Top News:
John Tomase / Clubhouse Insider:
Penny granted release, making room for Wagner — Veteran right-hander Brad Penny requested and received his release tonight in a move that clears a roster spot for reliever Billy Wagner and gives Penny time to join a new team before postseason rosters are set. — “I asked for my release and I got it,” Penny said.
Discussion:
Boston Globe, The Bottom Line, Main Board, NESN.com, Over the Monster, Center Field, MLB Rumors and Circling The Bases
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Nick Cafardo / Boston Globe:
Final: Red Sox 3, White Sox 2 — David Ortiz watches his walkoff home run in the ninth. Game Photos (Jim Davis / Globe Staff) — (9:43. Game Over, Red Sox 3, Chicago 2)The good old days returned to Fenway as David Ortiz stroked a walkoff homer to right field, his second of the night.
Nick Cafardo / Boston Globe:
Penny done? — There were strong indications the Red Sox were planning a roster move involving Brad Penny. — After the game, the Sox brass, which included owner John Henry, general manager Theo Epstein, director of baseball operations Brian O'Halloran and Terry Francona met with Penny before Francona's post-game press conference.
Discussion:
NESN.com
Ken Davidoff / Newsday:
Mid-day reading: Hideki Matsui, Ken Griffey, Jr., Oliver Perez and the Nick Swisher bunt — For my Midweek Insider, I asked Hideki Matsui whether he would be all right playing with Ichiro Suzuki. Matsui said yes. Thanks to Sandy for inspiring me to ask the question.
Discussion:
Bats, The Yankee Universe, FanGraphs Baseball, River Avenue Blues, MLB.com, MLB Daily Dish and MLB Rumors
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Paul Sullivan / Chicago Tribune:
Milton Bradley accuses some fans of racial taunts — But Chicago Cubs outfielder offers no examples of such abuse — Cubs right fielder Milton Bradley roams the outfield in the first inning of a 9-4 victory over the Nationals on Wednesday. (Scott Strazzante, Chicago Tribune / August 26, 2009)
Discussion:
Bleed Cubbie Blue, GoatRiders of the Apocalypse, Hardball, Babes Love Baseball and MLB FanHouse
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Thomas Boswell / Washington Post:
At Wrigley, Misery Springs Eternal — Maybe the Cubs aren't quite dead, and Wrigley Field isn't officially a crime scene yet. But when the Cubs look over their shoulders, they don't see shadows, just their own outlines in chalk. — As Josh Willingham's home run off Carlos Zambrano soared …
Dan Shaughnessy / Boston Globe:
Covering the bases with Youkilis — He is the Swiss Army Knife of baseball players. The late Billy Mays would have been perfect for a Kevin Youkilis infomercial. — “Youuuuuk! He plays first base! He plays third base! He plays left field! He'll pitch if you want him to pitch!
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Rhett Bollinger / MLB.com:
Saunders beats Tigers in return — Angels lefty features improved velocity in first start off DL — ANAHEIM — If Wednesday afternoon's game is any indication, the Angels might be getting the version of Joe Saunders who was an All-Star in 2008 for the rest of this season.
Discussion:
6-4-2
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Bart Hubbuch / Mets Blog:
Perez latest to be shut down — (UPDATED: 6 P.M.) MIAMI — Oliver Perez's incredibly disappointing season is officially over: The left-hander will have season-ending surgery to address tendinitis in his right knee. — Perez had been sent back to New York on Tuesday to be examined by team …
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Patrick Saunders / Denver Post:
Dodgers shut down Rockies 6-1 — The Rockies faced a reality check Wednesday night. They quickly discovered that without Aaron Cook in their rotation, reality really bites. — Josh Fogg, Cook's stand-in, made his first start in a Rockies uniform since the 2007 World Series.
Discussion:
Yahoo! Sports
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Doug Miller / MLB.com:
Rockies activate Rincon from DL — Righty headed back to 'pen; Murton designated for assignment — The hot Colorado Rockies got a bullpen boost Wednesday when they reinstated reliever Juan Rincon from the 15-day disabled list. — Rincon, the veteran right-hander, will take the roster spot …
Steve Gorten / Sun-Sentinel:
Beinfest: Roster move still possible — South Florida Sun-Sentinel — Miami Gardens - Marlins president of baseball operations Larry Beinfest said Wednesday that the team still might make another acquisition. Players must be added to the roster by midnight Monday to be eligible for the postseason.
Larry Granillo / Baseball Analysts:
Walking Off — “...in the Retrosheet era.” — There's no denying the immense drama that surrounds the walk-off home run. From Bobby Thomson in 1951 to Bill Mazeroski in '60, Kirk Gibson in '89, Joe Carter in '93, Big Papi in 2004 and more, the walk-off home run has been inspiring writers and baseball fans alike for decades.
Discussion:
Walkoff Walk
Sam Mellinger / Kansas City Star:
Zack Greinke will get screwed out of the Cy Young Award and $100,000 because his team stinks. The check is due. — Well, if Zack Greinke keeps going like this, you can come here to Ball Star for your Greinke-for-Cy-Young propoganda. — The bummer of it is that we're most likely …
Jonathan Hale / Hardball Times:
Into the Next Dimension with HITf/x — Warren Spahn once said: “Hitting is timing. Pitching is upsetting timing.” And for all that PITCHf/x has told us about who has the nastiest pitches and what locations hitters feast off, it has had very little to say about such a critical aspect of the hitter-pitcher duel as timing.
Tom King / Nashuatelegraph.com:
Defenders locked out of Holman — sports@nashuatelegraph.com — NASHUA - Parked at nearly the same spot at home plate in Holman Stadium where the Nashua Pride era began 11 years ago, a city tractor may have signified the end to the American Defenders of New Hampshire era.
Ian Ayres / Freakonomics:
Statistical Slumps — My dad was a box salesman and once a year he'd take me on an overnight sales trip. My daughter and I continued the tradition recently with a “dad and daughter” trip to Boston. If you are driving on I-84 to Boston, we can recommend The Traveler Restaurant …
T.J. Simers / Los Angeles Times:
He's got a plan for Dodgers' James Loney and his home-run rut — Unable to work with coach Don Mattingly, the columnist enlists Andre Ethier to help the struggling Loney break through. — From Denver — I welcome the challenge, maybe the toughest in a career dedicated to helping our local athletes.
