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TSN.ca:
BLUE JAYS, ORIOLES SET TO BEGIN STRETCH OF DIVISIONAL GAMES — Sports Network — (Sports Network) - Already 18 games out of first place in the American League East, the Baltimore Orioles can at least try to have some fun by shaking up the standings with 12 straight matchups against their division opponents.
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Richard Griffin / Toronto Star:
Young, rebuilding Blue Jays need to stay the course — In a rare reversal of roles at the major-league level, if the Blue Jays are still within spitting distance of the leaders in the AL East and of a wild-card berth, it's likely the club's young general manager may have to reel in the …
Ben Walker / sny.stats.com:
Mets zero in, shut out Phils for 3rd straight day — NEW YORK (AP) Mike Pelfrey and the New York Mets zeroed in once again. — Pelfrey and the Mets bullpen pulled off a most extraordinary pitching feat in this big-hitting era, shutting out Philadelphia for the third straight game Thursday night …
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Todd Zolecki / MLB.com:
Lidge throws, could return Monday — NEW YORK — Phillies closer Brad Lidge said he had another good bullpen session before Thursday's game against the New York Mets at Citi Field. — He said he plans to make a rehab appearance Saturday with Class A Clearwater.
Discussion:
HardballTalk
Anthony DiComo / MLB.com:
Beltran won't return to Mets before break — NEW YORK — Based on Omar Minaya's timetable, Carlos Beltran is unlikely to rejoin the Mets before the All-Star break. — Beltran has not yet begun full baseball activities, according to the general manager. Once he does, he will still need four …
Rob Neyer / ESPN:
Cubs' Lilly cheats, busted by Twitter — It's not often that you see a runner on first base arguing with the first-base umpire. But that's exactly what happened in the bottom of the sixth inning at Wrigley Field today, as Casey Blake got into it with crew chief John Hirschbeck.
Discussion:
MLB Daily Dish, Memories Of Kevin Malone, Fack Youk, MLB.com, HardballTalk and Sons of Steve Garvey
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Associated Press:
Kubel belts two homers, powers Twins over Yankees — MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Jason Kubel (FSY) ended Minnesota's long power drought in a big way, belting two home runs and driving in five runs in the Twins' 8-2 victory over the New York Yankees on Thursday night.
Discussion:
Pinstripe Alley
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Peter Abraham / Boston Globe:
The Ellsbury dilemma — Jacoby Ellsbury is scheduled to see a specialist today to determine the status of his cracked ribs and the apparently related pain he has been experiencing lately. — Ellsbury has been on the active roster for 19 games this season. But he was not available to play on 10 of those days because of the injury.
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Jeff Passan / Yahoo! Sports:
MLB plans showdown with umpire Joe West — Earlier this week, Joe West's personal publicist sent out a mass email offering up his client for interviews. — (Pause, to allow the proper spit-take at the fact that a baseball umpire is self-absorbed enough to keep a P.R. man in his employ.
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Randy Galloway / Fort Worth Star-Telegram:
Rangers must sweeten the deal to get Roy Oswalt — Our baseball team was in bankruptcy court this week, with a local judge wading through Tom Hicks' red ink, which is so deep that at one point the Honorable Michael Lynn had to make this strange request: — Would a credit card company …
Andrew Marchand / ESPN:
New York Yankees to update plans for Phil Hughes Rules — MINNEAPOLIS — New York Yankees manager Joe Girardi and pitching coach Dave Eiland will soon decide how much of the next phase of Phil Hughes Rules they need to implement, ESPNNewYork.com has learned.
Carrie Muskat / MLB.com:
Baker to be examined by eye doctor — CHICAGO — Cubs third baseman Jeff Baker was pulled from Thursday's 1-0 win against the Dodgers because he lost vision in his right eye. He was taken to the team's eye specialist to be examined. — Baker didn't react when the Dodgers' Russell Martin lined …
Henry Schulman / SFGate:
Giants talking to Burrell about a AAA deal — The Giants are negotiating with free-agent left fielder Pat Burrell on a Triple-A contract, I've been told, a no-risk deal that could bring the Bay Area product home. — I've been told that the contract is in the “talking stages” and that Burrell does have other options he is mulling.
