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 …
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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.
Discussion:
MLB Rumors, sox1fan.com, Phillies Nation, Red Sox Monster, Baseball America, Hardball Times, Newsvine, The Good Phight and MetsBlog.com
Nick Cafardo / Boston Globe:
Sox designate Kotsay, who was surprised by the move — 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 designated the veteran outfielder/first baseman for assignment this afternoon.
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Associated Press:
Penny, Red Sox get back to winning ways with 3-1 victory over Orioles — BOSTON (AP) — Brad Penny (FSY) scattered five hits over 6 1-3 innings to help the Boston Red Sox beat the Baltimore Orioles 3-1 on Friday night and snap a season-high five-game losing streak. — GAME REPORT: Red Sox 3, Orioles 1
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.
Mike Petraglia / WEEI:
KOTSAY DESIGNATED FOR ASSIGNMENT AS LAROCHE ARRIVES — Red Sox outfielder/first baseman Mark Kotsay has cleared out of his Fenway Park locker after being designated for assingment by the club. Kotsay was an apparent casualty of the need to clear a spot on the 25-man major-league roster for newly acquired first baseman Adam LaRoche.
Discussion:
Boston Globe
Ben Nicholson-Smith / MLB Rumors:
Roy Halladay Rumors: Friday — 7:46pm: Bob Elliot of The Toronto Sun reports that only the Phillies and Yankees have scouts watching Halladay tonight. — 6:47pm: Speaking on Sirius XM, commissioner Bud Selig said “I was told by somebody with pretty good inside knowledge that they won't get rid of him …
RELATED:
Andy Martino / Philly.com:Here's the offer: Drabek, Happ and Brown for Halladay
Discussion:
MLB.com
Jim Salisbury / Philly.com:As trade deadline nears, talks for Halladay heat up
Discussion:
Balls, Sticks, & Stuff
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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Peter Abraham / The LoHud Yankees Blog:
Game 96: Athletics at Yankees — YANKEES (58-37) — Pitching: RHP Joba Chamberlain (5-2, 4.05). — ATHLETICS (40-54) — Kennedy 3B — Cabrera SS — Hairston LF — Cust DH — Suzuki C — Sweeney RF — Barton 1B — Ellis 2B — Patterson CF — Pitching: LHP Brett Anderson (5-7, 4.25).
Discussion:
Bronx Baseball Daily, Sliding Into Home, A Die Hard Yankees Fan and Heartland Pinstripes
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Associated Press:
Yankees RHP Kennedy making progress in rehab — TAMPA, Fla. — New York Yankees pitcher Ian Kennedy hopes to pitch in a minor league game this season. — The right-hander, who underwent surgery on May 12 to remove an aneurysm from beneath his right biceps, made 50 throws at 90 feet to minor league coach Dan Borrell on Friday.
Discussion:
The Yankee Universe
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 …
RELATED:
Peter Abraham / The LoHud Yankees Blog:Mariano's memento to his teammates
Discussion:
The Sommer Frieze
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.
Steve Foster / Inside the Colorado Rockies:
Rockies send Speier out — The Colorado Rockies announced Friday that relief pitcher Ryan Speier has been designated for assignment and Manny Corpas placed on the 15-day disabled list to make room for Jhoulys Chacin and Rafael Betancourt on the roster. — Speier was activated from the disabled list on Tuesday.
Discussion:
MLB Rumors
Associated Press:
Texas Rangers RHP Vicente Padilla tests positive for swine flu — KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Texas Rangers pitcher Vicente Padilla tested positive for swine flu, though his symptoms are subsiding and he's expected to make his next start. — Padilla was scratched from his start Wednesday …
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.
RELATED:
Associated Press:
Aramis Ramirez carries Cubs to 8-5 win over Reds — CHICAGO (AP) — Aramis Ramirez (FSY) homered, doubled twice, singled and drove in three runs Friday in his most productive game since coming off the disabled list, leading the Chicago Cubs to an 8-5 victory over the Cincinnati Reds.
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 …
