Top News:
Joel Sherman / New York Post:
MELKY TO MINORS, SEXSON WAIVED — YANKEES PROMOTE GARDNER, RANSOM — In a move designed to boost the Yankees' sagging offense, the team today will demote Melky Cabrera to the minors, waive Richie Sexson, and promote Brett Gardner and Cody Ransom from Triple-A, The Post has learned.
Discussion:
MLB Rumors, Fox Sports, Walkoff Walk, WasWatching.com, iYankees, Beyond the Box Score, Sliding Into Home and River Ave. Blues
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Bryan Hoch / MLB.com:
Yanks demote Melky, cut Sexson — Club recalls Gardner and Ransom; Britton recalled, too — NEW YORK — TThe Yankees reshaped their roster prior to Friday's game with the Royals at Yankee Stadium, optioning outfielder Melky Cabrera to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre and designating first baseman Richie Sexson for assignment.
Peter Abraham / The LoHud Yankees Blog:
Melky optioned; Sexson released — I'm not at the Stadium today. But word from the Bronx is that Melky Cabrera has been optioned down to Triple-A Scranton and Richie Sexson was released. — OF Brett Gardner and INF Cody Ransom will be added to the roster.
Jim Baumbach / Newsday:
Yankees demote Melky Cabrera, waive Sexson — On the heels of a disappointing road trip and with their playoff hopes fading, the Yankees acted swiftly Friday. — The Yankees sent Melky Cabrera to Triple-A and designated Richie Sexson for assignment. To take their spots on the roster …
Roderick Boone / On the Yankees beat:Tonight's lineup and plenty of pregame news/nuggets
Discussion:
Pinstripe Alley
ESPN.com:
Yankees fire two scouts amid kickback probe — A Major League Baseball source said Friday that the New York Yankees decided to fire two scouts for taking kickbacks from Dominican prospects after being briefed by MLB investigators on the financial scandal and the role the men played in it.
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Ronald Blum / Associated Press:
Source: Yankees fire 2 scouts amid probe — NEW YORK (AP)—The New York Yankees have fired two scouts under investigation in a probe of possible skimming from contracts with Latin American players, The Associated Press has learned. — The Yankees terminated the contracts of Carlos Rios …
Dejan Kovacevic / PBC Blog:
Draft update: So, what about Alvarez? — The Pirates and Pedro Alvarez continue to have an open line of communication, at least between Neal Huntington and Scott Boras, but there is no indication — still — that it will be used until much later tonight. — Boras' method is to wait until close …
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Dan Connolly / Baltimore Sun:
O's reach agreement with Matusz — First-round pick gets major league deal, $3.2M signing bonus — The Orioles and first-round pick Brian Matusz have agreed to terms on a major league deal that would immediately insert him onto the club's 40-man roster and toward the top of the organization's list of pitching prospects.
Buster Olney / ESPN:
Closer Percival is the latest Ray to land on DL … The Tampa Bay Rays are starting to run into the bad luck they have avoided for most of this magical season. Rays closer Troy Percival will go on the 15-day disabled list because of a knee injury. He is the third Tampa Bay player to go on the DL this week.
Discussion:
The Heater
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Bart Hubbuch / Mets Blog:
Stokes looks like a keeper — Brian Stokes (pictured) knows the Tampa Bay Rays are having a dream season but still prefers the view from New York — Shea Stadium, in particular — a lot better.... If the right-handed reliever keeps pitching the way he has for the Mets since being called up last week …
Mike DiGiovanna / Los Angeles Times:
Angels' Maicer Izturis out for the season — Maicer Izturis was injured when diving for a ground ball. Now he's out for the season. — Injury to left thumb sidelines the shortstop. Erick Aybar will be the starter. — CLEVELAND — Maicer Izturis' left thumb injury was far worse than the Angels feared.
Discussion:
Baseball Musings
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Steve Gilbert / MLB.com:
Cruz eyes free agency with uncertainty — D-backs reliever eligible at the end of this season — HOUSTON — Juan Cruz will be a free agent at the end of the year. — Whether or not he'll be an Arizona Diamondback next season remains to be seen. — “Every player, when they sign …
Discussion:
MLB Rumors
Joe Christensen / Around the Majors:
Sorting through this waiver madness — After 3 1/2 years of covering the Twins with La Velle, I felt like I had stepped into “The Twilight Zone” on Thursday. — It started at about 9:45 a.m., when Buster Olney was on ESPN's “First Take” talking about the waiver claims that had been submitted …
Mark Newman / MLB.com:
U.S. falls to Cuba in 11 innings — Americans' record drops to 1-2; Nix out for remainder of Games — BEIJING — Davey Johnson hopes to see Cuba again. — “Oh yeah,” he said. “I'd like to see them in the finals.” — Those are fightin' words, but the big question now is whether …
Discussion:
The Griddle
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.
RELATED:
Neil Best / Newsday:After 19 years, Russo leaves ‘Mike and Mad Dog’
Discussion:
ZAGSBLOG, SPORTSbyBROOKS, New York Post, The Knicks Blog, My Pinstripes, The Big Lead, Bronx Liaison, Pinstripe Alley and Watchdog
Chico Harlan / Washington Post:
The Deadline Arrives to Sign Crow — One day before the Washington Nationals selected Aaron Crow ninth overall in the June draft, one of Crow's advisers, Alan Hendricks, spoke with General Manager Jim Bowden. In that conversation, Hendricks explained to Bowden what it would take to sign Crow.
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Sports Illustrated:
Mets' Maine admits he has been pitching injured … A wise man once told John Maine that the best thing to happen to him was Anna Benson opening her mouth. That led to the New York Mets trading her husband Kris Benson to Baltimore and sent Maine on his way to Shea.
Discussion:
New Jersey Online
Jon Heyman / Sports Illustrated:
Jon Heyman: Who will win big in free agency this winter? … Reds right-hander Bronson Arroyo, who apparently doesn't mind giving away Adam Dunn's innermost financial goals and is himself way overpaid, recently told the Cincinnati media that Dunn will seek $100-120 million as a free agent.
