Top News:
Roy Halladay / Sports Illustrated:
Contenders jockeying for position in pursuit of big four trade targets … With one week to go before the July 31 non-waiver trading deadline, the Phillies remain the favorites to land ace Roy Halladay and the Cardinals emerged as a possible landing spot for outfielder Matt Holliday.
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Ben Nicholson-Smith / MLB Rumors:
Heyman On Halladay, Holliday, Indians, Nats — 9:34am: Heyman says the Yankees inquired about Cliff Lee and were told they'd have to give up Joba Chamberlain or Phil Hughes, plus other players. — 8:34am: Jon Heyman of SI.com has the latest on the biggest stars available:
Discussion:
iYankees
Bryan Hoch / MLB.com:
Wang's right shoulder not improving — Yanks to discuss results of righty's visit with doctor — NEW YORK — Chien-Ming Wang is concerned that his 2009 season may be over, having sought a second opinion as he continues to feel discomfort in his right shoulder.
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Mark Feinsand / NY Daily News:
Chien-Ming Wang is worried he may need surgey — Chien-Ming Wang's season has been nothing short of a disaster. The righthander was hoping to return for the final two months to salvage the year, but after going for a second opinion on his injured right shoulder, Wang is fearful that his season might be over.
Bryan Hoch / MLB.com:
If Yanks do make a deal, it's for a hurler — Rotation thinned out by emergence of Aceves, Hughes — NEW YORK — The Yankees made a calculated gamble in poaching starting pitchers Alfredo Aceves and Phil Hughes for their bullpen, one that has helped them become a first-place club while also leaving a lack of depth.
Chris De Luca / Chicago Sun Times:
Umpire Cooper has a full plate of no-hitters — Some umpires can work their entire careers and never find themselves behind the plate for a no-hitter. Eric Cooper has been the plate umpire for three of them, including two by White Sox left-hander Mark Buehrle, who pitched a perfect game Thursday against the Tampa Bay Rays.
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Andrew Seligman / Yahoo! Sports:Perfection: Sox' Mark Buehrle pitches perfect game
Discussion:
Blogging Baseball
Katie Strang / Newsday:
Source: Maine could miss rest of season — Mets pitcher John Maine will seek a second opinion on his injured right shoulder, multiple sources confirmed Thursday. Maine, who went on the disabled list June 12 with a pinched nerve in the shoulder, is expected to visit Dr. James Andrews in Birmingham …
Mark Feinsand / Blogging the Bombers:
Mariano, meet your successor — I've already gone on record saying that I believe Phil Hughes should be the Yankees' next closer. What I saw tonight did nothing but confirm that belief. — Hughes picked up his first big-league save with a pair of scoreless innings …
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Mark Feinsand / NY Daily News:
Teixeira's homer helps Yanks beat A's at Stadium — Not even heavy rain can stop the Yankees these days. — After waiting out a delay of nearly three hours, the Bombers continued to shine, beating the A's 6-3 to extend their winning streak to seven games since the All-Star break.
Associated Press:
Comeback Kings: Napoli, Kendrick rally Angels past Twins — ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Howie Kendrick's (FSY) single ricocheted off second base in the ninth inning to drive in Los Angeles' tying run, and Mike Napoli's (FSY) run-scoring double in the 10th capped the Angels' 31st comeback victory …
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Ken Belson / New York Times:
Disquieting Hush Envelops Floundering Mets — The Mets are tumbling in the standings. The list of players on the disabled list is growing at an alarming rate. The team's top minor league affiliates are in last place, apparently lacking budding stars. The vice president …
Discussion:
It's About The Money, Mike's Mets, MetsBlog.com, New York Mets Fan Blog and NY Daily News
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David Lennon / Newsday:
Lowly Mets having more fun in the clubhouse than on the field — 'What do we have to do to win a game? That's an actual quote from an actual Met, spoken in frustration this week as this sinking team was in the process of losing three of four to the Braves and two of three to the Nationals.
ESPN:
Sources: Holliday deal is close — The Athletics and Cardinals are close to completing a trade that would send outfielder Matt Holliday to St. Louis in exchange for third baseman Brett Wallace, outfielder Shane Peterson and right-handed pitcher Clayton Mortensen, league sources told ESPN The Magazine's Tim Kurkjian.
Discussion:
Beyond the Box Score, MLB Rumors, Athletics Nation, MLB Daily Dish, U.S.S. Mariner, MetsBlog.com, Viva El Birdos, Cardinals Diaspora, MLB FanHouse, San Francisco Chronicle, Mack Avenue Tigers, Over the Monster, NESN.com, Texas Rangers, River Avenue Blues, The Real Dirty Mets Blog, Bless You Boys, Purple Row, The Big Lead, C70 At The Bat and Cardinal Beat
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Derrick Goold / St. Louis Post-Dispatch:Notebook: Redbirds explore ‘a lot of’ options
Discussion:
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
Derrick Goold / St. Louis Post-Dispatch:
Cardinals win wet one against Nationals — WASHINGTON — As Adam Wainwright packed to leave Houston hours before his teammates, several teammates told him the price of dodging Wednesday's all-night flight from Texas was throwing a complete game Thursday. — So he did. — Weather permitting.
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Bill Plaschke / Los Angeles Times:
Dodgers' top homers leave previous memories — Kurt Gibson, left, celebrates after hitting a game-winning, two-run home run in Game 1 of the 1988 World Series against the Oakland Athletics. Steve Finley reacts after hitting a game-winning grand slam in the bottom of the ninth inning …
Discussion:
Newsvine
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Anthony Castrovince / CastroTurf:
Betancourt traded to Rockies for Class A pitcher — Setup man Rafael Betancourt returned to the Indians' bullpen just in time to become trade bait. And on Thursday, the Rockies bit. — The Indians have traded Betancourt, a fixture in their 'pen since 2003, to the Rockies in exchange for Class A right-hander Connor Graham.
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Jeff Zrebiec / Baltimore Sun:
How do O's trade chips stack up? — As deadline nears, a closer look at five that may garner interest — NEW YORK - One week before Friday's nonwaiver trade deadline, the Orioles are in their usual position as sellers, looking to move a couple of their veterans to augment their young nucleus.
David Ely / MLB.com:
Kershaw's acceleration a marvel — Southpaw has allowed just three runs in past 42 2/3 innings — LOS ANGELES — Dodgers left-hander Clayton Kershaw sat back in a leather chair on Monday afternoon, eyes fixated on a small laptop. — On the screen was footage of the Marlins from a game earlier …
Discussion:
FishStripes
Ben Nicholson-Smith / MLB Rumors:
Tigers DFA Josh Anderson — The Tigers designated outfielder Josh Anderson for assignment to make room for Carlos Guillen, according to MLB.com's Jason Beck. Anderson, 26, hit .242/.282/.315 with no homers in 74 games with the Tigers. He played all three outfield positions for the Tigers, and defended well in limited innings.
Discussion:
Mack Avenue Tigers
