Top News:
Jayson Stark / ESPN:
Sources: Oswalt wants guarantee — Roy Oswalt is asking for the Phillies, or any team that acquires him, to guarantee his $16 million option in 2012 before he would approve a trade, according to two sources familiar with the discussions. — And the Phillies, for now at least, are balking at that request.
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Sports Illustrated:
Phillies discussing ways to deal Werth and get Oswalt … The Phillies are talking about possible tandem trades where they'd acquire Roy Oswalt and deal Jayson Werth and are looking at scenarios where they can accomplish the two goals simultaneously, sources say.
ESPN:
Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershaw, manager Joe Torre disciplined by MLB for actions vs. San Francisco Giants Tuesday — Major League Baseball suspended Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershaw for five games and manager Joe Torre for one game Wednesday for intentionally throwing …
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Yahoo! Sports
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Steve Dilbeck / Dodgers Blog:
And you thought there was no way to find more slop in that Dodgers …
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Mike Scioscia's tragic illness, HardballTalk, ESPN, baseballmusings.com and True Blue LA
Rick Gano / Associated Press:
Michaels leads Astros past Cubs in 12 innings — CHICAGO—Pinch-hitter Jason Michaels delivered a two-out, two-run double in the top of the 12th inning and the Houston Astros hung on to beat the Chicago Cubs 4-3 on Wednesday. — Jeff Keppinger and Chris Johnson started the 12th with consecutive singles.
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The Crawfish Boxes
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ESPN:
Sandberg on Cubs job: I'm ready — One day after Lou Piniella announced he would retire as Chicago Cubs manager following this season, Ryne Sandberg made sure there was no ambiguity about his desire and confidence to replace Piniella next year. — “I am ready,” Sandberg said Wednesday on “The Waddle & Silvy Show” on ESPN 1000.
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Associated Press
Adam Rubin / ESPN:
Source: Mets close to Cordero deal — The Mets are close to signing reliever Chad Cordero to a minor league deal, a team source confirmed. The deal is not yet official. — Cordero declared himself a free agent when the Seattle Mariners wanted to send him to Triple-A Tacoma.
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Pete Kerzel / MLB.com:
Rays utilizing sports psychologist — BALTIMORE — Dr. Ken Ravizza has come and gone, leaving the Tampa Bay Rays with something to think about until the next time he pops into their clubhouse for a friendly chat. — “I observe, I interact, I check in with them,” said Ravizza, a Fullerton …
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Yahoo! Sports
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Jeff Zrebiec / Boston Herald:
Julio Lugo's single lifts Orioles past Rays in 13th inning
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Camden Chat
Thomas Grillo / Boston Herald:
Red Sox eye $10M upgrade to Fenway scoreboards — The Boston Red Sox [team stats] are investing $10 million in dazzling new video screens at Fenway Park [map] and replacing the aging JumboTron above the bleacher section. — Team officials are seeking approval from the Boston Landmarks Commission …
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Joe Capozzi / Fish Tank:
Florida Marlins designate Nate Robertson for assignment; call up catcher Brad Davis — The Marlins didn't waste much time with their decision on what to do with struggling lefty Nate Robertson: He was designated for assignment today. — The Marlins have 15 days to trade him, release him or send him to the minors.
Murray Chass / Murray Chass On Baseball:
INTEGRITY STRIKES OUT — Commissioner Bud Selig was so adamant in his defense of his clubs that I was unable to get the word integrity into the conversation. Had I brought it up, he would have scoffed at the idea. But then, the commissioner has never acknowledged that the owners …
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baseballmusings.com
Michael Silverman / Clubhouse Insider:
Pedro says no to return this season but '11 still a possibility — Pedro Martinez has decided he will not pitch this season but he has not closed the door to pitching again in 2011, said a source close to Martinez today. — Several teams expressed interest in making Martinez a second-half addition …
Jerry Crasnick / ESPN:
It's an ‘underwhelming’ bullpen market — With Matt Capps, Octavio Dotel and Kerry Wood, few quality relievers to trade for — Attentive baseball fans must have thought they were in a time warp when they saw a couple of recent maneuvers by Cincinnati general manager Walt Jocketty.
Jonah Freedman / Sports Illustrated:
Fortunate 50: SI.com's annual list of top earning athletes — You can't stop them — you can only hope to re-sign them. Extracurricular scandals, contract holdouts and ugly labor negotiations seem to have rocked professional sports more than any other point in recent memory.
William C. Rhoden / New York Times:
A Vote for Steinbrenner Is a Vote for Flood — A push to have George Steinbrenner quickly inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame has begun in earnest, and it will most likely escalate this weekend with the enshrinement on Sunday of new members into the Hall in Cooperstown, N.Y.
Fox Sports:
Angels might not get what they need — 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. — NEW YORK — For the record, the Angels are not about to concede.
Sam Dykstra / WEEI:
LUCCHINO ON D&C: LUXURY TAX NOT A WORRY — Red Sox president/CEO Larry Lucchino talked to the Dennis & Callahan show Wednesday morning, and with the trade deadline fast approaching, one of the biggest topics of conversation was the Red Sox off-the-field plans as they gear up for the final stretch.
Mike Puma / New York Post:
Cora livid after Mets' latest lackluster ‘L’ — Mets on Twitter — PHOENIX — Alex Cora is mad as hell and not going to take it anymore. — The veteran utilityman, miffed by the laughter inside the Mets' clubhouse after last night's 3-2 loss to the Diamondbacks, fired venom in the direction …
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