Top News:
Jon Heyman / Sports Illustrated:
Phillies won't give up Drabek for Halladay … The latest word from a source familiar with Philadelphia's thinking is that the front-running Phillies have decided they will not include top pitching prospect Kyle Drabek in a four-player package for superstar pitcher Roy Halladay …
RELATED:
Nick Cafardo / Boston Globe:
Sox scouting Jays-Indians — The Red Sox are among four teams scouting the Jays-Indians series in Toronto. — The Sox have one of their top pro scouts on hand while the Dodgers and Phillies have two each and the Milwaukee Brewers are also represented. All four teams have some level …
ESPN:
Phillies must make trade for Halladay
Phillies must make trade for Halladay
Discussion:
Midwest Sports Fans, Boston Globe, Drunk Jays Fans, Trade Talk, MLB Rumors and Globe and Mail
Peter Abraham / The LoHud Yankees Blog:
Game 93: Orioles at Yankees (updates with roster move, Halladay news and minor-league transactions) — YANKEES (55-37) — Pitching: RHP Sergio Mitre (4-1, 2.32 in minors). — ORIOLES (41-51) — Roberts 2B — Jones CF — Markakis RF — Huff 1B — Scott DH — Mora 3B
RELATED:
Anthony Rieber / Newsday:
Mitre will get more than one start for Yankees — Most Yankees fans probably don't know much about Sergio Mitre. They probably will get more than one chance to find out about him. — Joe Girardi said last night that Mitre, 28, who will be recalled to start against the Orioles tonight …
Adam Kilgore / Boston Globe:
Wakefield to DL; Buchholz recalled — ARLINGTON, Tex. — The Red Sox have placed knuckleballer Tim Wakefield on the disabled list with a lower back strain and recalled righthander Clay Buchholz from Pawtucket. — Buchholz is with the club in Arlington and will start tomorrow.
Discussion:
Projo Sox Blog, Boston Globe, Yahoo! Sports, Fox Sports, SOX & Dawgs, Around the Majors, MLB FanHouse, sox1fan.com and NESN.com
RELATED:
Will Carroll / Baseball Prospectus:
Under The Knife — Toeing the Line — I'll be honest—I didn't even notice that Schmidt was going to pitch last night until I was checking out the new features of MLB At Bat* and saw “Dodgers—Schmidt.” I guess I should have been reading Dodger Thoughts more closely, but yes, Jason Schmidt is back in the rotation.
Discussion:
True Blue LA
RELATED:
MLB:
Source: Washington Nationals not on close to signing Stephen Strasburg — The Washington Nationals are not on pace to sign top overall draft pick Stephen Strasburg by the Aug. 17 deadline, a source close to the negotiations told ESPN's Pedro Gomez on Tuesday.
Tom D'Angelo / Palm Beach Post:
Next two weeks are critical for Florida Marlins — SAN DIEGO — Marlins President Larry Beinfest may be altering his approach after watching his team lose three straight to the Phillies over the weekend. — Just a week ago, Beinfest said the Marlins would like to add to the roster as the July 31 non-waiver trade deadline approaches.
Chuck Hixson / Scout.com:
Phillies Have Interest In Nats' Willingham — With the trade deadline just ten days away, the clock is ticking for big moves to be made as the season suddenly gets very serious. The Phillies may have found a solution to their right-handed bat issue just down I-95 in the nation's capital.
Carrie Muskat / MLB.com:
Piniella seeking lefty hitter with power — Bradley hasn't been able to match Ibanez's '09 numbers — PHILADELPHIA — This past offseason, the Cubs were in the market for a left-handed-hitting outfielder who could play right field, provide some power and hit for average.
Nick Piecoro / Arizona Republic:
Trade news: Team unlikely to move Qualls, more — DENVER - When Felipe Lopez was speaking with a reporter over the weekend, a teammate interjected. — “So Felipe, where you getting traded to?” he asked. — For a team well out of contention, talking trade is a popular pastime …
Mayoj / B3: Big, Bald and Beautiful:
All-Star recap and more first-round info — Back from the All-Star festivities in St. Louis and I have to say, they did a great job as hosts. It's hard not to like a town that loves baseball that much. From our standpoint (our meaning writers/media types), having the game in a more manageable city makes life a lot easier.
Discussion:
Talking Chop
Tas Melas / Sports Radio Interviews:
Greg Maddux: You Beat Lineups, Not Hitters — Greg Maddux beat everything, including Father Time. Some point to his long tenure in Major League Baseball and say that his lack of velocity helped preserve his pitching arm. What really helped save his pitching arm was brilliance …
Matt Eddy / Baseball America:
Tuesday Dish: Carlos Torres, Ike Davis Updates — Carlos Torres struck out two batters and allowed one hit in his inning of work last Wednesday in the Triple-A all-star game. It was a fitting stage for the 26-year-old righthander, who seems to have put all the pieces together this season with Charlotte.
Jenifer Langosch / MLB.com:
Bad blood spills over in Bucs-Crew tilt — Benches clear after Karstens plunked by reliever Smith — PITTSBURGH — Brewers pitcher Chris Smith claimed it to be unintentional, but the Pirates saw his plunking of Jeff Karstens with an eighth-inning pitch in Monday's 8-5 Pirates win as anything but.
Adam Rubin / NY Daily News:
Sources: Minaya's job isn't so safe — WASHINGTON - Omar Minaya and Jerry Manuel received votes of confidence from chief operating officer Jeff Wilpon two weeks ago, the GM said Monday night after joining the Mets in Washington to watch their 6-2 victory over the Nationals.
Jeff Zrebiec / Baltimore Sun:
Orioles' Pie set for rare start — Run of lefties, Reimold's emergence have limited him to 20 at-bats since May 27 — Felix Pie began the season as the Orioles' everyday left fielder. He began Tuesday night without a plate appearance since July 1. — Orioles manager Dave Trembley acknowledged …
Bill Simmons / ESPN:
When it's time to walk away — With the Sports Dad hanging it up, the Sports Guy has retirement on the brain — This column appears in the July 27 issue of ESPN The Magazine. — Okay, so I've been thinking about retirements lately. — (Don't worry, this isn't a column about Brett Favre, I swear.
Discussion:
Watchdog