Top News:
Geoff Baker / Mariners Blog:
No big free agents in '09 — ADDITIONAL NOTE (9:51 a.m.): Some of you are shocked and accused me of burying the lede when I mentioned lower down that Chuck Armstrong had blocked the Washburn deal. I guess this just didn't surprise me, since Armstrong said the day of Bill Bavasi's firing …
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Geoff Baker / Seattle Times:
M's unlikely to sign stars for '09 — Forget about the Mariners loading up on free agents next season and going for it all. — Those days are over, at least for the time being, says team president Chuck Armstrong. Already saddled with expensive contracts owed Carlos Silva and Kenji Johjima …
Adam Rubin / NY Daily News:
Sweep revenge in sight for Mets? — Eight. That's how many wins in a row the Phillies posted against the Mets to close last season and contribute to one of the greatest collapses - or comebacks, depending on your perspective - in baseball history. — Now, the Mets have a chance for payback.
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Joe Pawlikowski / MLB Rumors:
A Tale Of Two Second Basemen: Hudson, Castillo — By Joe Pawlikowski [September 5 at 10:41am CST] — Adam Rubin of the New York Daily News, via MetsBlog, notes that the Mets are looking to shop Luis Castillo this off-season. This comes just one year after the team signed him to a four-year, $25MM deal.
Paul Doyle / Hartford Courant:
Pedroia Surprise MVP Candidate — BOSTON — With every hit, the chants grew louder at Fenway Park. — By the time the Red Sox finished their homestand with a victory over the Orioles Wednesday, cries of “MVP, MVP” reverberated each time Dustin Pedroia stepped into the batter's box.
Discussion:
Providence Journal, Over the Monster, Projo Sox Blog, Baseball Analysts and Boston Globe
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Tony Massarotti / Boston Globe:
Beckett may be an ace in the whole — At this time of year, when the races are as much against the clock as opponents, this is how quickly fortunes can change: In slightly more than two weeks, the Red Sox have gone from a team in apparent tatters to one with an unmistakable swagger.
Discussion:
Boston Herald, The Soxaholix, Keep Your Sox On, SOX & Dawgs, Boston Globe, Boston Sports Media Watch and The Joy of Sox
Pat Borzi / New York Times:
Overworking the Workhorse: Risk or Reward? — With every pitch Mike Pelfrey throws Friday night against the Phillies at Shea Stadium, the pitching coach Dan Warthen will be one of the more fidgety people in the Mets' dugout. Even if the 24-year-old Pelfrey pitches effectively, with little stress …
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Will Carroll / Unfiltered:
Quentin Out? — WSCR in Chicago is reporting that Carlos Quentin has a broken wrist and is done for the season. I have been unable to confirm the specifics, but there is more going on than I was led to believe yesterday. Just last evening, I spoke with a trusted source who told …
Newsday:
Pettitte's future up in the air — The smart money early this season would have been on the Yankees re-signing one of their veteran starting pitchers - Andy Pettitte - while saying thank you and so long to the other, Mike Mussina. — With just a few weeks left in the season, the odds have shifted.
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Joe Strauss / St. Louis Post-Dispatch:
La Russa expects commitment from club — Cardinals manager Tony La Russa (Chris Lee/P-D) — PHOENIX — Just over three weeks remain in the first installment of his two-year contract. Tony La Russa says he likes his team and likes his job. — But with the Cardinals listing toward …
Jason Beck / MLB.com:
Rogers ponders future after tough day — Southpaw lasts only two-plus as Angels take rubber game — DETROIT — The fact that Kenny Rogers took the mound Thursday on one of the Tigers' Senior Days promotional games was an odd coincidence, not a reason for reflection.
Discussion:
Bless You Boys
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Matt Eddy / Baseball America:
Minor League All-Star Team — Matt Wieters headlines our team of top prospect performers — C Matt Wieters • Orioles — In The Year of the Catcher, the 6-foot-5 Wieters rose above the rest. Sure, switch-hitting Carlos Santana (Indians) nearly led the minors in both runs scored and RBIs …
Awful Announcing:
The Coolest Squirrel Ever, Wreaks Havoc On An Entire Inning Of Baseball — This video via Franky at Denseland just had me rolling this morning. A squirrel got loose on the field during the ninth inning of the White Sox- Indians game yesterday and proceeded to amaze and entertain for most of the frame....
David Pinto / Baseball Musings:
Wild Schedule — The Brewers lost their fourth game in a row, falling to the Padres 5-2. Every starter in the Milwaukee lineup collected exactly one hit, but they could not string them together. This against a pitcher, Shawn Estes who spent three months recuperating from a broken thumb …
David Singh / MLB.com:
Twins end road trip with loss to Jays — Team falls 1 1/2 games behind White Sox in AL Central — TORONTO — It was a road trip the Twins had been dreading all season. — Their longest such trek in 39 years, the Twins endured 14 games in 15 days, across four different cities …
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Bill Chastain / MLB.com:
Wily Kazmir dominates Yanks in finale — Rays ace allows just one hit in picking up his 11th victory — ST. PETERSBURG — Six goose eggs by Scott Kazmir and a healthy dose of Willy Aybar put the Rays back in business on Thursday night. — Thanks to the pair's contributions …
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Bill Ladson / MLB.com:
Martis outpitched in Nats debut — Rookie labors through five innings; Belliard strains groin — ATLANTA — Nationals right-hander Shairon Martis and catcher Luke Montz made their Major League debuts on Thursday night against the Braves, marking the first time in franchise history …
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Tom Saladino / Associated Press:Braves rookie Parr shuts down Nats 2-0
Discussion:
Baseball Musings
Mike Klingaman / Baltimore Sun:
Ex-Orioles infielder Todd Cruz dead at 52 — Six weeks ago, during the 25th anniversary celebration of the Orioles' last world championship, Todd Cruz stood on the field at Camden Yards and reveled in the moment. — “Being with these guys here is like being a little kid …
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