Top News:
Mark Berman / MyFox Houston:
Astros Ask Oswalt to Approve Trade to Phillies — HOUSTON - Major League baseball sources told FOX 26 Sports the Houston Astros have a deal in place to trade pitcher Roy Oswalt to the Philadelphia Phillies if Oswalt agrees to waive his no-trade clause. — Sources told FOX 26 the Astros have approached Oswalt.
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Jon Heyman / Sports Illustrated:
Issues remain in Oswalt trade to Philly … The Phillies and Astros have agreed on player compensation in a Roy Oswalt trade and will have a deal if the star righthander agrees to waive his no-trade clause and if his $16-million option for 2012 can be worked out, people familiar with the situation tell SI.com.
Discussion:
Philliesflow.com
Jayson Stark / MLB:
Sources: Roy Oswalt-to-Philadelphia Phillies talks have intensified — The Phillies and Astros have intensified talks in the last 24 hours about a deal that would send Roy Oswalt to Philadelphia, sources said. But major financial obstacles remain that could still stand in the way of this trade …
Discussion:
SBNation.com
Brian McTaggart / MLB.com:
Oswalt-to-Phillies reportedly in place
ESPN:
Source: Dodgers to get Podsednik — The Dodgers have agreed to a deal that will bring Kansas City Royals outfielder Scott Podsednik to Los Angeles, a baseball source told ESPN.com's Jayson Stark on Wednesday. — The Royals would receive two minor leaguers.
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Ben Nicholson-Smith / MLB Rumors:
Dodgers Acquire Scott Podsednik — The Dodgers acquired Scott Podsednik from the Royals for catcher Lucas May and right-handed pitcher Elisaul Pimentel, the Royals announced. ESPN.com's Jayson Stark, who first reported the deal on Twitter, notes that the Dodgers will pay the rest of Podsednik's salary.
Discussion:
SBNation.com, Baseball America, My Pinstripes, Royals Review, Beyond the Box Score and Al's Ramblings
Associated Press:
Dodgers get OF Podsednik from Royals — SAN DIEGO—The Los Angeles Dodgers acquired outfielder Scott Podsednik from the Kansas City Royals for a pair of minor leaguers Wednesday night, trying to boost their chances in the NL West. — The trade was announced before Los Angeles played at San Diego.
Michael Silverman / Boston Herald:
Time is gaining, Red Sox are not — + Recent Articles + Recent Blog Entries + Email — ANAHEIM, Calif. - No pain, no gain for the Red Sox [team stats]. — The fact that nobody cracked a rib, tore a muscle - J.D. Drew [stats]'s mild hamstring issue does not count …
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Dan Shaughnessy / Boston Globe:
Sky-high after this victory — ANAHEIM, Calif. — I'm in. I believe. I just saw Marco Scutaro hit a grand slam to complete a three-game Red Sox sweep of the Angels. The Sox look like they are ready for a big stretch run. — The Sox just played 10 games in 10 days in three cities.
Jon Paul Morosi / Fox Sports:
Jays not pursuing Bautista extension — Jose Bautista is having a career year, leading the majors with 30 home runs. — PRINT RSS — Updated Jul 28, 2010 10:57 PM ET — Toronto's Jose Bautista leads the major leagues with 30 home runs. But the Blue Jays aren't currently discussing a contract extension with him.
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Dave Sheinin / Nationals Journal:
Riggleman: Strasburg likely to be shut down for 10 days — On an appearance this morning on MLB Network Radio on Sirius/XM, Nationals Manager Jim Riggleman said Stephen Strasburg would not make his scheduled start Sunday against the Philadelphia Phillies, and will likely be shut down for 10 days …
Discussion:
baseballmusings.com
RELATED:
Adam Kilgore / Nationals Journal:
The real concern for Stephen Strasburg
The real concern for Stephen Strasburg
Discussion:
The Nats Blog, Washington Post, The Goessling Game, baseballmusings.com and The Nationals Enquirer
Jon Heyman / Sports Illustrated:
MRI shows no damage in Strasburg's shoulder
MRI shows no damage in Strasburg's shoulder
Discussion:
Associated Press
Johnette Howard / ESPN:
Mets are finally finding their level — It's time to stop pretending — this is an entertaining, battling .500 team, and that's it … NEW YORK — The answer that will save the New York Mets' season isn't anything that a middling deal by Saturday's trade deadline will fix.
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Associated Press:
Top prospect Domonic Brown shines in debut for surging Phillies — PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Roy Halladay (FSY) threw a six-hitter and top prospect Domonic Brown (FSY) had two hits and two RBI in his major league debut to lead the streaking Philadelphia Phillies to a 7-1 victory over the slumping Arizona Diamondbacks on Wednesday night.
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Bruce Levine / ESPN:
Derrek Lee to remain a Cub — CHICAGO — Chicago Cubs first baseman Derrek Lee has told the organization he prefers to remain a Cub rather than accept a trade, general manager Jim Hendry told ESPNChicago.com on Wednesday. — The Los Angeles Angels proposed a trade to the Cubs over the past 10 days …
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Gary Shelton / St. Petersburg Times:
Staying clean may be costing Fred McGriff in his bid for Hall of Fame — On the weekend he might have been inducted into baseball's Hall of Fame, an extraordinary achievement, Fred McGriff had the most ordinary of weekends. — He visited his mother. He watched his daughter, Ericka, play volleyball.
Colin Wyers / Baseball Prospectus:
Looking Farther Afield — I have been making something of a ruckus recently about where I feel the state of current defensive analysis is. I have been long on listing problems, and short on proposing solutions. — Well, allow me to make amends there. I don't pretend to have the problem solved.
Discussion:
THE BOOK
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Mike Fast / Hardball Times:
A very important article on fielding