Top News:
ESPN:
Red Sox claim Johnny Damon … Could the Boston Red Sox be looking to recapture the magic of 2004 that brought an end to their 86-year World Series drought? — Detroit Tigers outfielder Johnny Damon confirmed to reporters Monday that he has been claimed on waivers by the Red Sox …
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Jon Heyman / Sports Illustrated:
BoSox make waiver claim on Damon — The Boston Red Sox claimed Tigers designated hitter/outfielder Johnny Damon on waivers, which means Damon could be returning to Fenway Park. — The struggling Tigers need his approval before he could return to Boston. Detroit is 61-63 …
Discussion:
Boston Globe, Red Sox Monster, Bless You Boys, New York Times and Lookout Landing
TSN.ca:
Scutaro drives in four as Red Sox down Mariners — Sports Network — Boston, MA (Sports Network) - Marco Scutaro drove in four runs and John Lackey tossed eight solid innings, as the Boston Red Sox used a three-run seventh to defeat the Seattle Mariners, 6-3, in the opener of a three-game series at Fenway Park.
Discussion:
Surviving Grady, Over the Monster, baseballmusings.com and Yahoo! Sports
Nick Cafardo / Boston Globe:
Pre-game news: Red Sox place waiver claim on Johnny Damon — News that Johnny Damon could be returning to the Red Sox put a twinkle in the eyes of those who knew him and played with him. — “Yeah! Party like rock star,” said a gleeful David Ortiz. — From Tim Wakefield to Jason Varitek …
Discussion:
Surviving Grady
Tim Dierkes / MLB Rumors:
Red Sox Claim Johnny Damon — 9:36pm: Damon repeated after tonight's game that he's leaning toward staying in Detroit, according to MLB.com's Jason Beck (Twitter links). Damon's gut and his teammates are telling him to stay in Detroit. — 3:45pm: Damon hasn't decided whether he'd accept …
Discussion:
MLB Daily Dish, Boston Globe, The iYankees Blog, NESN.com and PRO Rumors
Associated Press:
Damon claimed by Red Sox, deciding whether to go — DETROIT—It's all up to Johnny Damon now: Play out the season in Detroit, or rejoin the Boston Red Sox for another playoff chase. — The Red Sox have claimed the 36-year-old outfielder on waivers from the Tigers, and Damon was deciding Monday whether to go.
Discussion:
Boston Globe
Tim Dierkes / MLB Rumors:
Johnny Damon Claimed By Unknown Team
Johnny Damon Claimed By Unknown Team
Discussion:
Beck's Blog, DRaysBay and Bless You Boys
Janie McCauley / Associated Press:
Giants beat Reds to open key series of contenders — SAN FRANCISCO—Matt Cain ended a three-start winless stretch after being staked to an early cushion, Andres Torres hit a two-run homer and the San Francisco Giants beat the Cincinnati Reds 11-2 on Monday night. — Aubrey Huff added a solo homer leading off the eighth.
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Yahoo! Sports
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TSN.ca:
Giants blast Reds — Sports Network — San Francisco, CA (Sports Network) - Matt Cain pitched eight solid innings, while Aubrey Huff and Pablo Sandoval each registered three runs batted in, as San Francisco blasted Cincinnati, 11-2, in the first of three games from AT&T Park.
Discussion:
McCovey Chronicles and Associated Press
Globe and Mail:
Robert MacLeod — TORONTO — From Tuesday's Globe and Mail — Several hours before Monday's series opener against the New York Yankees, Jose Bautista went about his business in the Toronto Blue Jays clubhouse - a routine that included some playful banter in Spanish with teammate Yunel Escobar …
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Dan Steinberg / D.C. Sports Bog:
Rob Dibble to Stephen Strasburg: “Suck it up” — The conventional wisdom on Stephen Strasburg's latest injury, whatever it is, was nicely summed up by Thomas Boswell on Monday: … For the unconventional wisdom, look no further than Rob Dibble, analyst for MASN by night, and radio host for SIRIUS XM's MLB Network Radio by day.
Discussion:
Fanhouse MLB Blog, HardballTalk, SBNation.com, Washington Post and Can't Stop The Bleeding
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External / ESPN:
Sources: Manny likely to hit waivers this week — The expectation around baseball is that outfielder Manny Ramirez will be placed on waivers early this week, according to baseball sources. — The Los Angeles Dodgers could have put Ramirez on waivers on Monday but would not do so, ESPN.com's Jayson Stark reports.
Discussion:
NESN.com, SBNation.com, PRO Rumors, Boston Globe, MLB Rumors and Associated Press
Tommy Craggs / Deadspin:
MLB Confidential: The Financial Documents Baseball Doesn't Want You To See, Part 1 — We've obtained financial statements for a number of baseball teams — containing perhaps some of the most closely guarded information in sports — and they offer a rare glimpse at how MLB franchises do brisk business in the modern era.
Discussion:
SBNation.com, Fanhouse MLB Blog, Lookout Landing and Where Have You Gone …
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Associated Press:
Lee's clutch hit makes Myers a winner against Phillies — PHILADELPHIA (AP) — So, what's the baseline? — Brett Myers (FSY) threw seven sharp innings against his former team, Carlos Lee (FSY) hit a go-ahead two-run single in the eighth and the Houston Astros took advantage of a controversial call …
Discussion:
Blogging Baseball, Phillies Nation, The Crawfish Boxes and The Good Phight
ESPN:
Report: Sammy Sosa says Chicago Cubs' No. 21 jersey ‘should be untouchable’ — Former Chicago Cubs slugger Sammy Sosa said his jersey No. 21 should be retired and its continued use shows the strain in his relationship with his old team. — “That number should be untouchable because of the things …
Discussion:
MLB Daily Dish and Yahoo! Sports
Ted Berg / Tedquarters:
What I care about more — Matt Cerrone mentioned Johan Santana's run of bad luck on MetsBlog earlier today, which is funny to me because earlier in the season, sabermetricians everywhere were rapping about Santana's run of good luck. — Remember when Santana was walking more batters …
Discussion:
Mets Merized Online
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Matthew Cerrone / MetsBlog.com:
Johan Santana is like 1977′s Jerry Koosman
Johan Santana is like 1977′s Jerry Koosman
Discussion:
New York Post