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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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Peter Abraham / Boston Globe:
Swisher in, Youkilis out — Nick Swisher of the Yankees won the Final Vote over Kevin Youkilis in what was the tightest margin in the nine-year history of the contest. — According to MLB, Swisher had 9.8 million votes to finish just ahead of Youkilis. Paul Konerko of the White Sox …
Mark Newman / MLB.com:
Ultra-tight AL race rages on; Votto tops NL — Swisher barely ahead of Youkilis as Final Vote heads to finish — With fewer than seven hours remaining, Yankees outfielder Nick Swisher held the slimmest of leads over Kevin Youkilis of the rival Red Sox in a race that is shaping …
Tim Booth / Associated Press:
Votto, Swisher win vote for final All-Star spots — SEATTLE—After this successful campaign, maybe New York Yankees outfielder Nick Swisher should consider a future in politics. — Swisher and Cincinnati Reds first baseman Joey Votto were chosen by fans on Thursday for the final …
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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Jon Heyman / Sports Illustrated:
M's target big-time prospects for Lee — The Rays, Twins, Rangers, Phillies, Yankees, Reds and Mets are among the 12 to 15 teams that have inquired about star Mariners left-handed pitcher Cliff Lee, and Seattle is said to be targeting big-time prospects in return, such as Yankees' catching …
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Larry Stone / Seattle Times:
Don't be surprised if Zduriencik does something surprising …
Don't be surprised if Zduriencik does something surprising …
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HardballTalk
Anthony McCarron / NY Daily News:
New York Mets catching prospect Josh Thole not bothered by trade …
New York Mets catching prospect Josh Thole not bothered by trade …
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MetsBlog.com
Greg Rosenstein / MLB.com:
Stairs ties all-time mark for pinch-hit homers — WASHINGTON — Matt Stairs' home run in the Padres' 7-6 loss to the Nationals on Wednesday night tied the all-time record for career pinch-hit blasts. — Stairs' 20th pinch-hit home run matched Cliff Johnson, who played for seven Major League teams between 1972 and '85.
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Sam Donnellon / Philly.com:
No panic yet from Phillies, but should there be? — LAST NIGHT, on “Daily News Live,” on Comcast SportsNet, Phillies general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. twice mentioned a lack of “urgency” in the DNA of this year's club, saying the healthy regulars who still inhabit the first five spots of the team's lineup need to find some, and fast.
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The Real Dirty Mets Blog
Associated Press:
Orioles rally in 8th to beat Rangers 6-4 — ARLINGTON, Texas—Craig Tatum drew a bases-loaded walk in the eighth inning to force in the go-ahead run, Scott Moore and Felix Pie homered, and the Baltimore Orioles rallied from a four-run deficit for a 6-4 victory over the Texas Rangers on Thursday night.
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Chicago Tribune:
Cubs preparing for trade market, sources say — Owners expected to address media soon to assess club's direction — Several baseball sources have confirmed to us that the Cubs are ramping up their efforts in the trade market to start clearing the books of cumbersome salaries.
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Joe Capozzi / Fish Tank:
Joe Torre impressed with Florida Marlins rookie Mike Stanton; Hanley Ramirez may take Home run Derby swings — The Marlins, who went from 70-degree temps in Los Angeles to triple-digits in Phoenix today, hope that Mike Stanton's bat stays hot. — Dodgers manager Joe Torre praised …
Associated Press:
Crawford homers twice, Rays beat Indians 5-2 — ST. PETERSBURG, Fla.—Carl Crawford hit a pair of two-run homers, Wade Davis stopped his six-game winless streak and the surging Tampa Bay Rays beat the Cleveland Indians 5-2 on Thursday night. — Tampa Bay went ahead 2-1 on Crawford's two-run shot in the first inning.
TSN.ca:
GIANTS TAKE BROOMS TO BREWERS FOR FIRST TIME — The Sports Network — Milwaukee, WI (Sports Network) - Aubrey Huff hit a two-run homer and knocked in four, as the San Francisco Giants finished off a four-game sweep of the Milwaukee Brewers with a 9-3 win at Miller Park.
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Scott Merkin / MLB.com:
Ozzie not big on Twitter anymore — CHICAGO — Remember the hoopla surrounding Ozzie Guillen's entrance into the world of Twitter? Well, the White Sox manager doesn't seem to have the same affection for the resource as he did in Spring Training. — “I'm tired of Twitter.
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