Top News:
ESPN:
Francisco Rodriguez charged … NEW YORK — Suspended Mets closer Francisco Rodriguez has been released without bail and told to stay away from his girlfriend's father while facing charges he assaulted the man. — Rodriguez appeared at a Queens courthouse on Thursday afternoon.
Discussion:
HardballTalk, OnTheBlack.com and The Mighty Quinn Media Machine
RELATED:
ESPN:
Police: New York Mets' Francisco Rodriguez charged with assault on father-in-law … NEW YORK — Police say New York Mets reliever Francisco Rodriguez was charged with third-degree assault, a misdemeanor, after an altercation with his father-in-law at Citi Field.
NY Daily News:
Mets' Francisco Rodriguez arrested after allegedly punching father-in-law, charged with assault — Francisco Rodriguez is arrested after allegedly punching his father-in-law Wednesday night. After the tussle, an unidentified family member is taken from Citi Field (below) in an ambulance.
Discussion:
New York Times, New Jersey Online, New York Post, NESN.com, Walkoff Walk, 24 Hours From Suicide, Amazin' Avenue, ESPN, The Big Lead, HardballTalk and Yahoo! Sports
Anthony McCarron / NY Daily News:
Francisco Rodriguez says Johan Santana's legal, personal troubles are no one's business but his own — The turmoil of a civil suit that alleges Mets ace Johan Santana sexually assaulted a Florida woman last year has created barely a ripple in the team's clubhouse.
Discussion:
Faith and Fear in Flushing, USA Today and Mets Gazette
David Waldstein / New York Times:
Rodriguez Appears in Court as Mets Win
Discussion:
New Jersey Online and Bats
Anthony DiComo / MLB.com:
Rodriguez to be charged with assault
Discussion:
New York Yankees Fan Blog and Faith and Fear in Flushing
Wall Street Journal:
Francisco Rodriguez Arrested After Dispute Following Game
Discussion:
My Summer Family and Fanhouse MLB Blog
Matthew Cerrone / MetsBlog.com:
Post Game: Rockies 6 Mets 2
Discussion:
Purple Row and Amazin' Avenue
Carroll Rogers / Atlanta Braves:
Chipper Jones has torn ACL, needs surgery - updated — It's been 17 years since the Braves have had to make a run to the playoffs without Chipper Jones as a fixture at third base. To get back there now, they'll have to do it without him. — An MRI Thursday revealed Jones has a tear …
Discussion:
The LoHud Yankees Blog, FanGraphs Baseball, Walkoff Walk, Talking Chop, The700Level.com, Deadspin and Fanhouse MLB Blog
RELATED:
ESPN.com:
Chipper Jones has torn ACL — The Atlanta Braves confirmed third baseman Chipper Jones has torn the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee. — Jones' agent, BB Abbott, told The Associated Press on Thursday that the third baseman will need surgery and is likely done for the season, a major setback for the first-place Braves.
Discussion:
Yahoo! Sports
Nick Cafardo / Boston Globe:
Blue Jays stun Red Sox in 9th, 6-5 — Game Over: Blue Jays 6, Red Sox 5 — Another Jonathan Papelbon meltdown in the bottom of the nimth and another reason to question why on earth was John Lackey taken out of the game? In the end, Fred Lewis' bases-loaded sacrifice fly off Daniel Bard won it for the Jays.
Discussion:
Bluebird Banter, BronxBanterBlog.com, Baseball Prospectus and TSN.ca
RELATED:
Canadian Press:
Blue Jays rally in ninth to knock off Red Sox — TORONTO — On the verge of being swept again by the Boston Red Sox, the Toronto Blue Jays exorcised a pair of demons by rallying against closer Jonathan Papelbon for a rare victory against their AL East rivals.
Discussion:
Boston Globe and TSN.ca
Chicago Sun Times:
CUBS IN BRIEF: In-season housecleaning seems likely to continue — SAN FRANCISCO — The Cubs' trade of Mike Fontenot to the San Francisco Giants a few hours before the teams played Wednesday night might not be the last of the in-season deals the Cubs make. — “It's hard to say if it'll …
Discussion:
Bleed Cubbie Blue and MLB Rumors
RELATED:
TSN.ca:
Burrell's homer lifts Giants over Cubs
Discussion:
GoatRiders of the Apocalypse and McCovey Chronicles
Ben Nicholson-Smith / MLB Rumors:
Giants Acquire Mike Fontenot
Discussion:
Baseball America, Yahoo! Sports, MLB.com, MLB Daily Dish and GoatRiders of the Apocalypse
Alden Gonzalez / MLB.com:
Cueto, Baker, La Russa hit with suspensions — Reds starter gets seven games, skippers two games apiece — Major League Baseball handed Reds starter Johnny Cueto a seven-game suspension and also suspended Reds manager Dusty Baker and Cardinals skipper Tony La Russa for two games each …
RELATED:
Larry Stone / Seattle Times:
Bobby Valentine reportedly would be interested in Mariner job — (Bobby Valentine is pictured as manager of the Chiba Lotte Marines before a Japan Series game against the Hanshin Tigers in October, 2005. Photo by Associated Press) — One of the first names to surface in speculation …
Discussion:
HardballTalk and Fanhouse MLB Blog
Byron Kerr:
Harper is “begging to play” — With less than a week remaining until the August 16 deadline, Tim Chambers, Bryce Harper's college coach, remains confident that Harper will sign with the Washington Nationals before midnight Monday and said it would be “silly” if both sides don't figure it out in time.
Discussion:
The Nats Blog, Fanhouse MLB Blog and Nationals Journal
Jayson Stark / MLB:
The rotations that are made for October — If they can get there, Phillies, Cardinals and Red Sox could be dominant in postseason — In October, it isn't about home run trots. And it isn't about bobblehead days. And it definitely isn't about trade rumors, incentive clauses or your owner's personal psychic.
Discussion:
MLB Rumors
Dan Steinberg / D.C. Sports Bog:
Rob Dibble amazed by women at baseball game — “Those ladies right behind there, they haven't stopped talking the whole game,” Rob Dibble said in the sixth inning of Wednesday night's Nats broadcast. “They have some conversation going on. Right here,” he said, circling the offenders.
Discussion:
Camden Chat, Can't Stop The Bleeding and SB Nation DC
