Top News:
Baltimore Sun:
A-Rod gives anti-steroid talk to area students — Yankees star makes surprise appearance at Milford Mill Academy, addressing athletes in effort to ‘turn a negative into a positive’ — New York Yankees slugger Alex Rodriguez made an unexpected visit to 500 students at a Baltimore County school …
Discussion:
Bats, SPORTSbyBROOKS, MLB FanHouse, The Bronx View Podcast …, Circling The Bases and The LoHud Yankees Blog
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Ed Eagle / MLB.com:
A-Rod's doctor optimistic about hip — Slugger may not need another surgery after season — Alex Rodriguez's recovery from a March right hip surgery has progressed so well that the doctor who performed the procedure is hopeful that the Yankees slugger won't need another surgery after the season.
Andrew Baggarly / Boston Herald:
Brad Penny joins the Dodger haters — PHILADELPHIA — A reporter started to ask Brad Penny about pitching in front of 42,000 crazed, Dodger-hating fans when the Giants' new No. 5 starter interrupted him. — “42,001,” said Penny, grinning. — It remains to be seen how much Penny …
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CBSSports.com Sports News, Fantasy Scores …:
Penny: I'd go back to AL East — PHILADELPHIA — Brad Penny's career ERA in the National League is 4.06. In five months in the American League East with the Red Sox, his ERA was 5.61, the worst of any full-time starting pitcher in baseball. — And yet, Penny said Tuesday, he credits the Red Sox with rescuing his career.
Dylan Hernandez / Los Angeles Times:
Ned Colletti wants to return to the Dodgers — The general manager, a day after acquiring Jim Thome and Jon Garland, says he'd love to be back next season. — Ned Colletti's contract as Dodgers' general manager includes a mutual option for 2010. (Alex Gallardo / Los Angeles Times) — On The Dodgers
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Bill Plaschke / Los Angeles Times:
Despite GM's hot hand, Dodgers not playing with a full deck — (Paul Connors / Associated Press; Kirby Lee / US Presswire) — Ned Colletti has done nearly everything in his power to fill Dodgers' postseason needs, with one glaring exception: They still lack an ace pitcher.
Cjennings / Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees Blog:
Duncan wins MVP, Jackson named ROY — The league leader in home runs, RBIs and runs scored, Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees right fielder Shelley Duncan has been named the International League MVP. He's the second Scranton/Wilkes-Barre player to win the award, following Phillies center fielder Shane Victorino, who won it in 2005.
Discussion:
River Avenue Blues, Mike Silva's …, A Die Hard Yankees Fan, New York Yankees Fan Blog and YanksBlog.com
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Mark Feinsand / NY Daily News:
Yankees go Bird-bashing in Baltimore — Robinson Cano gets props from Eric Hinske hitting a home run in the second inning. Hinske goes deep later as the Yankees beat the Orioles, 9-6, Tuesday night. — BALTIMORE - Much has been made of A.J. Burnett's up-and-down season …
Discussion:
Camden Chat
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Andrew Baggarly / Extra Baggs:
Giants will purchase Buster Posey's contract today — The Giants are calling up top catching prospect Buster Posey and he'll join the team today, sources confirmed to me. — Now it's clear why Posey wasn't in the lineup for Triple-A Fresno last night. GM Brian Sabean had said repeatedly …
David Ely / MLB.com:
Toy plane takes off at Dodger Stadium — Remote-control flier stops play briefly in sixth inning — LOS ANGELES — It's not rare to see an occasional beach ball fall onto the field during a game at Dodger Stadium. — A remote-control airplane? That definitely could be filed under unusual.
Ian Browne / MLB.com:
Heroes abound in Sox's win over Rays — While Lester shines, Ellsbury, Papelbon steal show late — ST. PETERSBURG — It looked like it might have been slipping away, this game that the Red Sox once led by five runs. At Tropicana Field, where manager Terry Francona and his team …
Meech One / The Fightins:
Please, David Wright, Never Stop Wearing This Helmet — In an un-The Fightins like maneuver, I had a personal embargo against Mets posts here for a while on the site. I just felt with all the injuries and s**t they've had this year that it really wasn't fun to laugh at them while they were trotting …
Chicago Tribune:
Chicago White Sox could shut down Jake Peavy — Manager Ozzie Guillen says it's a possibility — Jake Peavy smiles after being introduced as the latest member of the White Sox pitching staff. (Charles Rex Arbogast, Associated Press / August 1, 2009) — MINNEAPOLIS — Jake Peavy's goal …
Lynn Henning / Detroit News:
Fernando Rodney ready to cash in — Tigers fans have not always welcomed the sight of Fernando Rodney sauntering toward the mound, his thick body shaking from side to side, his goatee punctuating a face buried beneath a funky-looking baseball cap. — But they are beginning to love him at the most unexpected of times.
Discussion:
MLB Rumors
Alden Gonzalez / MLB.com:
Hanley exits game with tight hamstring — Severity of shortstop's ailment unknown — MIAMI — Marlins shortstop Hanley Ramirez left Tuesday's game against the Braves after four innings with a tight left hamstring and is currently listed as day-to-day. — After the Marlins' 4-3 loss that night …
Discussion:
FishStripes
Rick Morrissey / Chicago Tribune:
Desire to dump veterans a disturbing failure of imagination — Is there no more room for imagination in numbers-obsessed baseball? — I'm not talking about creativity. I'm talking about making room in your imagination for the possibility of something special happening, regardless of what the numbers might suggest.
Discussion:
FanGraphs Baseball
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Rick Morrissey / Chicago Tribune:
When did Trader Kenny become Traitor Kenny?
When did Trader Kenny become Traitor Kenny?
Discussion:
Yahoo! Sports, Can't Stop The Bleeding, Hardball Times, The LoHud Yankees Blog and Chicago Tribune