Top News:
Tim Dierkes / MLB Rumors:
Four Teams Interested In Dontrelle Willis — 3:24pm: The Marlins will have to trade for Willis if they want to acquire him, according to Clark Spencer and Manny Navarro of the Miami Herald. Willis would prefer to play closer to the West Coast, so it seems unlikely that he would sign with the Marlins if he becomes a free agent.
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Andy Martino / Surfing The Mets:
On pitchability and Perez; Maine, Willis and Figueroa — It was one of those you're-sorta-joking-but-not- really moments. Jerry Manuel was asked earlier today if Oliver Perez was hurting the team by refusing to report to the minor leagues. — “Is he hurting the team by staying here?
Jordan Bastian / MLB.com:
Eveland sent from Toronto to Pittsburgh — Blue Jays acquire Minor League pitcher Uviedo — TORONTO — The Blue Jays and Pirates completed a trade on Tuesday that sent left-hander Dana Eveland to Pittsburgh. Toronto acquired Minor League pitcher Ronald Uviedo and optioned the right-hander to Double-A New Hampshire.
Discussion:
HardballTalk
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David Waldstein / New York Times:
Perez Gets Call, but by Then All Was Said and Done — SAN DIEGO — If there was any question about what situation would force Jerry Manuel to hand the ball to Oliver Perez, the Mets provided the scenario Monday night. — Perez's recent failures and Manuel's loss of faith …
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Sports Illustrated:
For Nats, Harper simply too good to pass up … Bryce Harper is too good to pass up. For the Washington Nationals, who hold the first pick in Monday's Rule 4 First-Year Player Draft, it really is that simple. Once you get past the hype, the caterwauling about Harper daring to give …
Dejan Kovacevic / Pittsburgh Post-Gazette:
Pirates Notebook: Walker takes Iwamura's place — Neil Walker is the Pirates' new second baseman, and Aki Iwamura is on the bench. — That was the word Monday morning from manager John Russell, who informed both players that Walker would be getting “the majority of playing time” …
Ben Nicholson-Smith / MLB Rumors:
Indians Claim Shane Lindsay — The Indians claimed Shane Lindsay off waivers from the Yankees, according to a team press release. It's the second time in the last month that Lindsay has been claimed on waivers; the Yankees claimed him from the Rockies on May 14th.
Adam Kilgore / Washington Post:
Nats' Stephen Strasburg will debut in big leagues June 8 — HOUSTON — For everyone — his fans, his soon-to-be Nationals teammates and, perhaps most of all, Stephen Strasburg himself — the wait is nearly over. Strasburg, the phenom regarded as maybe the best pitching prospect of all time …
Discussion:
D.C. Sports Bog, Nationals Journal, Mr. Irrelevant …, HardballTalk, Federal Baseball and USA Today
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Jayson Stark / ESPN:
Stark: Moyer knows all about giving up home runs — Once veteran LHP gives up four more homers, he'll tie mark for most long balls allowed — America's newest home run king wouldn't mind returning the crown to the factory. — “It's nothing I'm proud of, or I'm going to gloat about,” …
Duk / Yahoo! Sports:
Cartoon Hank Steinbrenner sings about Yankees' domination — The first half of this cartoon is entertaining enough — at least if you're not a Yankee fan — but it really starts to heat up once this South Parkish-version of Hank Steinbrenner goes into musical mode around the 2:00 mark.
Discussion:
It's About The Money
Howie Rose / WFAN New York Sports Radio 66:
Enough is Enough — This Oliver Perez stuff has gone far enough. His behavior towards his employers and his teammates has morphed from desultory to criminal. He is stealing money, not because of his poor performance, but because he continues to refuse the Mets' request to go down to the minor leagues …
Discussion:
ESPN, Bats, MetsBlog.com, Can't Stop The Bleeding, The Real Dirty Mets Blog and New York Post
Kevin Thomas / Portland Press-Herald:
Kalish promoted to Triple-A — Ryan Kalish got hot and is now out of Portland. Kalish, 22, a left-handed outfielder, was promoted to Triple-A Pawtucket after Monday's game at Hadlock Field. — Kalish was 2-for-4 with a double and three runs. He not only went 9-for-13 in the past three games …
Mike Fast / Hardball Times:
Objective knowledge — Tommy Bennett has a thought-provoking piece today at Baseball Prospectus on the nature of baseball analysis. It's a fascinating article that has me thinking. … I'm not sure he has the second theorem stated quite correctly. “The Book says: For all practical purposes …
Larry Stone / The Seattle Times:
Monday post-game notes, special DFA edition — For those wondering where Ken Griffey Jr. has been, there's photographic evidence he was at the ballpark today. The picture, by Getty Images, shows Griffey hugging Ichiro during batting practice. Of course, Griffey's presence was later confirmed …
Evan Grant / Texas Rangers:
Derek Holland has “mild inflammation” in rotator cuff; headed to DL — Rangers team physician Dr. Keith Mesiter examined LHP Derek Holland Monday at Medical Center of Arlington and determined the 23-year-old pitcher is suffering from “mild left rotator cuff inflammation.”
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