Top News:
David Gurian-Peck / MLB.com:
Phillies' Ibanez lands on disabled list — Outfielder, slumping recently, sidelined by strained groin — PHILADELPHIA — The Phillies placed outfielder Raul Ibanez on the 15-day disabled list on Thursday morning with a strained left groin and recalled outfielder John Mayberry Jr. from Triple-A Lehigh Valley to take his place.
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Patrick Saunders / Denver Post:
Rockies hang on to beat Rays — With 13 wins in their past 14 games, Rox move back even — A .500 record never felt so good. — By defeating the Tampa Bay Rays 4-3 this afternoon at Coors Field, the streaking Rockies improved to 33-33, squaring their record for the first time since Tax Day.
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Ted Berg / SNY.tv:
On patience and Pedro — With the hitters market murky, low-risk Martinez makes sense
On patience and Pedro — With the hitters market murky, low-risk Martinez makes sense
Discussion:
MetsBlog.com
Marc Topkin / St. Petersburg Times:
Tampa Bay Rays talking with pitcher Pedro Martinez
Tampa Bay Rays talking with pitcher Pedro Martinez
Discussion:
sox1fan.com, Chicago's Inside Pitch, Hardball, Baseball Prospectus, Chicago Sun Times and MLB Rumors
Associated Press:
Mark Loretta comes through again in a pinch for the Dodgers — He drives in the go-ahead run in the seventh inning after Randy Wolf pitches six solid innings and Orlando Hudson homers. — Orlando Hudson homered, pinch-hitter Mark Loretta drove in the go-ahead run and the Dodgers beat …
Discussion:
Yahoo! Sports
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Associated Press:
Lou Piniella looking at changes for struggling Chicago Cubs … CHICAGO — The Chicago Cubs just fired their hitting coach, and now, more changes are waiting on deck. — Tired of watching his team flail away at the plate, manager Lou Piniella is ready to “make some tough decisions” …
Discussion:
Bleed Cubbie Blue, Reuters, GoatRiders of the Apocalypse, Yahoo! Sports and BBTF's Baseball Primer …
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Carrie Muskat / MLB.com:
Piniella holds off on lineup changes — Cubs manager talks with Soriano about going to right field — CHICAGO — So much for change. — Cubs manager Lou Piniella hinted after Wednesday's game that he might make some changes in the lineup, but changed his mind for the series finale against the Chicago White Sox.
Discussion:
MLB Rumors
Bryan Hoch / MLB.com:
Wang to remain in rotation for Yanks — Girardi confirms decision after watching righty's start on tape — NEW YORK — After review, Joe Girardi's ruling from the field stands. Chien-Ming Wang will remain in the Yankees rotation. — Girardi caught a television re-broadcast …
Discussion:
My Pinstripes
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Ken Davidoff / Newsday:
Yankees appear to have old Wang back
Yankees appear to have old Wang back
Discussion:
NorthJersey.com, D.C. Sports Bog, NY Daily News, Blogging the Bombers and Pinstripe Alley
Howard Megdal / MLB Rumors:
Tigers Bench Magglio Ordonez Indefinitely — News comes from Tom Gage of the Detroit News that the Tigers are benching Magglio Ordonez indefinitely. — Ordonez hasn't been terrible with the average or plate discipline, but his power has disappeared. His season line is .273/.347/.343 …
Discussion:
Tigers Blog
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Jayson Stark / MLB:
The top trade-bait nominees in major league baseball — Buyers should include the following players on their pre-deadline shopping lists — There are six weeks left until the trading deadline, and the shoppers are out there. They're scribbling their lists. They have their carts.
Discussion:
MLB Rumors
Bill Simmons / ESPN:
The wonder years — The golden age of baseball? It's not when you think. — ESPN The Magazine — This column appears in the June 29 issue of ESPN The Magazine. — We're going with a one-question mailbag this week, courtesy of Phil D. from Montclair, N.J.: “What was the purest baseball era, from a statistical perspective?”
Discussion:
Blue Collar Baseball
Ben Goessling / Washington Times:
Trade strategy for Nats? — With nearly 100 games to go in the season, the Washington Nationals' hope of anything but abject failure is already slim. That's not just a present reality, though. It's also a possible mandate for a trading strategy this summer.
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Matt Gelb / New Jersey Online:
Washington Nationals beat New York Yankees, 3-0, to win series … NEW YORK — The Yankees waited over five hours for this? — After one of the longest rain delays in Major League Baseball history, the Washington Nationals defeated the Yankees, 3-0, for their first winning streak in over a month.
Discussion:
Yahoo! Sports
Bryan Hoch / MLB.com:
Gardner carted off after wall collision — Yankees center fielder makes great catch before injury — NEW YORK — Yankees center fielder Brett Gardner was injured after colliding with the outfield wall while chasing down a deep fly ball Thursday at Yankee Stadium, leaving the field on a motorized cart.
Discussion:
The Sommer Frieze
Dylan Hernandez / Los Angeles Times:
Manny Ramirez now set to begin minor league assignment Tuesday — The suspended outfielder will play in a four-game series in Albuquerque first and then head to Class-A Inland Empire. He is eligible to return July 3. — Manny Ramirez is tentatively scheduled to return to the field …
Discussion:
dodgerfan.net
David Brown / Yahoo! Sports:
BLS poll: Is Fisk or Rodriguez the best ‘Pudge’ in catcher history? — Who's your Pudge? — Baseball fans have enjoyed having a Pudge behind home plate in major league games for most of the past 40 years. — Classmates gave Carlton Fisk the nickname “Pudge” in grade school, long before Ivan Rodriguez