Top News:
Sports Illustrated:
Boston loses its heart and soul as year of hurt, hardship continues … Now it's Dustin Pedroia. — The Red Sox have faced a lot of adversity this year. Theo Epstein and his minions preached “run prevention” during spring training, but it looked more like “win prevention” when the season started at Fenway in April.
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Peter Abraham / Boston Globe:
Martinez to be placed on the disabled list — Victor Martinez, as the Red Sox said in their release, will not need surgery on his left thumb. But sources told the Globe that the Red Sox will place him on the 15-day disabled list tomorrow. — Gustavo Molina, who was not in the lineup …
Bruce Levine / ESPN:
Chicago Cubs pitcher Carlos Zambrano will go on restricted list, undergo an evaluation — CHICAGO — After consulting with Major League Baseball, the players union and the agent for pitcher Carlos Zambrano, the Chicago Cubs announced on Monday a collective agreement between all parties …
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Gordon Wittenmyer / Chicago Sun Times:
CUBS IN BRIEF: Hendry defends Z's big contract — Cubs general manager Jim Hendry on Sunday defended the signing of Carlos Zambrano to a five-year, $91.5 million contract extension in 2007 that has become an albatross today. — “There was nothing wrong with the investment,” Hendry said.
Discussion:
FanGraphs Baseball
Ben Nicholson-Smith / MLB Rumors:
Cubs To Place Zambrano On Restricted List — The Cubs will place Carlos Zambrano on the restricted list tomorrow, according to MLB.com's Carrie Muskat (via Twitter). Players on the restricted list do not count towards a team's 25-man or 40-man roster, so the Cubs will be able to add a player to replace Zambrano.
New York Post:
Time for ‘Big 3’ to play like it — Mets on Twitter — These 2010 Mets have ticked off a few more items from the “Prove You're Contenders List.” — They rebounded from a lost series against the Yankees to win consecutive sets against two strong AL contenders, the Tigers and Twins.
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Joe Kay / Associated Press:
Rolen's 300th HR leads Reds over Phillies 7-3 — CINCINNATI—Scott Rolen hit his 300th career homer Monday night, and Johnny Cueto shut down the team that gave him an historic loss the last time they faced, leading the Cincinnati Reds to a 7-3 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies.
TSN.ca:
LEREW PICKS UP FIRST CAREER WIN AS ROYALS DOWN CHISOX — The Sports Network — Kansas City, MO (Sports Network) - Billy Butler drove in two runs to back Anthony Lerew's solid performance on the mound, as the Kansas City Royals defeated the Chicago White Sox, 3-1, in the opener of a three-game series at Kauffman Stadium.
Brian McTaggart / MLB.com:
Team not looking for help at shortstop — MILWAUKEE — With starting shortstop Tommy Manzella out for about five more weeks with a fractured left index finger, the Astros are relying on rookie Oswaldo Navarro and veteran infielder Geoff Blum to split time at shortstop and are not looking outside …
Discussion:
MLB Rumors
Stephen Hawkins / Associated Press:
Long HRs, 21-game hit streak for patient Hamilton — ARLINGTON, Texas—Josh Hamilton no longer has a need for Home Run Derby — not during the All-Star break or with impressive pregame batting practice shows. — Oh, he can still hit the ball a long, long way.
Guy Curtright / MLB.com:
Braves break through vs. Strasburg in seventh — ATLANTA — Despite the heat and humidity, Stephen Strasburg appeared to be getting stronger inning by inning as the Nationals rookie matched Braves ace Tim Hudson in a classic pitchers' duel Monday night. — Then came the seventh inning.
Bill Shaikin / Los Angeles Times:
Dodgers need relief — and then some — The team needs help in its starting rotation and the bullpen. The question is whether management will spend the money to make a move. — It's not just about a starting pitcher anymore. — As the Dodgers demonstrated to a national television audience Saturday …
Discussion:
MLB Rumors, Mike Scioscia's tragic illness, Memories Of Kevin Malone and River Avenue Blues
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Tim Dierkes / MLB Rumors:
Mystery Team After Cliff Lee — A mystery team is pursuing Cliff Lee, tweets Ed Price of AOL FanHouse. According to Price, the Cardinals “may be it.” Price believes that top prospect Shelby Miller is a possible chip. — Six years of Miller would be an impressive return for two-plus months of Lee …
Fox Sports:
Marlins mangling manager moves — Ken Rosenthal has been the senior baseball writer for FOXSports.com since Aug. 2005. He appears weekly on MLB on FOX. Follow him on Twitter. — Fredi Gonzalez must be laughing his butt off. — The Marlins fired Gonzalez as manager last Wednesday with the idea of hiring Bobby Valentine.
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