Top News:
Nick Cafardo / Boston Globe:
Sox interested in Billy Wagner — According to a Major League source, the Red Sox would like to work out a trade for Mets reliever Billy Wagner, who was placed on waivers Wednesday, the day before he made his first appearance in nearly a year after undergoing Tommy John surgery.
Discussion:
MetsBlog.com, MLB Rumors, Fox Sports, Seven Train to Shea Mets Blog, Center Field and MLB
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Jon Heyman / Sports Illustrated:
Wagner, 38, claimed; Mets now have next move … Mets reliever Billy Wagner has been claimed, SI.com has learned. — It is not known which team claimed the 38-year-old. The Mets now have three days to work out a deal with the claiming team. By making the claim, the claiming team shows …
Bart Hubbuch / Mets Blog:
Red Sox pursuing Wagner — Billy Wagner could be calling Fenway Park home by Tuesday. — Fresh off Wagner's impressive return Thursday night from Tommy John elbow surgery, the Red Sox put a waiver claim in on him today. — The former All-Star closer didn't know which team had made the claim …
Discussion:
24 Hours From Suicide
Ben Nicholson-Smith / MLB Rumors:Billy Wagner Claimed On Waivers By Red Sox
Discussion:
Florida Marlins, Bronx Baseball Daily, River Avenue Blues, The700Level.com and Amazin' Avenue
Nick Cafardo / Boston Globe:
Sox recall Bowden; Baldelli activated — The Red Sox have recalled righthanded pitcher Michael Bowden from Triple A Pawtucket, a team source confirmed to the Globe's Nick Cafardo this afternoon. — Bowden, whom the Sox will use out of the bullpen, replaces reliever Fernando Cabrera on the roster.
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John Harper / NY Daily News:
Harper: Yankees can bury Red Sox — BOSTON - We have seen what these Yankees are capable of over the last several weeks, playing the type of baseball that wins titles. Now let's see if they have a killer instinct, an ingredient that will be crucial in any championship recipe.
Associated Press:
At Little League World Series, Hall of Famer Jim Rice says major league players are not good role models for youngsters — SOUTH WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. — Jim Rice's advice to Little Leaguers: Don't use today's major leaguers as role models. — Speaking to players before the start …
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Peter Abraham / The LoHud Yankees Blog:
Game 122: Yankees at Red Sox (updated with Girardi pre-game audio) — YANKEES (76-45) — Pitching: LHP Andy Pettitte (9-6, 4.09). — RED SOX (69-51) — Ellsbury CF — Pedroia 2B — Martinez C — Youkilis 1B — Bay LF — Ortiz DH — Lowell 3B — Drew RF — Gonzalez SS
Barry M. Bloom / MLB.com:
Ricketts primed to purchase Cubs — Tribune Co. agrees to approximately $900 million deal — The sale of the Cubs to Tom Ricketts, chief executive of Chicago investment back Incapital LLC, is drawing near, Major League Baseball confirmed on Friday. — “We are pleased at the progress …
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Yahoo! Sports:
Continuity breeds success for Angels — Buzz up! — The Los Angeles Angels' clubhouse is a domicile for sameness. They've listened to the same music for years. They perform the same handshakes. They follow the same routines. They celebrate wins in the same manner.
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New York Post:
‘LOADED HANDGUN’ FINALLY GOES OFF — IT is the 2009 Mets. So, of course, the story never gets better. Only more humiliating. Only more dispiriting. Only more bizarre. — SHERMAN ON TWITTER — Gary Sheffield went from on his best behavior to, well, being Gary Sheffield.
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Yankees Blog:
Marte expected back tonight — BOSTON — Reliever Damaso Marte, out since April with an injured left shoulder, is expected to rejoin the Yankees bullpen tonight for the series opener with the Red Sox. — It's possible the Yankees could go with 13 pitchers and send down a position player …
Jerry Crasnick / ESPN:
It's all or nothing with Reynolds — Diamondbacks slugger's career off to a Schmidt-like start, despite the strikeouts — When the Arizona Diamondbacks pulled into New York for a series against the Mets in late July, manager A.J. Hinch gave his hitters a brief tutorial on the hazards of Citi Field.
Jeff Pearlman:
Yankees win! Thhhhheeeee ... Yankees win! — I live in New York, land of baseball. — I love it here in the summer, because the games matter and the fans are intense and all anyone wants to talk about is Yankees! Yankees! Yankees! (and, sometimes, mets, mets, mets).
Chico Harlan / Nationals Journal:
Team President Stan Kasten Explains GM Search — As I told you guys, I thought it was important when we made the change [in March] — even though I had a lot of confidence in Mike, which has been rewarded and justified — I thought it was a good opportunity for the franchise to do a thorough …
Thomas Boswell / Nationals Journal:
Quiz: Who Is Nyjer Morgan? — I wanted to see how Nyjer Morgan compared to other base-stealing leadoff men who played centerfield, had little power, didn't walk much but slapped-hit their way on base. — In part, I wanted to find this out because the stat-crabs like to nag that Morgan …
Discussion:
Oleanders and Morning Glories
Richard Durrett / Texas Rangers:
Remember Joba rules? Rangers have Neftali rules. — When the New York Yankees brought Joba Chamberlain up in 2007, they had Joba rules. For every inning he pitched, he got a day off. In Chamberlain's case, that applied on the front end too (he could pitch two innings if he had two days off before the outing).
