Top News:
Joe DiGiovanni / MLB.com:
Reliever Rodriguez a late-inning option — MILWAUKEE — Despite getting saddled with a loss Tuesday night, Nationals manager Jim Riggleman likes using Henry Rodriguez in late-inning situations. — Riggleman knows that batters don't like having to face Rodriguez and his fastball, which is typically in the high 90-mph range.
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Joe DiGiovanni / MLB.com:
Morse wielding a hot bat at Miller Park — MILWAUKEE — Nationals first baseman Michael Morse says he's just trying to be a consistently good hitter, but he's certainly been on a hot streak at Miller Park. — After hitting a three-run homer in the third inning on Wednesday, Morse had five homers …
Joe DiGiovanni / MLB.com:
Nationals coming together defensively — MILWAUKEE — The statistics show the Nationals are in the middle of the pack among National League teams when it comes to defense this season. Manager Jim Riggleman says the stats don't tell the entire story about how well his team has played in the field, particularly the last month.
Gary Carter / Yahoo! Sports:
Red Sox in no-win situation with Dice-K — is back in Japan, and if Boston Red Sox brass were slipped a dose of truth serum, they'd love for him never to return. It's one thing to deal with a headache. It's another to pay $103 million for it. — With his right elbow pained …
Discussion:
Cursed To First, Getting Blanked, Baseball Prospectus, baseballmusings.com and HardballTalk
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David Pinto / baseballmusings.com:
Games of the Day — Boston fans get a lunch-time treat as the Red Sox and Indians play the rubber game of their series at noon, with Jon Lester facing Mitch Talbot. Despite his 6-1 record, Lester is in a bit of a slump, as he allowed 14 runs in his last three starts. The Red Sox scored 28 runs in those games, however.
Discussion:
Boston Globe, Over the Monster and Yahoo! Sports
Tom Withers / Associated Press:
Red Sox romp Indians 14-2
Discussion:
Let's Go Tribe and Associated Press
Andrew Marchand / ESPN:
Rafael Soriano out 6-8 weeks — NEW YORK — Yankees setup man Rafael Soriano will be out another 6-8 weeks after being diagnosed with an inflamed ligament in his right elbow. — Dr. James Andrews, after seeing Soriano on Wednesday, prescribed rest for two more weeks and then a conservative throwing program.
Discussion:
NESN.com, Baseball Nation and lenNY's Yankees
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Fox Sports:
Mets' selloff coming, so who's going? — Perhaps you've heard: It's been a lousy week for the New York Mets. — On Monday, The New Yorker published a story in which embattled owner Fred Wilpon criticized three of his star players — outfielder Carlos Beltran, shortstop Jose Reyes and third baseman David Wright.
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Blair Kerkhoff / Kansas City Star:
Royals great Paul Splittorff dies — He was the forever Royal. — Paul Splittorff, who entertained generations of Kansas Citians first as a durable lefty pitcher and then as an insightful and respected broadcaster, died Wednesday morning after a battle with oral cancer and melanoma. — He was 64.
Discussion:
Hardball Times and USA Today
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Associated Press:
Royals pitching great, broadcaster Splittorff dies — KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Paul Splittorff, the winningest pitcher in Kansas City Royals history and a popular broadcaster for the team, died Wednesday after a battle with oral cancer and melanoma, the club announced.
Discussion:
Royals Review
Associated Press:
Towles breaks out of slump, leads Astros to victory Dodgers — HOUSTON — J.R. Towles broke out of an 0 for 32 slump with three hits, including an RBI single with two outs in the ninth that gave the Houston Astros a 2-1 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers on Wednesday.
Discussion:
Yahoo! Sports and True Blue LA
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Lori Preuitt / NBC Bay Area:
Barry Bonds to Pay for Stow Kids' College
Discussion:
USA Today, Yahoo! Sports, Getting Blanked, The Big Lead, Babes Love Baseball, Deadspin and Baseball Nation
Fox Sports:
Geren's time could be running out — Billy Beane isn't going to fire Bob Geren simply because of complaints from current players, former players or, heaven forbid, media critics. — But Beane, the Oakland Athletics' general manager, isn't tone deaf, either. — Yes, Geren was the best man in Beane's second wedding.
Discussion:
MLB Daily Dish
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John Shea / San Francisco Chronicle:
A's manager Bob Geren under spotlight now
Discussion:
USA Today, HardballTalk, Baseball Nation, Athletics Nation and Deadspin
Jim Caple / ESPN:
The official MLB owner rankings — Fred Wilpon furthered his candidacy for worst owner in baseball this week when he ripped everyone but Mr. Met in The New Yorker, then told Sports Illustrated that the Mets are “bleeding money.” He thus violated two cardinal rules of ownership.
Discussion:
HardballTalk and Cincinnati Reds
Associated Press:
Wilson Pitches Rangers Past White Sox — ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — C.J. Wilson pitched into the seventh inning, Ian Kinsler's RBI single produced the go-ahead run, and the Texas Rangers hung on to beat the Chicago White Sox 2-1 on Wednesday. — Wilson (5-3) gave up one run and five hits …
Discussion:
South Side Sox and Yahoo! Sports
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Jerry Crasnick / ESPN:
The gifts that keep on giving for Indians — Asdrubal Cabrera and Shin-Soo Choo, acquired from Mariners in '06, leading the way — The Cleveland Indians lack the financial wherewithal to compete for big-name free agents and their recent draft history is nondescript, to put it kindly.
Discussion:
MLB Rumors and Seattle Mariners blog
Associated Press:
Jays' Reyes Matches Record With 28th Winless Start — NEW YORK (AP) — The Blue Jays' Jo-Jo Reyes has matched a major league record by making his 28th consecutive start without recording a win. — Reyes was pulled after the third inning of Wednesday's game against the New York Yankees with Toronto trailing 5-0.
Discussion:
Associated Press, baseballmusings.com and lenNY's Yankees
Christian Red / NY Daily News:
Lenny Dykstra makes bizarre house call to Dwight Gooden during Doc's ‘Celebrity Rehab’ stint — Former New York Mets teammates Lenny Dykstra (l.) and Dwight ‘Doc’ Gooden have a long-awaited - but unexpected and unusual - reunion during Gooden's recent stint on ‘Celebrity Rehab.’
Discussion:
HardballTalk
Tim Dierkes / MLB Rumors:
Rays Claim Jay Buente; Designate Rob Delaney — The Rays claimed righty Jay Buente off waivers from the Marlins and created a 40-man roster spot by designating pitcher Rob Delaney for assignment, tweets The Tampa Tribune. The Rays then optioned Buente to Triple-A.
Discussion:
MLB Daily Dish and Fish Stripes
