Top News:
Jim Callis / Baseball America:
Mock Draft 4.0 — Bonus demands adds more confusion to wide-open draft — When team officials head to bed the night before the draft, they usually have a pretty good idea of who they're going to take in the first round. They may not know exactly who's going to fall to them …
RELATED:
Jim Callis / Baseball America:
Ninety Minutes & Counting . . . And I just got my makeup done here at MLB Network, so I look pretty. — As mentioned in this morning's complete first-round projection, many of the projected first-round high schoolers threw out bigger asking prices than expected.
Kevin Goldstein / Baseball Prospectus:
The Mock Draft — This one could be a mess folks, and it's all about bonus demands at this point. Right now, you have as many as four high school pitchers—Jacob Turner, Tyler Matzek, Matt Purke, and Shelby Miller—looking for big, big money, with the first three all telling teams they're looking …
Discussion:
By Gosh, It's Langosch, Bucs Dugout, Pinstriped Bible, The Nats Blog, 6-4-2, Texas Rangers, Bottom9 Baseball and Baseball America
Baseball America:
First-Round Recap — 1. — WASHINGTON NATIONALS STEPHEN STRASBURG, RHP — Scouting Report: In the history of the draft, no prospect has received as much predraft hype and publicity as Strasburg—and the attention is warranted. His combination of stuff, pitching savvy and command make him a once-in-a-generation phenomenon.
Jonathan Mayo / MLB.com:
Crystal ball: The final projection — With just hours to go, here's how we see the Draft shaking out — It would be tempting to continue making calls and tweaking the first-round projections until right up before the Draft, but at some point there comes a time to let go.
Baseball Analysts:The 2009 MLB Draft is (Finally) Upon Us
Discussion:
Red Reporter, Baseball America, DRaysBay, Athletics Nation, The Yankee Universe and River Avenue Blues
Steve Henson / Yahoo! Sports:Mock draft: No. 1 pick a no-brainer
Discussion:
Batter's Box Interactive …, Purple Row, Lookout Landing, The Yankee Universe and Plain Dealer
Tony Massarotti / Boston Globe:
A missed mark — Even now, as Mark Teixeira continues to pound away at opposing pitchers at a frantic rate, the impact of his arrival in the American League East has yet to be felt. For the Red Sox, after all, Teixeira was not as much about the present as he was about the future.
RELATED:
Tom Singer / MLB.com:
Yanks leading in AL East, All-Star votes — Teixeira drives past Youkilis; Jeter remains in lead at short — The votes, following Mark Teixeira's other numbers, are beginning to mushroom for the New York Yankees first baseman. — First base in the American League is considered the most loaded …
Tyler Kepner / New York Times:Yankees' Troubles at Fenway Continue
Discussion:
The Voice of Yankees Universe
Philly.com:
Lidge goes on disabled list — Righthander Brad Lidge was placed on the 15-day disabled list with a sprained right knee, retroactive to June 7, the Phillies said today. — To take his spot on the 25-man roster, the Phillies selected the contract of catcher Paul Bako from double-A Reading.
RELATED:
Associated Press:
Phillies' Lidge on DL with sprained knee — NEW YORK (AP) — Philadelphia Phillies closer Brad Lidge has gone on the 15-day disabled list because of a sprained right knee. — The move was announced before Tuesday's series opener at the New York Mets and was retroactive to Sunday.
John Manuel / Baseball America:
And The Rockies Select . . . Matzek! — Colorado has two picks and has been silent, no one seems to know what was happening here. — Now we do. The Rockies take Tyler Matzek, the lefthander out of Capo Valley High in Califorina, and no one thought that was happening.
Discussion:
Purple Row
RELATED:
Associated Press:
Toronto Blue Jays' Jesse Litsch set to have Tommy John surgery — ARLINGTON, Texas — Toronto Blue Jays starter Jesse Litsch will have Tommy John surgery and miss the rest of the season, a major blow to a team trying to keep pace in the competitive AL East.
Dave Sheinin / Washington Post:
Strasburg Negotiations Between Nationals, Boras Could Result in Historic Signing — Nationals, Boras Set to Negotiate After MLB Draft — They are separated by 2,700 miles, a negotiating gap that could be as large as $40 million and a philosophical chasm regarding players' rights …
RELATED:
Larry LaRue / Mariners Insider:
Mr. Morrow will be starting again soon - for the Rainiers — The back-and forth career of Seattle right-hander Brandon Morrow - he's a starter, no a reliever, no a starter - is about to take another turn. — It will land him, probably by the end of this week, in the starting rotation of the Tacoma Rainiers.
Discussion:
Lookout Landing
Bart Hubbuch / Mets Blog:
Game 56: Phillies at Mets — (UPDATED 2.0) The injury-depleted Mets will at least have Johan Santana to rely on tonight when they begin a grueling stretch with a three-game series against the NL East rival Phillies at Citi Field. — Santana has won each of his past three starts …
Brian Lewis / Mets Blog:
Mets draft local lefty Steven Matz — The Mets adhered to the adage go with what you know in today's First Year Player Draft, taking lefthanded pitcher Steven Matz of Long Island with their first pick, 72nd overall. — The senior from Ward Melville High School in East Ward East Setauket went 6-1 …
Discussion:
Amazin' Avenue
Associated Press:
Rangers' Hamilton has surgery on torn abdomen — ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Rangers outfielder Josh Hamilton has had surgery in Philadelphia to repair a partially torn abdominal muscle. — Manager Ron Washington said the surgery Tuesday went well and that Hamilton is expected back in Texas on Wednesday.
Trsullivan / Postcards from Elysian Fields:
Rangers acquire RHP Grilli to replace Benson — The Rangers have acquired RHP Jason Grilli for cash considerations, according to a source. He was designated for assignment by the Colorado Rockies last week. — He was 0-1 with a 6.05 ERA in 22 games for the Rockies as a reliever.
John Manuel / Baseball America:
Red Sox Surprise With Fuentes — The Red Sox went to Reymond Fuentes, surprising basically all of us. He's a lefthanded hitter from Puerto Rico and the top player on the island. Fuentes' mother is Carlos Beltran's cousin, and he has some tools similar to those of Beltran.
