Red Sox DH David Ortiz blames media for being hit with pitch by Yankees' CC Sabathia, Beckett agrees  —  After David Ortiz was done taking out the Yankees in the three game series that concluded Friday morning, he turned his sights on the media.  —  The Red Sox slugger blamed the writers …

Will Beane stick with struggling A's?  —  I'm not all that curious about whether Bob Melvin will be the Athletics' interim or permanent manager.  —  But I sure would like to know if Billy Beane is sick of being the team's GM.  —  Beane fired his manager and close friend, Bob Geren …

It's Time for the Sportswriters to Go  —  U.S. Media Sees Locker-Room Access as a Birthright, but It's Getting Harder to See the Point  —  The wait before a Knicks game earlier this season at Madison Square Garden began with me and five other reporters standing in a rough circle in the middle …

Their ‘Free Agent Meter’ is running  —  Are five players who are franchise icons either helping or hurting their offseason value?  —  ESPN.com  —  Free agency may be five months away on a calendar near you.  But thanks to warped perspectives that even modern medicine apparently can't cure, it's never far from our brains.

Hairston feeling better  —  SAN DIEGO — Third baseman Jerry Hairston Jr. didn't start on Thursday against the Padres because of lower back spasms, but was able to take batting practice and expects to play on Friday.  —  Hairston said he feels much better than he did the previous two days.

Martin Prado diagnosed with staph infection, placed on DL  —  Martin Prado has been out of the Braves' lineup since being struck on the left knee by a throw while trying to steal second base Tuesday and today the Braves placed him on the disabled list ... with a staph infection ... in his other leg.

Fielder's best year may earn big payday  —  MILWAUKEE, WISC.  —  Haven Fielder sat at a desktop computer in the Brewers' clubhouse Thursday afternoon, while his dad was busy preparing to play the Mets.  Haven was smiling and chewing gum and sporting an impressive Mohawk haircut, as only a 5-year-old can.

Pedroia makes quick return to Red Sox lineup  —  Boston Red Sox second baseman Dustin Pedroia rejoined the lineup Friday night after missing one game for an exam on his sore right knee.  —  Pedroia was set to bat second when the Red Sox played at Toronto.  —  The 2008 AL MVP was in Boston …

Jays' Escobar slowed by quad injury  —  Yunel Escobar's sore left quadriceps muscle is still giving him problems and he won't be in Friday night's starting lineup for the Toronto Blue Jays when they play the Boston Red Sox at Rogers Centre.  —  “Still day-to-day,” Toronto manager John Farrell said earlier today of his shortstop.

Games of the Day  —  In the category, really good pitchers on okay teams, Dillon Gee and the Mets take on Charlie Morton and the Pirates.  Both team are close to .500 with 30 wins, but the Mets hold one more loss.  Gee, a right-handed pitcher, has been particularly tough on left-handed batters this season, holding them to a .170 BA.

Interviews with an Indelible Owner  —  Believe it or not, most of our writers didn't enter the world sporting an @baseballprospectus.com address; with a few exceptions, they started out somewhere else.  In an effort to up your reading pleasure while tipping our caps to some of the most illuminating work …

Bucs place Meek on DL with shoulder tendinitis  —  Right-hander Wood promoted from Triple-A Indianapolis  —  PITTSBURGH — For the second time this season, right-hander Evan Meek has been placed on the disabled list with right shoulder tendinitis.  The Pirates made the move on Friday …

Fielder hoping to mend relationship with son  —  Cecil Fielder was at the microphone to discuss the Cecil Fielder Elite World Series, an upcoming youth baseball tournament that will take place in Yuma, but the conversation eventually became personal.  —  The 47-year-old ex-Major League …

Wedge gives slumping Ichiro a rare day off  —  Eric Wedge hasn't hesitated to give players days off when they've struggled this season and that trend continued Friday when the Mariners skipper sat down Ichiro Suzuki, who has been fighting a lengthy batting slump.

Select Draft stars set for fast track to bigs  —  Hultzen, Rendon among players who could make it in short order  —  The whole objective of the First-Year Player Draft is to bring future big leaguers into every team's system.  Developing that talent can often be a long process, requiring patience from both player and organization.