Top News:
Buster Olney / MLB:
Atlanta Braves interested in Boston Red Sox pitcher Brad Penny, according to sources — The Braves already have made moves to augment their rotation, calling up super prospect Tommy Hanson to make his major league debut on Sunday, after summoning Kris Medlen last month. But Atlanta might not be done adding pitching.
Discussion:
Bowman's Blog, Associated Press, Boston Globe, SOX & Dawgs, Hardball Times, MLB Rumors, Dallas Sports, Over the Monster, Talking Chop and Philly.com
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Mike Morris / Atlanta Journal-Constitution:
Glavine says he was ‘blindsided’ by release — Teams have reportedly inquired about acquiring former Brave pitcher — Former Atlanta Braves pitcher Tom Glavine said Friday that he was “blindsided” by his sudden dismissal this week from the team where he was a 10-time All Star.
Mark Bowman / MLB.com:
Schuerholz issues public apology — Braves president regrets how Glavine release was handled — ATLANTA — When Tom Glavine exited Wednesday afternoon's meeting with Braves management, he was convinced that he was being released based on a financially based decision that was necessitated …
Erik Boland / Newsday:
Girardi tweaks rotation; Burnett opens vs. Boston — Friday's rainout will only slightly alter the Yankees' rotation, with Andy Pettitte not affected at all and A.J. Burnett pitching Tuesday instead of Sunday. — CC Sabathia, who is 4-0 with a 2.08 ERA in his last five outings …
Discussion:
New Jersey Online
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Peter Abraham / The Journal News:
Burnett suspended for pitch at ‘head area’ — NEW YORK - Major League Baseball yesterday suspended A.J. Burnett six games and fined him $2,000 for intentionally throwing at a Texas hitter on Tuesday night. — MLB Vice President of On-Field Operations Bob Watson ruled that Burnett intentionally threw …
Discussion:
A Die Hard Yankees Fan
Peter Abraham / The LoHud Yankees Blog:
The game is postponed — All that nice preview material goes to waste. — No word as of yet on the makeup. — UPDATE, 4:13 p.m.: I'll post the pitching rotation once I get it along with any rescheduling news. — UPDATE, 4:20 p.m.: This from the Yankees: … UPDATE, 4:40 p.m.: Sabathia tomorrow.
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MLB:
Nate McLouth trade angers some Pittsburgh Pirates players — Pittsburgh Pirates players are not happy that management traded away starting center fielder Nate McLouth to the Atlanta Braves for three prospects. — “Wow,” second baseman Freddy Sanchez said Thursday of the trade, according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
Discussion:
MLB Rumors, The Yankees Dollar, Walkoff Walk, umpbump.com, Associated Press and FanGraphs Baseball
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Tony Massarotti / Boston Globe:
Grinding away, and feeling right at home — Two weeks ago, as the Toronto Blue Jays took batting practice before a game at Fenway Park, a longtime American League evaluator took stock. The Blue Jays had some talent, he said. But what they lacked was the competitiveness, drive …
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Bob Raissman / NY Daily News:
Raissman: Sterling effort a-bomb — The celebration to commemorate the end of the old Yankee Stadium did not include one tribute to John Sterling, who was marking his 20th anniversary as Bombers radio voice. The tragic oversight has led Pa Pinstripe to use the inaugural season of the new palace to celebrate himself.
MLB.com:
Former Indians owner Jacobs dies — Instrumental in bringing new park, winner to Cleveland — Dick Jacobs agreed to buy the Indians in 1986, and his decision to do so assured his legacy with Indians fans. — But it is what the team did under his ownership that will linger most in their minds.
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Howard Bryant / ESPN:
Fair or not, Washington a lame duck — In the final year of his contract, Rangers' manager doing all he can to keep his job — NEW YORK — There is something quintessentially American about Ron Washington, the Texas Rangers' manager, as he sits in the visiting manager's office at Yankee Stadium …
David Pinto / baseballmusings.com:
PETTITTE NEXT? — Deadspin falls into the age old trap of believing they're living in a special time that produced 300 game winners. The more I think about it, the more I'm convinced Andy Pettitte could easily win 300 games. He's eighty wins away right now at age 37.
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ESPN:
Redefining ‘prospect’ — It's getting mighty crowded in Colorado's outfield. Tracy Ringolsby: — Carlos Gonzalez's time has come. — The left-handed-hitting outfielder acquired as part of the package from Oakland for Matt Holliday will join the Rockies in St. Louis on Friday.
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Tracy Ringolsby / Inside the Colorado Rockies:
Cargo Arrives in St. Louis Friday
Cargo Arrives in St. Louis Friday
Discussion:
Bottom9 Baseball
Jeff Zrebiec / Baltimore Sun:
Orioles release reliever Walker — Team cuts struggling lefty, recalls Castillo from Norfolk — OAKLAND, Calif. - Feeling that they could no longer count on Jamie Walker to get left-handed hitters out, the Orioles released the struggling reliever today despite still owing him approximately $3 million.
Thomas Boswell / Washington Post:
Route to the Bottom? It Starts at the Top — This week, the Nationals fired pitching coach Randy St. Claire. Traditionally, that means the manager has about a month to get his team to shape up or he's gone, too. The Nats have purged their bullpen twice, banished an outfielder to the minors …
Baseball America:
Prospect Hot Sheet: June 5 — Back when Mat Latos was piling up scoreless innings and striking out batter after batter in the Midwest League, it was fair to ask how much of his success was based on a more savvy 21-year-old facing teenage hitters. — Wonder no more.
Surfing the Mets:
Putz to go under the knife on Tuesday (updated) — Half the tag team Omar Minaya assembled to insulate the Mets from a repeat of last year's 29 blown saves is expected to be sidelined for two months. — J.J. Putz will undergo surgery Tuesday to remove a bone spur and fragments of a broken bone …
Espn Com / MLB:
Debate: Who's the best left-handed pitcher in MLB history? — Now that Randy Johnson has become an official member of the 300-win club, where does he rank among the greatest left-handed pitchers of all time? Is the Big Unit the greatest lefty ever? Or is it Lefty Grove, Warren Spahn, Sandy Koufax or someone else?