Top News:
Tony Massarotti / Boston Globe:
Source: Jays won't let teams negotiate with Halladay — In the midst of all the Roy Halladay speculation, there is something you should know: Any team acquiring Halladay probably would not be able to negotiate with him until after a trade were complete. — According to a baseball source …
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Associated Press:
American League dominates NL these days — ST. LOUIS — A lot sure has changed since baseball's All-Stars last pulled into the Gateway City. — Willie Mays, Roberto Clemente, Hank Aaron and Willie McCovey topped the 1966 NL batting order. It was 103 degrees in circular Busch Stadium …
Associated Press:
Lincecum, Halladay to start All-Star Game … ST. LOUIS (AP) — Tim Lincecum and Roy Halladay have been selected as the starting pitchers for the All-Star game. — Last year's NL Cy Young Award winner, Lincecum is 10-2 with a 2.33 ERA for the San Francisco Giants.
Ken Davidoff / Newsday:
Roy Halladay open to playing for Yankees — ST. LOUIS - Blue Jays ace Roy Halladay, who has been made available by his general manager J.P. Ricciardi, indicated Monday that he was open to playing for the Yankees. — The Yankees are not optimistic that they'll land the 33-year-old right-hander …
Discussion:
Boston Herald, Full Count, The Zo Zone, MLB Daily Dish, Ken Davidoff's baseball …, iYankees and MLB Rumors
MLB.com:
A letter to Nationals fans — No one is more dissatisfied in the first half of the 2009 Washington Nationals season than we are. Like you, we had hoped that some of our younger players would have matured faster, and that the addition of some of our new veterans would have significantly improved our record from a season ago.
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Washington Post:
Nationals Fire Acta as Team Breaks for All-Star Game
Nationals Fire Acta as Team Breaks for All-Star Game
Discussion:
Nationals Farm Authority, Nats Triple Play, William World News, D.C. Sports Bog, MLB.com and NationalsPride.com
MLB:
Manny Acta replaced by Jim Riggleman as Washington Nationals manager
Manny Acta replaced by Jim Riggleman as Washington Nationals manager
Discussion:
Associated Press
MLB:
Acta says he's been fired
Acta says he's been fired
Discussion:
Washington Times, Federal Baseball, The washington times Blogs, baseballmusings.com, Fack Youk, The Nats Blog, It's Mets For Me, Babes Love Baseball, The Nationals Enquirer, Mets Merized Online, Yahoo! Sports, MLB Rumors, NATIONALS NEWS NETWORK, MLB FanHouse and Seven Train to Shea Mets Blog
Bill Ladson / MLB.com:
Nationals dismiss Acta as manager
Nationals dismiss Acta as manager
Discussion:
FJB, Deadspin, MLB Babble, Oleanders and Morning Glories, Federal Baseball, MLB Rumors and MASNsports.com
Steve Buckley / Boston Herald:
Glove story for Tim Wakefield — ST. LOUIS - Having labored through 17 major league seasons to finally reach his first All-Star Game, Tim Wakefield [stats] is leaving nothing to chance. — He has brought along a catcher's mitt, one that is suited to handle his tricky knuckleball.
Discussion:
Associated Press
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Adam Kilgore / Boston Globe:
Straight-out beloved — His knuckler goes all over, but friends of Wakefield are direct with their praise — On July 31, 1992, Montreal Expos general manager Dan Duquette rooted against the Pittsburgh Pirates, the team with which the Expos were tied for first place, and he felt confident.
Discussion:
YFSF
MLB.com:
New York Yankees form new fan club called Yankees Universe — Members of Yankees Universe to receive exclusive benefits, excellent access and special merchandise discounts with a portion of proceeds supporting the Department of Pediatrics at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center
Peter Abraham / The Journal News:
Girardi will rotate outfielders after break — ANAHEIM, Calif. — Joe Girardi benched Johnny Damon and Nick Swisher yesterday and announced plans to use all five of the team's outfielders after the All-Star break. — “As I told all the outfielders today, we have five guys who are playing pretty good …
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Mark Feinsand / NY Daily News:
Yankees pitching prospect Sergio Mitre makes strong case for rotation spot
Yankees pitching prospect Sergio Mitre makes strong case for rotation spot
Discussion:
iYankees
David Pinto / baseballmusings.com:
THIRTY TEAMS IN THREE DAYS, SEATTLE MARINERS — The All-Star break affords the opportunity to look back at the first half to see what went right and wrong for the thirty MLB teams. The Seattle Mariners are up next, and here is the pre-season post on the AL West. — Seattle Mariners through the All-Star break, 2009
Ben Nicholson-Smith / MLB Rumors:
Trade Candidates: Relievers — Just about every team could improve its bullpen and some clubs, like the Marlins and Rockies, are working aggressively to add relievers. Here are some of the names to consider, ordered from highest 2009 salary to lowest. — Kerry Wood - He's been a disappointment …
Discussion:
Reflections of Blue
Bryan Hoch / MLB.com:
Weary Gonzalez has a ‘blast’ at Derby — Padres All-Star hits two homers after long travel day — ST. LOUIS — Adrian Gonzalez knew he was going to have to collect all the energy he could after a harrying travel day, hugging a cup of Starbucks coffee as he wearily pondered his upcoming performance in a home run hitting competition.
Discussion:
Gaslamp Ball
John Perrotto / Baseball Prospectus:
Midseason THR Updates — For the last five years, we've been collecting injury data based off the official DL reports. While this data isn't complete, since the DL alone doesn't tell the full injury story, it is the only consistent source. By adding extra information to the database …
Discussion:
Cincinnati Reds Blog
Todd Zolecki / The Zo Zone:
Like Cheesesteaks, Pedro? — Pedro Martinez will fly to Philadelphia today to take a physical tomorrow, a source confirmed. — If Martinez passes, expect him to sign with the Phillies in the next few days. — The Phillies watched Martinez throw twice last week at the team's baseball academy in the Dominican Republic.
RELATED:
Bloomberg:
Chicago Cubs Bankruptcy Looms as Way to Finish Sale by Tribune — The Chicago Cubs may become the first Major League Baseball team in 39 years to file for bankruptcy as Tribune Co. seeks to sell the franchise after months of negotiations. — Tribune sought Chapter 11 protection in December.
Ian Browne / MLB.com:
Kelly molding his future as we speak — Sox prospect deciding on whether he'll be pitcher or short — ST. LOUIS — Though Casey Kelly had the honor of representing the Red Sox at the XM Radio All-Star Futures Game on Sunday, the truth is that his future is still filled with the intriguing unknown.