Top News:
Los Angeles Times:
Manny Ramirez suspended 50 games for positive drug test — The suspension, which begins with tonight's game, makes him the biggest star penalized under baseball's testing program that started in 2003. — Manny Ramirez has failed a drug test and has been suspended 50 games starting today, Major League Baseball confirmed.
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ESPN.com:
Manny Ramirez of Los Angeles Dodgers will serve 50-game suspension for drug violation — Major League Baseball announced Thursday that Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Manny Ramirez has been suspended for 50 games for violating its drug policy. — Ramirez — The commissioner's office …
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Yahoo! Sports:
Source: Ramirez's substance a sexual enhancer — Buzz up! — LOS ANGELES - A source close to Manny Ramirez — said Thursday that the illegal substance for which the Los Angeles Dodgers slugger tested positive was not “an agent customarily used for performance enhancing.”
Ken Gurnick / MLB.com:
Manny suspended for use of PEDs — Ramirez biggest name to be punished by MLB's drug policy — LOS ANGELES — Major League Baseball suspended Dodgers outfielder Manny Ramirez for 50 games on Thursday for use of performance enhancing drugs. — Major League Baseball made an official announcement shortly after noon ET.
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Tom Verducci / Sports Illustrated:
MLB suspends Ramirez for 50 games; he reportedly used HCG … Los Angeles Dodgers slugger Manny Ramirez tested positive for a banned performance-enhancing substance, incurring an immediate 50-game suspension and serving as the highest-profile reminder yet that the use of such drugs …
Andrew Baggarly / Extra Baggs:
Giants react to Manny Ramirez suspension — All the TVs in the visiting clubhouse were tuned to coverage of Manny Ramirez's 50-game suspension for testing positive for a banned substance. Other than that, it seemed like an ordinary morning. No agitated conversations, no high fives, no cheering.
Jon Weisman / Dodger Thoughts:
Manny Ramirez to be suspended 50 games — The magic bubble has popped. The report is anonymously sourced, but Dylan Hernandez and Bill Shaikin of The Times have the following story: — Manny Ramirez has tested positive for performance-enhancing drugs and will be suspended 50 games starting today, The Times has learned.
Buster Olney / ESPN:
No-tolerance policy must be put in place — Manny's admission and suspension should push MLB to get totally clean — Start with this: The players connected to performance-enhancing drugs through positive drug tests or hard information have lost the benefit of the doubt.
Discussion:
MLB Rumors
Dylan Hernandez / Los Angeles Times:
Joe Torre knows Yankees fans, empathizes with Joe Girardi — The New York crowd had chanted ‘We-want-Torre,’ but the Dodgers manager says, 'They weren't always happy with me.' — Two seasons removed from managing the New York Yankees, Joe Torre still can't distance himself from his former employers.
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Peter Abraham / The LoHud Yankees Blog:Both doom and gloom — The Yankees have the nicest clubhouse in the game.
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iYankees
Frank Fitzpatrick / Philly.com:
Former Phillies manager Danny Ozark dies — Danny Ozark, the Phillies manager whose hound-dog face and penchant for malaprops sometimes obscured the success his teams enjoyed during the 1970s, died today at 85 in Vero Beach, Fla. — Mr. Ozark, who during his 6-plus years at the helm managed …
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David Waldstein / New York Times:
Phillies' Old Swagger Seen in Mets' New Park — Philadelphia Manager Charlie Manuel sat in the visitors' dugout at Citi Field for the first time late Wednesday afternoon, leaning forward to casually inspect the odd contours of the outfield fence. He noted many of the differences between …
Michael Vega / Boston Globe:
Remy is battling cancer complications — Before last night's game against the Cleveland Indians, Red Sox play-by-play announcer Don Orsillo stood alone in NESN's broadcast booth at Fenway Park. Orsillo began the telecast with stunning news about the protracted absence of his broadcast partner, Jerry Remy.
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Steve Gilbert / MLB.com:
D-backs recall Whitesell from Triple-A — Clark placed on disabled list with strained ligament in hand — SAN DIEGO — The D-backs have a new starting first baseman. — The team recalled Josh Whitesell from Triple-A Reno on Wednesday and manager Bob Melvin said the 27-year-old will play every day in the foreseeable future.
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Federal Baseball
Jeff Seidel / MLB.com:
Twins fall to O's in rain-shortened game — Gardenhire not happy with chain of events on Wednesday — BALTIMORE — Mother Nature didn't appear to want this game to take place at Oriole Park at Camden Yards Wednesday night. — There were four rain delays that totaled nearly four hours …
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Mark Sheldon / MLB.com:
Janish finding ways to stay sharp — Cincinnati (14-13) vs. Milwaukee (16-12), 7:10 p.m. ET — CINCINNATI — Rarely in the starting lineup, Reds shortstop Paul Janish finds ways to stay busy, and most importantly, stay sharp. — What Janish did during the Reds' 15-3 loss to the Brewers …
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Jayson Stark / ESPN:
Sizing up A-Rod's ‘historic’ contract — Clause in deal that'll pay slugger total of $30M for HR milestones now up for debate — As fireworks, book reviews and favorite cousins explode all around him, here's our latest question about Alex Rodriguez: — Is he still someone we can look at as a “historic” player?
Discussion:
MLB Rumors
Joel Sherman / Hardball:
A-ROD ALMOST CERTAIN TO PLAY FRIDAY FOR YANKS — The plan is for Alex Rodriguez to be in the lineup as the third baseman tomorrow night in Baltimore, the Post has learned. — A conference call was scheduled between Rodriguez and members of the Yankee front office for this afternoon …
David Lennon / Newsday:
Perez put on DL, Takahashi goes to pen — The Mets were forced to shuffle their rotation again last night when they placed Oliver Perez on the disabled list with patellar tendinitis of his right knee. As a result, Ken Takahashi will remain in the bullpen and Jon Niese will be called …
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