Top News:
Todd Zolecki / MLB.com:
Utley, Phils drub Nats, but lose Hamels — Ace sprains left ankle, expects to make next start Monday — PHILADELPHIA — Cole Hamels is not a believer in curses, jinxes or voodoo dolls. — Not yet. — “I'd probably be on the disabled list with a surgery procedure if somebody hated me that bad …
Discussion:
Baseball Analysts
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Chico Harlan / Nationals Journal:
1,727 Words On The Bullpen Shake-Up — With a sharp slider and fastball, Joel Hanrahan still fits the closer prototype — at least physically — better than anybody else in the Washington organization. He needs to work on the mental side, though; that's the verdict both from Hanrahan and those in management.
Bill Ladson / MLB.com:
Hanrahan out as Nationals' closer — Acta to employ bullpen-by-committee to finish games — PHILADELPHIA — One day after watching the bullpen blow a four-run lead, the Nationals decided Tuesday that right-hander Joel Hanrahan will no longer be their closer and that right-hander Garrett Mock is out as the eighth-inning setup man.
Chico Harlan / Washington Post: More of the Same as the Nationals Suffer Their Fifth Loss in Six Games
Chico Harlan / Washington Post:Tavárez, Wells to Replace Hanrahan in Closer Role
Discussion:
FanHouse
David Lennon / Newsday:
Manuel upset at Mets finish in 7-4 loss to Marlins — David Wright is seen after the loss against the Florida Marlins at Citi Field on Tuesday night. (Newsday/ Ana P. Gutierrez / April 28, 2009) — Give up? Jerry Manuel didn't say those exact words. Surrender? Not quite.
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Matthew Cerrone / MetsBlog.com:
Opinion: I Don't Trust the Mets — Last night, David Wright had an RBI single, plus two more strike outs, yet is hitting .282 on the season with a .371 OBP. — Wright also made a ‘fielding error’ in the sixth, on a ball hit hard, that bounced off of his chest and in to the outfield, on which a run scored.
Peter Abraham / The LoHud Yankees Blog:
Guess who's back? It's Phil Hughes — Phil Hughes wasn't just good tonight, he was great. Six scoreless innings, two hits, two walks, six strikeouts. He threw 59 of 99 pitches for strikes and never cracked in a scoreless duel with Edwin Jackson. — If you were watching closely …
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Ken Gurnick / MLB.com:
Dodgers edge past wild Giants — Ethier doubles home Ramirez for go-ahead run in ninth — SAN FRANCISCO — Jonathan Broxton blew his first save in the eighth inning. Will Ohman converted his first one in the ninth. — Late innings in close games for the Dodgers are becoming true adventures …
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Associated Press:
Ethier's double in the ninth carries Dodgers past Giants — SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Andre Ethier doubled in the go-ahead run in the ninth inning and the Los Angeles Dodgers beat the San Francisco Giants 5-3 on Tuesday night, avoiding their longest losing streak of the season.
Maury Brown / The Biz of Baseball:
Vasgersian: “I certainly didn't mean to trivialize an injury.” — UPDATE: Vasgersian apologizes on MLB Tonight. See embedded video below. — The first studio analyst hire that MLB Network made was that of Matt Vasgersian. As a play-by-play man, he had been with the San Diego Padres, and prior to that, the Milwaukee Brewers.
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Associated Press:
Indians end Boston's 11-game winning streak 9-8 — Buzz up! — CLEVELAND (AP)—Javier Lopez took his eyes off the ball for an instant—and Boston's 11-game winning streak was over. — Mark DeRosa had four hits and scored from second base on Lopez's error with two outs in the ninth inning …
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Ken Gurnick / MLB.com:
Dodgers on watch for swine flu — Team already vigilant against contagious diseases — SAN FRANCISCO — The swine flu scare hasn't caused any panic in the Dodgers clubhouse, but head athletic trainer Stan Conte monitors news reports because he's seen how viruses can be passed from one player …
Discussion:
Walkoff Walk
Danny Knobler / CBSSports.com Sports News …:
Strasburg's price tag doesn't turn off future (?) teammates — Miller: Stuff of legend — Yeah, they've heard of him. Of course they've heard of him. — Stephen Strasburg? Yeah, of course the Nationals know who he is. — “I know he throws a billion,” Adam Dunn said.
Josh Katzowitz / MLB.com:
Valverde to DL with strained right calf — Astros recall Fulchino; Hawkins to fill in as closer — CINCINNATI — The Astros placed closer Jose Valverde on the 15-day disabled list on Tuesday with a strained right calf muscle. The move was made retroactive to Monday, and he will be eligible to return on May 12.
Thom Loverro / Washington Times:
Bowden discovers his calling in La-La Land — The guy who left the dead fish to rot in the safe-deposit box and skipped town - you know, the general manager who built the Washington Nationals' bullpen - is on the rebound. — Jim Bowden has gone Hollywood. He loves L.A.
Kansas City Star:
It's time the Royals invested in Bonds — This column is in no way an attempt to divert attention away from Zack Greinke's bid for history tonight at Kauffman Stadium. It's a plea to get Greinke and the Royals some help. — Barry Bonds should be wearing a Royals uniform this season.
Buster Olney / ESPN:
Blue Jays among those waiting for reinforcements — The Toronto Blue Jays, the Angels, the Yankees and some other teams must wait for pitching reinforcements to arrive. It feels like a scene from one of those old Westerns, when a small band of holdouts preserves its bullets and just tries to buy time before the cavalry shows up.
Discussion:
Baseball Prospectus
