Top News:
Ben Badler / Baseball America:
Mariners Sign Helsin Martinez For $2 Million — The Mariners have signed Dominican outfielder Helsin Martinez for $2 million. — Martinez, 16, is a 6-foot-5, 190-pound corner outfielder who many scouts consider to have the best righthanded power in Latin America among this year's July 2-eligible players.
Discussion:
Seattle Times and Pro Ball NW
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Ben Badler / Baseball America:
Mets Sign Venezuelan Catcher Jose Garcia — The Mets have signed Venezuelan catcher Jose Garcia. Bonus terms were not immediately available. — A 16-year-old from San Felipe, Garcia was considered one of the top catchers this year. He's a 5-foot-11, 180-pound switch-hitter with a line-drive swing and good catch-and-throw skills.
Discussion:
MLB Rumors and Mets Merized Online
Ben Badler / Baseball America:
Top International Targets
Discussion:
MLB Daily Dish, River Avenue Blues, Pirates Prospects, Royals Review and Bucs Dugout
Rick Gano / Associated Press:
Phil Humber pitches White Sox to 1-0 win over Cubs — CHICAGO—Phil Humber, backed by strong defense, pitched shutout ball for seven innings and Juan Pierre singled in the only run Saturday, lifting the Chicago White Sox past the Cubs 1-0. — Humber (8-4), who made the team in spring training …
Discussion:
Yahoo! Sports and Bleed Cubbie Blue
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D.J. Short / HardballTalk:
Cubs activate Marlon Byrd from disabled list — The Cubs have activated Marlon Byrd from the disabled list, exactly six weeks after he suffered facial fractures when he was hit by a pitch from Red Sox right-hander Alfredo Aceves on May 21. — Byrd is batting sixth and playing center field this afternoon against the White Sox.
Discussion:
Yahoo! Sports
Scott Merkin / MLB.com:
Pierre starting to turn on pitches early in count
Discussion:
South Side Sox
Rick Morrissey / Chicago Sun Times:
Ozzie defends Pierre against all critics, including Sox GM Williams
Discussion:
Yahoo! Sports and Bleed Cubbie Blue
Enrique Rojas / ESPN:
Rangers give Nomar Mazara $5M bonus — ORLANDO — The Texas Rangers signed Dominican prospect Nomar Mazara on Saturday for a record bonus over $5 million, a source told ESPNdeportes.com. — Mazara, 16, is a 6-foot-5 outfielder who hits for power from the left side of the plate.
Discussion:
Baseball America, MLB Daily Dish, Lone Star Ball, MLB Rumors, HardballTalk and NESN.com
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Ben Badler / Baseball America:
Royals Sign Elier Hernandez For $3.05 Million
Discussion:
MLB Daily Dish, Lone Star Ball and MLB Rumors
Jordan Bastian / MLB.com:
Carmona strains quad while taking tumble — CINCINNATI — Indians starter Fausto Carmona looked a little beaten up, and perhaps a touch embarrassed, after his abbreviated performance in Saturday's 3-1 Interleague victory over the Reds. — The injury that forced Carmona to exit the contest …
Discussion:
Let's Go Tribe and HardballTalk
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Joe Kay / Associated Press:
Indians lose Carmona, beat Reds 3-1 — CINCINNATI—Michael Brantley hit a three-run homer and Frank Herrmann took over after Indians starter Fausto Carmona took a tumble, pitching three scoreless innings Saturday for his first big league win in Cleveland's 3-1 victory over the Cincinnati Reds.
Pedro Moura / ESPN:
Angels' Hunter sidelined Saturday by hurt hand — ANAHEIM, Calif. — Los Angeles Angels right fielder Torii Hunter is day to day after leaving Friday's 5-0 loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers after two innings with a bruise in his left hand. — He was immediately taken for precautionary X-rays …
Discussion:
Yahoo! Sports
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Associated Press:
Kotchman, Ruggiano Spark Rays Past Cardinals 5-1 — ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Casey Kotchman drove in three runs with a double and Justin Ruggiano hit a two-run homer during a five-run sixth inning, and the Tampa Bay Rays beat the St. Louis Cardinals 5-1 on Saturday night.
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Associated Press:
Nationals Win 2nd, Split Doubleheader With Pirates — WASHINGTON (AP) — Ivan Rodriguez drove in the go-ahead run as a pinch-hitter in the eighth, and the Washington Nationals beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 4-3 Saturday night to earn a doubleheader split. — Rodriguez's single to right scored Rick Ankiel to cap a two-run rally.
Discussion:
Yahoo! Sports
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Associated Press:
Ross, Braves slam Orioles 5-4 — ATLANTA — David Ross hit his second career grand slam and the Atlanta Braves held on for a 5-4 victory over the Baltimore Orioles on Saturday night. — Tim Hudson pitched six innings and Jordan Schafer made a couple of nice plays in center field …
Discussion:
Yahoo! Sports
Associated Press:
Kottaras single caps four-run ninth, Brewers rally past Twins — MINNEAPOLIS — Pinch-hitter George Kottaras capped a four-run ninth inning with a go-ahead RBI single that gave the Milwaukee Brewers an 8-7 win over the Minnesota Twins on Saturday night. — The Twins blew a 7-0 lead that they built on 13 hits in four innings.
Discussion:
Yahoo! Sports
Scott Lauber / Clubhouse Insider:
Adrian Gonzalez likely bound for right field tonight — plus, links — HOUSTON — Get ready to see Adrian Gonzalez in right field one more time. — With two interleague games remaining, Terry Francona is leaning heavily toward playing Gonzalez in right field again here tonight in order …
Discussion:
Over the Monster, HardballTalk and NESN.com
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George Vecsey / New York Times:
For One Minor League Baseball Team, Never an Empty Seat — DAYTON, Ohio — The assembly line lives. Back when this region thrived on heavy industry, a Delco plant bustled on the edge of downtown. Nowadays, on the site where automobile parts once rolled off the belt, Dayton produces sold-out baseball games.
Discussion:
Redleg Nation
