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 and Sliding Into Home
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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:
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 Put Kotsay On Waivers — 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. If no team claims Kotsay within 48 hours, the Red Sox can release him or assign him to the minor leagues.
Discussion:
Talking Chop
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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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.
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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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.
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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 …
Discussion:
MLB
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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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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.
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.
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.
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 …
