Check out Mini-Ballbug for simple mobiles or Ballbug Mobile for modern smartphones.
2:20 PM ET, August 17, 2009

Ballbug

 Top News: 
Jim Callis / Baseball America:
Yankees Sign Heathcott For $2.2 Million  —  The Yankees have signed first-round pick Slade Heathcott for $2.2 million.  He was drafted 27th overall, and the MLB recommendation for his slot was $1,107,000.  —  A two-way star at Texas High (Texarkana, Texas), Heathcott will be an outfielder in pro ball.
RELATED:
Jim Callis / Baseball America:
Yankees Sign Cotham For $675,000  —  The Yankees have signed Vanderbilt righthander Caleb Cotham for $675,000.  His bonus is $5,000 short of the highest in the fifth round this year (Jeff Malm, Rays) and is more than four times MLB's $149,400 recommendation for his draft slot (No. 165).
Chico Harlan / Washington Post:
Stare Down  —  Nats, Potential Ace Strasburg Enter Final Day to Show Hands  —  Peel away the excess — the tangled story lines that have turned a single pitcher into a referendum on an organization's competence and an agent's ingenuity — and Stephen Strasburg is simply a 21-year-old with a decision to make.
RELATED:
Yahoo! Sports:   For super agent Boras, it's money time
Bryan Hoch / MLB.com:
Jeter sets all-time shortstop hits mark  —  Veteran Yankee passes Aparicio with 2,674th knock at short  —  SEATTLE — For years, few have been as reliable as Derek Jeter has been at shortstop for the Yankees.  And now, no one has been more productive.  —  With a three-hit performance …
RELATED:
Tyler Kepner / New York Times:
Milestone for Jeter in an Otherwise Lost Day for the Yankees
Mark Feinsand / NY Daily News:   Jeter sets mark for shortstops in Yankee loss
Adam Rubin / NY Daily News:
Church tells Wright not to rush back … Ryan Church, who arrives at Citi Field with the Braves tomorrow, exchanged text messages with David Wright on Saturday night.  Church's advice to his former teammate: Don't hurry back, no matter what.  —  “He's going to need to rest,” said Church …
RELATED:
John Harper / NY Daily News:
Harper: Omar listens to doc's orders
Discussion: New York Times
Jim Callis / Baseball America:
Yankees Sign Murphy For $1.25 Million  —  The Yankees have signed J.R. Murphy, and BA's Aaron Fitt has confirmed that his bonus is $1.25 million.  That's the highest bonus in the second round this year, and more than double MLB's $477,900 guideline for his draft slot (No. 76).
Discussion: River Avenue Blues
Dave van Dyck / Chicago Tribune:
Cubs' Carlos Zambrano: 'I've been lazy'  —  Cubs ace says he'll get ‘serious’ about ab work to help back problems  —  Admitting “my problem is I've been lazy” about between-start workouts, Carlos Zambrano vowed to “be serious” about a prescribed routine that will strengthen his stomach muscles.
Jon Heyman / Sports Illustrated:
Reeling Red Sox in a surprise fight to make the playoffs and more … The Red Sox were rightly considered a winner on deadline day for acquiring big-time hitter Victor Martinez, who has continued to thrive since leaving Cleveland for Boston.  But now, a couple weeks later …
Discussion: MLB Rumors and WasWatching.com
Associated Press:
Howard's two homers power Phillies past Braves 4-1  —  ATLANTA (AP) — Ryan Howard (FSY) likes what he's seen so far from J.A. Happ (FSY).  “He's not a rookie any more,” Howard said.  “He's proven himself to be a very poised pitcher.”  —  GAME REPORT: Phillies 4, Braves 1
Ken Gurnick / MLB.com:
Haeger to make Dodgers debut vs. Cards  —  Los Angeles (70-48) vs. St. Louis (67-52), 7:10 p.m. PT  —  PHOENIX — Charlie Haeger said he loves a challenge, so he should be one happy guy on Monday night.  —  Haeger makes his Dodgers debut as the starting pitcher against the St. Louis Cardinals …
Discussion: True Blue LA
Tyler Kepner / Bats:
Jeter, Teixeira and Defense  —  SEATTLE - Over eight seasons covering the Yankees, I've heard over and over that the writers glorify Derek Jeter, blindly praising his intangibles while ignoring what's right in front of us: that Jeter is a terrible fielder who hurts his team on defense.
Andy Martino / Philly.com:
Witnesses confirm Myers wasn't in altercation  —  ATLANTA - Phillies pitcher Brett Myers said he was not involved in an altercation that occurred early Saturday morning while he was at a bar in Jacksonville, Fla., and multiple eyewitnesses confirmed his account.
Dejan Kovacevic / Pittsburgh Post-Gazette:
Pirates Notebook: A rainout with little rain  —  CHICAGO — It barely rained on Wrigley Field yesterday, but the Chicago Cubs made quite the mess of the situation and, ultimately, postponed the series finale with the Pirates after a delay of three hours, 15 minutes.
Discussion: Circling The Bases
Dejan Kovacevic / Pittsburgh Post-Gazette:
Coonelly: Russell will be back in 2010  —  Decisions on rest of coaching staff coming after season  —  CHICAGO — The Pirates will bring back manager John Russell for the 2010 season, team president Frank Coonelly said yesterday at Wrigley Field.  —  Coonelly did not elaborate …
Associated Press:
Angels use nine-run 13th inning to beat Orioles 17-8  —  BALTIMORE (AP) — Torii Hunter (FSY) waited nearly six weeks for the opportunity to win a game for the Los Angeles Angels, then blew it by lining into a double play with the bases loaded in the 11th inning.
Discussion: Camden Chat
RELATED:
 
 Archived Page Info: 
This is a snapshot of Ballbug at 2:20 PM ET, August 17, 2009.

View the current page or another snapshot:


 
 See Also: 
Ballbug: site main
Ballbug River: reverse chronological Ballbug
Ballbug Mobile: for phones
Ballbug Leaderboard: Ballbug's top sources
 
 Subscribe: 
Ballbug RSS feed
 
 
 More News: 
Kate Kilpatrick / Washington Post:
Life in the Big Leagues Isn't So Grand for Wives and Girlfriends …
Discussion: The Big Lead
Nick Steiner / Hardball Times:
Measuring the umpire's effect on the game
Discussion: Driveline Mechanics
Adam McCalvy / MLB.com:
Pence's homer overturned vs. Brewers
Discussion: Al's Ramblings
Katie Strang / Newsday:
Castillo gets first 2009 homer — into second deck!
JSOnline:
Davis deal probably in place
Jon Heyman / Sports Illustrated:
BoSox may release Smoltz on Monday
Discussion: Projo Sox Blog
John Beamer / Hardball Times:
The Rangers win the Teixeira trade
 Earlier Picks: 
Associated Press:
Homers help Rockies gain split with Marlins
Discussion: Yahoo! Sports
Peter Schmuck / The Schmuck Stops Here:
Lackey fits the bill
The State:
Tigers' Stoneburner signs with Yankees
Discussion: River Avenue Blues and MLB Rumors
 

 
From WeSmirch:

TMZ.com:
Drake Files Federal Defamation Lawsuit Against UMG Over ‘Not Like Us’

Hugh Grant / Vogue UK:
“Shall I Tell You What I've Always Thought Of You?” Renée And Hugh Reunite For British Vogue's February Issue

Andrew Tracey / Men's Health:
Tommy Fury: ‘I Lost My Identity and Let Alcohol Ruin My Relationship’

 
Sister Sites:

Techmeme
 Top news and commentary for technology's leaders, from all around the web
Mediagazer
 Top news and commentary for media professionals from all around the web
memeorandum
 What US political commentators are discussing online right now
WeSmirch
 The top celebrity news from all around the web on a single page