Top News:
Nick Friedell / MLB:
Source: Davey Johnson to manage Nats — CHICAGO — The Washington Nationals will name Davey Johnson as their new manager, according to a source familiar with the situation. — Johnson, 68, will manage the team for the rest of the season and next season, subject to league approval.
Discussion:
MLB Rumors, ESPN, USA Today and Baseball Nation
RELATED:
Dan Steinberg / Washington Post:
Jim Riggleman unloads on Thomas Boswell — Jim Riggleman's homage to Charlie Sheen took a particularly delicious turn Friday afternoon when he appeared on SiriusXM's Mad Dog Radio with host Bruce Murray. — I'm frankly stunned. For two years I wouldn't even listen to Riggleman radio interviews …
Discussion:
USA Today and HardballTalk
Duk / Yahoo! Sports:
Jim Riggleman parties as the rest of us pass judgment — Soon after he stepped down as manager of the Washington Nationals on Thursday, Jim Riggleman retired to Caddies on Cordell in Bethesda, Md. Why did Riggs head there? — “I was solving the world's problems,” Riggleman told a local radio station on Friday.
Discussion:
Washington Post, The Nats Blog, Nats Enquirer and Federal Baseball
Sports Illustrated:
Why Jim Riggleman finally walked away as Nationals manager
Discussion:
MLB Daily Dish and MLB Rumors
Tim Kurkjian / ESPN:
Jim Riggleman's last stand
Discussion:
The Goessling Game, Capitol Punishment, Baseball-Reference Blog, FJB and ESPN
Adam Kilgore / Washington Post:
Assorted thoughts on Jim Riggleman's resignation
Discussion:
Bats, Can't Stop The Bleeding and baseballmusings.com
Will Graves / Associated Press:
Pirates beat Red Sox 3-1 for 3rd straight win — PITTSBURGH—Jose Tabata and Lyle Overbay each had two hits and an RBI to lead the Pittsburgh Pirates to a 3-1 win over the Boston Red Sox on Friday night. — Paul Maholm (4-8) beat an American League team for the first time in nearly two years by surviving 5 1-3 eventful innings.
Discussion:
Yahoo! Sports, Associated Press and Boston Herald
RELATED:
Peter Abraham / Boston Globe:
Francona wrestling with a tough decision — PITTSBURGH — Terry Francona wants to get David Ortiz into the lineup. But he's not quite sure he can take the risk of playing Adrian Gonzalez in right field. — Ortiz will start the game tonight on the bench and that will be the case tomorrow.
Discussion:
Over the Monster
Peter Abraham / Boston Globe:
Game 75: Red Sox at Pirates — Here are the lineups: — RED SOX (44-30) — Ellsbury CF — Pedroia 2B — Gonzalez 1B — Youkilis 3B — McDonald LF — Cameron RF — Varitek C — Scutaro SS — Lester LHP (9-3, 3.70) — PIrates (37-37) — Tabata LF — d'Arnaud 3B
Discussion:
Over the Monster
ESPN.com:
Phillies to get word on Oswalt after back exam — Philadelphia Phillies right-hander Roy Oswalt will be further examined Friday, a day after leaving a start with back trouble in the second inning. — Though Oswalt said after the game Thursday he wouldn't have an MRI until Monday …
Discussion:
MLB, ESPN and Yahoo! Sports
RELATED:
Paul Hagen / Philly.com:
Phillies can't gloss over Oswalt issues anymore
Discussion:
MLB Daily Dish and USA Today
Austin Laymance / MLB.com:
Oswalt likely to miss next start with tight back
Discussion:
The Good Phight
Associated Press:
Francisco's RBI single in ninth leads Phillies over Athletics — PHILADELPHIA — Pinch-hitter Ben Francisco's RBI single with two outs in the bottom of the ninth lifted the Philadelphia Phillies to a 1-0 victory over the Oakland Athletics on Friday night. — In a game in which rookie …
Discussion:
Yahoo! Sports and The Good Phight
Associated Press:
Giambi, Rockies Beat Yankees in New York — NEW YORK (AP) — Jason Giambi hit a long homer against his former team and Ubaldo Jimenez overcame early wildness to pitch seven impressive innings, leading the Colorado Rockies to a 4-2 victory Friday night over New York in a rare trip to the Bronx.
Kristie Ackert / NY Daily News:
Mets closer K-Rod open to setting up for Mariano Rivera in Yankees bullpen if teams work out trade — Francisco Rodriguez is willing to pitch for the Yankees even if he's not closing games. The Bombers need a setup man with Rafael Soriano on the DL and Joba Chamberlain out for the year.
Discussion:
HardballTalk, MLB Rumors, River Avenue Blues, Mets Merized Online and Sliding Into Home
Jayson Stark / MLB:
Stark: End the Cuban embargo — Franchise owners have a say, but commissioner Bud Selig still stands in the way — Charlie Finley, a man who used to parade a mule around the outfield, once owned a baseball team. — Bill Veeck, the man responsible for Disco Demolition Night, once owned a baseball team.
Discussion:
HardballTalk and MLB Rumors
Associated Press:
Tucker's Hit in 8th Sends Florida to CWS Finals — OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Preston Tucker drove in the go-ahead run with a bases-loaded single in the eighth inning and Florida survived some shaky bullpen work to advance to the College World Series finals with a 6-4 victory over Vanderbilt on Friday.
Discussion:
Baseball America
T.R. Sullivan / Postcards From Elysian Fields:
Jon Daniels looking at Yu Darvish — Rangers general manager Jon Daniels is in Japan looking at potential free agent pitcher Yu Darvish, who is going to be a free after this season. He is supposedly the next big thing out of Japan and the Rangers are going to be interested. He pitches for the Nippon Ham Fighters.
Discussion:
HardballTalk and MLB Rumors
