Top News:
Joel Sherman / New York Post:
Yankees on brink of landing Cliff Lee — The Knicks didn't get LeBron James, but the Yankees were on the brink of obtaining Cliff Lee late last night for a package that would include top prospect Jesus Montero, the Post has learned. — Yankees GM Brian Cashman and Seattle GM Jack Zduriencik …
Discussion:
Boston Globe, Bats, River Avenue Blues, Projo Sox Blog, NESN.com, Mets Merized Online, Lookout Landing, Pinstripe Alley, This Purist Bleeds Pinstripes, MetsBlog.com, Phillies Nation, The LoHud Yankees Blog, Subway Squawkers, Walkoff Walk, U.S.S. Mariner, LADYBATTING.COM, Mets Paradise, Can't Stop The Bleeding, Mike Ashmore's Thunder …, Mets Today, Fanhouse MLB Blog and FenwayNation
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Dan Mennella / MLB.com:
Mariners, Yanks intensify Lee trade talks — If Cliff Lee is changing teams, he may merely be moving from the home to the visitors' dugout at Safeco Field this weekend. — The Yankees, who are in Seattle for their final series of the first half, were on the verge of trading for the Mariners' Lee …
Discussion:
YFSF
Jon Heyman / Sports Illustrated:
Yankees in serious talks with Mariners about acquiring Cliff Lee … The Yankees have intensified talks with the Mariners for star lefthander Cliff Lee, sources confirm. — The discussions appear serious, and one source said it's “quite possible” a deal will be consummated.
Ben Nicholson-Smith / MLB Rumors:
Mets Will Turn To Ted Lilly — Cliff Lee is coming to New York, but he isn't the left-handed starter the Mets are focused on. Joel Sherman of the New York Post reports (via Twitter) that the Mets will ‘turn strongly’ to Cubs starter Ted Lilly now that Lee is on the brink of joining the Yankees.
Joel Sherman / NY Post: Hardball:
3UP: Yankees on Verge of Getting Lee Edition — 1. Late last night I learned that the Yankees were closing in on acquiring Cliff Lee. I was able to get this story into the final edition of the Post. The deal was not completed yet, but the Yankees were on the goal line and merely had to push into the end zone to finalize matters.
Ben Nicholson-Smith / MLB Rumors:
Yankees Close To Acquiring Cliff Lee — 12:12pm: The sides have some things to work through, but a deal remains ‘likely’ according to a source who spoke to Jon Heyman of SI.com (Twitter link). — 11:20am: The Mariners will obtain Montero and Adams plus another prospect, according Bob Nightengale of USA Today (via Twitter).
Buster Olney / ESPN:
A trade that would send Mariners left-hander Cliff Lee to the Yankees was “just about done” on Friday morning, according to an executive involved in the trade talks.
Larry Stone / Seattle Times:
Don't be surprised if Zduriencik does something surprising …
Discussion:
HardballTalk
Mark Newman / MLB.com:
Votto, Swisher win tight Final Vote — The American and National Leagues have added a couple of booming bats to their bench Tuesday in Anaheim with the addition of Nick Swisher and Joey Votto, now that fans have spoken in the four-day All-Star Final Vote Sponsored by Sprint. — 2010 All-Stars
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Ben Badler / Baseball America:
Orioles, Veloz Agree On Franchise Record Bonus — The Orioles have signed 16-year-old Dominican third baseman Hector Veloz for $300,000, according to his trainer, Victor Baez. — The bonus is a franchise record for an amateur player signed out of the Dominican Republic and is believed …
George A. King III / New York Post:
Phils may cut Werth-y deal — SEATTLE — According to several sources, the Phillies have been informed by the Yankees, Red Sox and Rays that they will be interested in outfielder Jayson Werth if the defending NL champions put him on the market later this month.
Fox Sports:
Rangers' uncertainty extends to GM — 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. — The Rangers' mess could cost them their general manager. — Jon Daniels, the Texas GM …
New York Times:
Dodgers Executive Received Funds From Team Charity — The Los Angeles Dodgers paid one of their highest-ranking executives more than $400,000 from the team's charity in 2007, which accounted for one-quarter of the foundation's nearly $1.6 million budget that year — compensation more in line with overseeing a $100 million charity.
Discussion:
Halos Heaven
Canadian Press:
CECIL, 5 HOMERS, CARRY JAYS TO CONSECUTIVE WINS OVER TWINS — TORONTO — Strong starting pitching, home runs aplenty, back-to-back wins and a series victory are all things the Toronto Blue Jays have been missing over the past 2 1-2 mostly putrid weeks. — So after blasting …
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Baseball America:
Midseason Updated Top 25 Prospects — Prospects have provided the biggest storylines of the 2010 baseball season. Jason Heyward was the story of spring training, launching home runs so far that the Braves had to put up protective nets in the parking lots; they couldn't keep him in the minors anymore.
Discussion:
Talking Chop
Jim Street / MLB.com:
Run-in with Ichiro leaves teen ‘starstruck’ — Girl has surprise encounter in outfielder's chase for foul ball — SEATTLE — A teenage fan sitting in a seat near the right-field foul line at Safeco Field had an interesting “meeting” with Ichiro Suzuki in the first inning Thursday night.
Beth Harris / Associated Press:
Kershaw, Dodgers beat Cubs 3-2 in series opener — LOS ANGELES—Rafael Furcal hit a go-ahead, two-run homer in the seventh inning to lift Clayton Kershaw and the Los Angeles Dodgers over the Chicago Cubs 3-2 in their series opener Thursday night. — Kershaw (9-4) struck out a season-high 12 …
