Top News:
Neil Best / Watchdog:
Breaking News: Chris Russo has left WFAN — Two weeks shy of its 19th anniversary, the “Mike and the Mad Dog” show is no more. — WFAN announced early Thursday evening that Chris Russo is leaving the company, making Mike Francesa the sole host of the popular afternoon drive time show.
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Richard Sandomir / New York Times:
Radio Alert: It's Now Mike Minus Mad Dog — Martin and Lewis broke up, and so did the Beatles. — And on Thursday, WFAN's “Mike and the Mad Dog” became just Mike, when Chris Russo left the station abruptly, ending a nearly 19-year partnership with Mike Francesa that had made them perhaps the most formidable duo in sports-talk radio.
Tyler Kepner / Bats:
First-Round Pick Gerrit Cole Opts for College Over Yankees — When the Yankees drafted pitcher Gerrit Cole in the first round of the June draft, they believed that Cole would sign with them and forego a college scholarship. It turns out that Cole has changed his mind and will go to U.C.L.A. instead.
Tim Marchman / New York Sun:
Baseball's Draft System Is Badly Broken — When the clock strikes midnight Friday, the signing deadline for baseball's amateur draft will pass. By then, most if not all of the 10 first-round picks who have yet to sign as of this writing will presumably have done so.
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THE BOOK
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Dejan Kovacevic / Pittsburgh Post-Gazette:
Alvarez talks could go ‘deep into the night’ — Pirates, first-rounder have timing of physical among disputes — By the time the clock strikes midnight tonight for Major League Baseball's deadline to sign draft picks, the Pirates will know whether they have signed Pedro Alvarez.
Ken Davidoff / Newsday:
Newfound consistency makes Perez a key Met — If you were to rank the top reasons why these Mets have gone from doomed to (maybe) destined in the last two months, where would you place the surge of Oliver Perez? — Easily among the top five, right? How about the top four …
Discussion:
MetsBlog.com
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Juan C. Rodriguez / Sun-Sentinel:
Marlins' bats stay silent as concern grows — Club officials seek answers after listless series — MIAMI GARDENS - Glove still fitted on his right hand, Scott Olsen gave himself a swipe upside the head before disappearing into the dugout. — Self-flagellation would have been an appropriate response …
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FishStripes
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Jeff Goldberg / Hartford Courant:
Youkilis Making Case For MVP — BOSTON — Since he arrived in Boston in 2004, Kevin Youkilis has always been serenaded by fans — home and road — with the simple, drawn-out cry of “Youuuuk!” — With slightly more than six weeks left in the regular season, a staccato, three-letter chant might be in the offing.
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Bryan Hoch / MLB.com:
Yanks set to place Giese on DL — Righty first injured in sixth inning vs. Twins on Wednesday — NEW YORK — Yankees right-hander Dan Giese has been diagnosed with rotator cuff tendinitis and will be placed on the 15-day disabled list, the club announced on Thursday.
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iYankees
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Baltimore Sun:
Huff clears waivers — Move enables possible deal; Sherrill to stay — CLEVELAND - Orioles designated hitter Aubrey Huff could still be traded to a contender this month, but All-Star closer George Sherrill can't be. — According to two baseball sources, Huff, who is having a resurgent season …
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Dylan Hernandez / Los Angeles Times:
Hiroki Kuroda is sharp again as Dodgers sweep Phillies — Matt Kemp homers and L.A. remains tied for first with Arizona. — Manny Ramirez showed up at Dodger Stadium with his dreadlocks trimmed by an inch or so like Manager Joe Torre asked, and, sure enough, he didn't get a hit.
Bill Madden / NY Daily News:
Madden: As an owner, Hank's no Boss — Son of Boss Hank Steinbrenner has sounded the “wait till next year” rallying cry, and it sure looks as if the Yankees are heeding it. What is curious, however - and, not to mention, very un-Boss-like - is that Hank is blaming injuries …
Discussion:
WasWatching.com
Ken Gurnick / MLB.com:
Kent thriving batting ahead of Manny — Second baseman, left fielder form run-producing tandem — LOS ANGELES — Jeff Kent believes seven games is too small a sample to draw any conclusions. — But since he's moved into the third spot of the Dodgers' batting order …
Henry Schulman / SFGate:
Premature Posey-ing? — UPDATE: Just got off the phone with Bobby Evans, the Giants' director of player personnel, who is handling the Posey negotiations. He rarely talks on the record about negotiations, but he did this time because he wanted to categorically deny that a deal was done …
Carroll Rogers / Atlanta Journal-Constitution:
Braves' Jeff Francoeur: ‘I just flat out stink’ — Mired in slump, right-fielder dropping weight, changing approach — As bad as it has been for Jeff Francoeur, he believes his season will not be lost if he can turn things around the next six weeks. — While sitting out two of four games coming …
Evan Grant / TEXAS RANGERS:
Why it's OK to throw the high hard one at Justin Smoak — The Rangers have less than 24 hours to get all their draft dealings done and all indications are that they are rushing around trying to get something done with No.1 pick Justin Smoak (11th overall), but without yet getting positive results.
Discussion:
Lone Star Ball
Rick Gano / Associated Press:
4 straight HRs lift White Sox by Royals — CHICAGO (AP)—Jim Thome's long three-run homer started it. Shortly after he returned to the dugout, the parade really got going. — Thome, Paul Konerko, Alexei Ramirez and Juan Uribe hit consecutive homers in the sixth inning to tie …
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