Top News:
Dejan Kovacevic / Pittsburgh Post-Gazette:
Pirates sign Alvarez at last minute for $6 million — Franchise-record bonus part of $10 million spent on draft — It ticked to the final seconds, but the Pirates signed first-round draft pick Pedro Alvarez before Major League Baseball's deadline at midnight last night — at 11:59 p.m. …
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Dejan Kovacevic / PBC Blog:
Pirates, Alvarez AGREE to terms; Scheppers unsigned — The Pirates and first-round draft pick Pedro Alvarez agreed to contract terms, just before the midnight deadline Friday: $6 million bonus, plus college. — More in a bit. — 12:40 a.m.: Tanner Scheppers and all the other unsigned picks remained that way.
John Manuel / Baseball America Draft Blog:
Scheppers Doesn't Sign — We're still waiting for word on Pedro Alvarez and Eric Hosmer at the top of the draft. Righthander Tanner Scheppers of Fresno State, the Pirates' second-round pick (one round after Alvarez), is confirmed as not having signed. Scheppers had a shoulder injury …
Mark Sheldon / MLB.com:
Reds sign first-round pick Alonso — Club agrees to terms with first baseman before deadline — CINCINNATI — It went down to the wire, but when midnight ET struck and moved Friday into Saturday, first-round Draft pick Yonder Alonso was signed and sealed as a member of the Reds.
Discussion:
Redleg Nation
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Mark Sheldon / MLB.com:
Reds ink highly touted Venezuelan — Rodriguez, 16, considered five-tool center fielder — CINCINNATI — While the Reds finalized their deal with first-round Draft pick Yonder Alonso, they also made another move on Friday night that was significant for their developmental system.
Alden Gonzalez / MLB.com:
Marlins promote Lo Duca from Minors — Reliever Miller designated for assignment — MIAMI — Minutes after their heart-breaking 6-5 loss to the Cubs on Friday night, the Marlins added another bat to their lineup by promoting catcher Paul Lo Duca from Triple-A Albuquerque.
Chico Harlan / Washington Post:
Looking back on a setback — I'm back this morning, still with a strange amount of energy, to sort through everything I missed, all the context I should have included, and all the insight I didn't have time to provide. Let's call this the unabridged Day-After Aaron Crow Page.
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John Manuel / Baseball America Draft Blog:
Nats No Go On Crow, Sign Ramirez Instead — The Nationals signed 15th round pick J.P. Ramirez, a lefthanded-hitting outfielder with a smooth stroke and a Tulane commitment, for $1 million. — Ramirez is a solid consolation prize, but the Nats missed on their top pick.
Peter Abraham / The LoHud Yankees Blog:
There is a little bit of good news — The Yankees signed Stanford LHP Jeremy Bleich to a $700,000 bonus according to Baseball America. He was a supplemental first-round pick, 44th overall. — That figure, if correct, is below what a player in that slot would normally get.
Discussion:
YanksBlog.com
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Mike Scarr / MLB.com:
Hunter agrees to terms with A's — Oakland inks all top 10 draftees, 16 of its top 20 — OAKLAND — Before the deadline clock expired at midnight — Eastern Time — on Friday, the A's were able to sign Brett T. Hunter, selected in the seventh round of the 2008 First Year Player Draft.
Associated Press:
Suzuki HR in 9th lifts A's by White Sox — OAKLAND, Calif. (AP)—Kurt Suzuki gave the slumping Oakland Athletics something to celebrate. — Suzuki hit a game-winning, pinch-hit two-run homer in the bottom of the ninth inning and the A's rallied to beat the Chicago White Sox 6-4 on Friday night …
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.
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Joel Sherman / New York Post:MELKY TO MINORS, SEXSON WAIVED
Discussion:
Walkoff Walk, WasWatching.com, MLB Rumors, River Ave. Blues, Sliding Into Home and iYankees
Ken Gurnick / MLB.com:
Torre praises Kemp's progress — LA manager says outfielder is ‘more sure of himself’ at plate — LOS ANGELES — As player, manager and broadcaster, Joe Torre has seen them come and go. — But he said he hasn't seen anyone quite like Matt Kemp. — “For where he's come from over the first three …
Chris Duncan / Associated Press:
Webb wins 18th to snap Astros' run at 8 — HOUSTON (AP)—Arizona's hitters with ties to Houston helped Brandon Webb and the Diamondbacks end the Astros' eight-game winning streak. — Webb struck out six in eight sharp innings and Houston natives Chris Snyder and Chris Young …
Discussion:
AZ Snakepit
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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ESPN.com:
Yankees fire 2 scouts amid kickback investigation — 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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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.
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