Top News:
Adam Rubin / NY Daily News:
Sources: Tony turns Met farm into zoo … WASHINGTON - The Binghamton Mets clubhouse nearly turned into a scene out of WWE Raw recently, when VP for player development Tony Bernazard removed his shirt and challenged the Double-A players to a fight during a postgame tirade, multiples sources told the Daily News.
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MLB:
Tony Bernazard, New York Mets executive, reportedly challenges minor league team to fight in clubhouse tirade — Tony Bernazard, a New York Mets executive, recently challenged one of club's minor league teams to a fight during a postgame clubhouse tirade, the New York Daily News reported, citing multiple sources with ties to the team.
John Harper / NY Daily News:
Harper: Off-field antics look worse than Mets' play on it
Harper: Off-field antics look worse than Mets' play on it
Discussion:
The Real Dirty Mets Blog
Dejan Kovacevic / PBC Blog:
Adam LaRoche traded to Red Sox — The Pirates' clubhouse is abuzz with word that a trade involving first baseman Adam LaRoche is imminent, and this is the reason the lineup has taken so long to get posted this morning. — That said, LaRoche is hitting in the indoor cage as I type this, and he probably will play this afternoon.
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Ben Nicholson-Smith / MLB Rumors:
Red Sox Acquire Adam LaRoche — 11:45am: What you need to know about LaRoche: He's a 29-year-old first baseman with a history of hitting well in the second half; his defense is slightly below average; he makes $7.05MM this year before becoming a free agent and he's on the cusp of projecting …
Discussion:
Mondesi's House
Erika Gilbert / MLB.com:
Jays say Halladay trade ‘unlikely’ — Toronto sets internal deadline of July 28 to deal ace — TORONTO — If Blue Jays ace Roy Halladay is going to be traded, it will be by July 28. But so far, it doesn't look like that will happen, according to general manager J.P. Ricciardi.
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Peter Abraham / The Journal News:
Ransom has a good night — NEW YORK - Cody Ransom didn't know until he arrived at Yankee Stadium yesterday that he would be starting at third base against the Orioles. — Manager Joe Girardi decided to use Alex Rodriguez as the designated hitter, part of the plan to lessen the load on his surgically repaired right hip.
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Joe Frisaro / MLB.com:
Marlins give Sanchez long-awaited call — Promising infielder promoted to take Miller's roster spot — SAN DIEGO — Entering Spring Training, Gaby Sanchez was a front-runner to win a roster spot, perhaps as the starter at first base. — It never panned out as the 25-year-old Miami native dealt …
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Carrie Muskat / MLB.com:
Offensive woes continue to plague Cubs — Harden sharp, but bats produce one run in 13-inning loss — PHILADELPHIA — It's become a recurring theme this season, and one that Lou Piniella has grown weary of watching: The Cubs get solid pitching, and not just by their starter but also the bullpen …
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Associated Press:
Phillies 4, Cubs 1 — PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Jayson Werth hit a three-run homer with two outs in the 13th inning to send the Philadelphia Phillies to their 10th straight victory, 4-1 over the Chicago Cubs on Tuesday night. — The NL East-leading Phillies are on their longest winning streak in 18 years.
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, SOX & Dawgs, sox1fan.com, MLB FanHouse, Boston Globe, Yahoo! Sports, NESN.com, Fox Sports and Around the Majors
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Sean McAdam / Boston Herald:
Red Sox lose grip on 1st place — Downright offensive — ARLINGTON, Texas - In carefully plotting out the rotation for the second half of the season, the Red Sox [team stats] did everything possible to ensure that their starting pitchers received the maximum rest possible after the All-Star break.
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John Lannan / Yahoo! Sports:
Lannan earns first career shutout in 4-0 win — Buzz up! — threw his first career complete game the last time he faced the Mets, and remembered that start so well he didn't need any video reminders as he prepared to face them again. — This time he did even better …
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Gordon Edes / Yahoo! Sports:
Lee is an attractive fallback option — Buzz up! — During the telecast of the Indians-Blue Jays game on the Indians' TV network Tuesday night, the viewer poll asked this question: Which pitcher would be traded - Cliff Lee — , Roy Halladay — , both, or neither?
David Ely / MLB.com:
Billingsley works on fine-tuning motion — Los Angeles (60-34) vs. Cincinnati (44-49), 7:10 p.m. PT — LOS ANGELES — The last time Dodgers right-hander Chad Billingsley walked to the mound for a start at Dodger Stadium, well, he'd probably prefer that the story ended right there and everyone forgot …
Discussion:
Dodger Thoughts
Associated Press:
Dodgers rout Reds, lose Ramirez after being hit by pitch — LOS ANGELES (AP) — Rafael Furcal hit a two-run homer and drove in four runs, Matt Kemp added a two-run shot and the Los Angeles Dodgers defeated Cincinnati 12-2 on Tuesday night for their 11th consecutive home victory over the Reds.
NY Daily News:
Bondy: A-Rod puts foot down on clutch — It wasn't our imagination, some heartless inquisition. Alex Rodriguez has not always been a large-occasion player for the Yankees. There was that 3-for-29 stretch over two playoff years, and there were a lot of homers during the regular seasons …
New York Times:
Baseball's Use of DNA Raises Questions — Confronted with cases of identity and age falsification by Latin American baseball prospects, Major League Baseball is conducting genetic testing on some promising young players and their parents. — Many experts in genetics consider such testing a violation of personal privacy.
Gordon Wittenmyer / Chicago Sun Times:
Cubs likely to seek reliever at trade deadline — PHILADELPHIA — The Cubs don't have the resources to get into the Roy Halladay sweepstakes, but indications are there's enough payroll flexibility to add a mid-level player at the trade deadline — possibly an experienced relief pitcher …
Discussion:
MLB Rumors