Top News:
Matthew Leach / MLB.com:
Cardinals acquire Holliday from A's — Prospects Wallace, Mortensen, Peterson shipped to Oakland — ST. LOUIS — A Major League source has confirmed that a deal is in place for the Cardinals to acquire Matt Holliday from the A's in exchange for Brett Wallace and two other Minor Leaguers …
Discussion:
Fox Sports, Bats, New York Times, Walkoff Walk, A Die Hard Yankees Fan, Sliding Into Home and ESPN
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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.
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:
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 …
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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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Peter Abraham / The LoHud Yankees Blog:
Mariano's memento to his teammates — Here's what kind of guy Mariano Rivera is. — When the Yankees arrived today, they each had a ball in a glass and cherry wood display case waiting for them in their lockers. It was a game-used ball from the June 28 game against the Mets when Mo picked up his 500th save.
Discussion:
The Sommer Frieze
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.
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Nick Cafardo / Boston Globe:
Sox waive Kotsay — With the Red Sox needing to clear a spot on the 25-man roster for newly acquired Adam LaRoche, Mark Kotsay is the odd man out. — The Red Sox have placed the veteran outfielder/first baseman on waivers this afternoon. If he is not claimed within 48 hours …
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Ben Nicholson-Smith / MLB Rumors:
Red Sox DFA Mark Kotsay — 3:55pm: Mike Petraglia of WEEI.com says Kotsay was designated for assignment, not waived. This gives the Red Sox ten days to make their next move. — 2:17pm: The Red Sox put Mark Kotsay on waivers to make room for the recently-acquired Adam LaRoche, according to Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe.
Adam Rubin / NY Daily News:
HoJo says his sluggers ‘just not good enough’ — HOUSTON - Howard Johnson has experienced the high of winning a World Series with the ‘86 Mets. As for lows, the Mets’ current plight tops the hitting coach's list. — As the Mets try to regroup Friday night against the Astros after an off-day …
Discussion:
The Real Dirty Mets Blog
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Jim Salisbury / Philly.com:
As trade deadline nears, talks for Halladay heat up — TORONTO - Scott Rolen spotted a Philadelphia reporter in the Toronto Blue Jays' clubhouse yesterday, and an I-know-why-you're-here smile spread across his face. — “He's the best pitcher in baseball,” Rolen said of teammate Roy Halladay …
Discussion:
Balls, Sticks, & Stuff
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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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Dejan Kovacevic / PBC Blog:
Sano will be partially cleared — Major League Baseball's investigation will partially clear Miguel Angel Sano, of his identity but not his age, a source just confirmed. The identity will come back “regular,” and the age will come back “undetermined.” — Details to come.
Mark Selig / MLB.com:
Mustached Wainwright remains red-hot — Tosses de facto complete game at Nats for fifth July win — WASHINGTON — Nothing can stop a mustached Adam Wainwright. Not a heavy rainstorm complete with unbridled thunder and lightning, or the ensuing one-hour, 16-minute rain delay in the fourth inning …
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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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Craig Calcaterra / Hardball Times:
My Morning in Exile: My wife drives me nuts edition — So my wife — who is not a baseball fan by any stretch of the imagination — goes to the Columbus Clippers-Scranton-Wilkes Barre Yankees game last night. It was a work function and the beer was free. You know how that goes.
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.
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 …
