Top News:
Caleb Peiffer / Baseball Prospectus:
Saturday's Games to Watch — Probable Starters: Randy Wolf (114 IP, 4.97 RA, 1.40 WHIP, 101 K) vs. Todd Wellemeyer (104 2/3, 4.21, 1.27, 75) — Pythagorean Record: San Diego, 38-59 (360 RS, 456 RA); St. Louis, 52-46 (463 RS, 435 RA) — Hit List Rankings: San Diego, #29; St. Louis, #10
Discussion:
Viva El Birdos
RELATED:
Dayn Perry / Baseball Prospectus:
Can Of Corn — Chicago vs. Chicago — Not long ago, you could find civic ads inside many of Chicago's El trains, humorously touting the charms of the South Side in the form of a mock FAQ. In one of them, a mythical and provincially snobby North-Sider asked, “Will my cell phone work on the South Side?”
Discussion:
South Side Sox
Kevin Goldstein / Baseball Prospectus:Future Shock — Draft Signings Unannounced — As we move …
Discussion:
TEXAS RANGERS
Scott Merkin / MLB.com:
Garcia hoping for late-July return — Right-hander sidelined with shoulder issues for lengthy periods — CHICAGO — Freddy Garcia has become a recent hot topic of conversation as he continues to work his way back from surgery on his right labrum that cost him most of last season with the Phillies and all of this season, to date.
Alden Gonzalez / MLB.com:
Marlins ready for national audience — Florida (50-46) vs. Philadelphia (53-44), Saturday, 3:55 p.m. ET — MIAMI — Nationally televised games don't come the Marlins' way very often, but America will be watching Florida take on Philadelphia on Saturday. — Roaming around first place …
Jeff Zrebiec / Baltimore Sun:
O's blast out of rut — Mora's foul-pole shot, Scott's homers power win — The way things have been going for the Orioles lately, it seemed almost inevitable that the ball would go foul. Melvin Mora's towering drive hung up in the still air on a typical summer night in Baltimore …
Discussion:
Oriole Post
RELATED:
Associated Press:
A's Barton on DL after hitting head in pool dive … NEW YORK (AP) — Daric Barton smacked his head on the bottom of a pool during the All-Star break, requiring six staples to close the gash and leaving the Oakland first baseman with a neck strain that landed him on the disabled list Saturday.
Bryan Hoch / MLB.com:
Yanks back from break with a bang — Cano, Rodriguez go deep behind solid Mussina — NEW YORK — Mike Mussina's time off brought a down-home dose of fun at a county fair, and he wasn't necessarily counting the minutes to return, yet the Yankees made him feel comfortable back at the office.
Dallas Morning News:
Hot air: Josh Hamilton adds to Texas Rangers' clout with networks — The most-watched segment of the most-watched show on cable television this year starred (drum roll, please) ... Josh Hamilton, who happens to play for your Texas Rangers. — ESPN's Home Run Derby on Monday night …
Tom Haudricourt / Brewers Blog:
Brewers probably looking at Street — San Francisco - Brewers general manager Doug Melvin told me earlier today that he wouldn't pay $2 million for “a tweak” in his bullpen. — What about paying to acquire Oakland closer Huston Street? I just learned that Melvin's top special assistant …
Steve Crowe / Boston Globe:
Ortiz powers PawSox again — DH homers in 2d rehab game — David Ortiz performed his familiar home run gesture Thursday and repeated it last night. (Jim Rogash/Getty Images) — PAWTUCKET, R.I. - David Ortiz once again supplied the power, but it wasn't enough to keep the lights on at McCoy Stadium.
Juan C. Rodriguez / Sun-Sentinel:
Tendinitis in right knee sends Marlins' Andrew Miller to DL — MIAMI GARDENS - About the only thing that can derail a pitcher's effectiveness quicker than a balky elbow or shoulder is any kind of leg problem. — Andrew Miller can attest to that. — The Marlins placed Miller …
Fox Sports:
Aging Manny may be expendable for Red Sox — It'll cost Boston (vs. Angels, FOX, 3:30 ET) big time to keep Manny. But the Red Sox know he's replaceable, Ken Rosenthal says.
