles manager Dave Trembley's decision in the bottom of the fifth inning last night was an easy one.
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Oriole Post
Adam McCalvy / MLB.com:
Brewers release Weaver from Nashville — Veteran right-handed pitcher signed with organization in April — HOUSTON — The Brewers granted right-hander Jeff Weaver his unconditional release from Triple-A Nashville on Thursday, a day after the veteran's latest disappointing start.
ESPN:
Papelbon: Red Sox not finished paying back Rays — Over? Did you say over? — The Red Sox-Rays rivalry has turned into one of Major League Baseball's nastier feuds. And even after multiple suspensions for the teams' last dust-up, in which brushback pitches and punches were thrown …
Anthony Castrovince / MLB.com:
Pain finally subdues Martinez — Catcher to have surgery on right elbow, miss six to eight weeks — CLEVELAND — Victor Martinez had played through a left hamstring strain since Opening Day and right elbow inflammation for more than a month. — Finally, the pain got to be too much.
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