Top News:
Bryan Hoch / MLB.com:
Yankees call up three relievers, two outfielders — BOSTON — Jesus Montero's arrival may have drawn most of the attention in a cramped Fenway Park clubhouse, but the Yankees also made five other September callups as rosters expanded to 40 players. — Pitchers Lance Pendleton …
Discussion:
NoMaas.org
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Ian Browne / MLB.com:
Mickelson takes BP, throws out first pitch — BOSTON — Phil Mickelson was swinging lefty, as he always does on the golf course, but this time, the professional golfer had a baseball bat in his hand. — The winner of four major PGA championships, Mickelson had the thrill of taking batting practice …
Discussion:
BBTF's Baseball Primer …
Bill Shaikin / Dodgers Blog:
MLB skeptical of $1.2-billion Dodgers bid — The proposed $1.2 billion bid for the Dodgers was received with skepticism within Major League Baseball, where executives wondered whether the proposal might be used by owner Frank McCourt to stir negotiations with other potential buyers or to persuade …
Discussion:
HardballTalk, Amazin' Avenue and MLB Rumors
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Bill Shaikin / Los Angeles Times:
Frank McCourt is offered $1.2 billion for Dodgers — The all-cash bid comes from Bill Burke, founder of the L.A. Marathon, plus 'state-owned investment institutions of the People's Republic of China' and unidentified American investors, a letter sent to Frank McCourt says.
Discussion:
Talking Chop, Los Angeles Times, NESN.com, Dodgers Blog, HardballTalk, Yahoo! Sports, Purple Row and 6-4-2
Jonah KeriPosted / Grantland:
Odd Future: The St. Louis Cardinals' Big Decision — Would losing Albert Pujols really be a terrible thing? — Six playoff berths, five division titles, two NL pennants, one World Series. Rookie of the Year, nine All-Star games, six Silver Sluggers, two Gold Gloves, 10 top-10 MVP finishes, three MVPs.
Discussion:
HardballTalk and Getting Blanked
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Associated Press:
Santana wins despite 7 walks, Angels edge Mariners — SEATTLE - Torii Hunter and Howie Kendrick homered for the Los Angeles Angels to help a wild Ervin Santana overcome seven walks Thursday night in a 4-3 victory over the Seattle Mariners. — Hunter hit a three-run shot in the first inning …
Discussion:
baseballmusings.com and Associated Press
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Associated Press:
Furbush Struggles Early, Mariners Can't Recover — SEATTLE (AP) — Charlie Furbush admitted he was “a little out of whack” in the first inning against the Los Angeles Angels. — Just enough to put the Seattle Mariners in a hole they couldn't climb out of Thursday night.
Discussion:
Lookout Landing
Associated Press:
Hudson gives rotation a lift as Braves top Nationals — ATLANTA - Tim Hudson gave the Braves' ailing rotation a lift and Atlanta got home runs from Brian McCann and Chipper Jones in a 5-2 victory over the Washington Nationals on Thursday night. — The Braves are 8 1-2 games ahead of St. Louis …
Discussion:
Talking Chop
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Chicago Sun Times:
Cubs pitcher Carlos Zambrano is done for season — Cubs pitcher Carlos Zambrano will not play for the remainder of the season, the team announced Friday. — The Cubs will resume paying Zambrano his salary at the end of the 30-day suspension, which ends Sept. 11.
Discussion:
Yahoo! Sports and baseballmusings.com
Derrick Goold / St. Louis Post-Dispatch:
All you need is glove: Furcal's impact on Cards — TOWER GROVE • For the second time in as many visits to Miller Park with the St. Louis Cardinals, shortstop Rafael Furcal made a back-to-home, sprinting catch on a fly ball to secure a win Wednesday night.
Discussion:
Viva El Birdos
Matthew Pouliot / HardballTalk:
Brett Lawrie in record territory since August callup — Brett Lawrie broke a tie with a two-run homer in the top of the eighth as the Blue Jays bested the Orioles 8-6 on Thursday. — It was Lawrie's fourth homer during his current nine-game hitting streak and seventh in 26 games since his callup.
Discussion:
Baseball Nation and Al's Ramblings
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Joe Capozzi / Fish Tank blog:
Florida Marlins SS Hanley Ramirez considering offseason surgery on ailing left shoulder — UPDATE: Marlins just texted an update on Hanley's MRI: “Left shoulder instability. Willl discuss treatment options with Dr. (Lee) Kaplan this weekend.' — Hanley Ramirez is considering off-season surgery …
Discussion:
Yahoo! Sports and Fish Stripes
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Joe Capozzi / Fish Tank blog:
Florida Marlins not expecting Josh Johnson to make another start this year
Discussion:
MLB Daily Dish and HardballTalk
Associated Press:
Wilson Hurt, but Pitches Rangers Past Rays 7-2 — ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — C.J. Wilson was perfect for five innings before exiting in the seventh with a hand injury and Ian Kinsler homered twice to help the AL West-leading Texas Rangers beat the Tampa Bay Rays 7-2 on Thursday night.
Discussion:
DRaysBay, TSN.ca and Associated Press
Ben Nicholson-Smith / MLB Rumors:
Elias Rankings Update — After the season the Elias Sports Bureau will take all players over the 2010-11 period, divide them into five groups for each league, and rank them based on various statistics. Then each player will be labeled a Type A, B, or none.
Discussion:
DRaysBay
Dan Shaughnessy / Boston Globe:
Thoughtful evening at the park — Midnight confessions and random thoughts while watching the Red Sox and Yankees for that last time at Fenway this year (unless we get the overdue dream ALCS matchup) . . . ■The length of these games has become intolerable.
Dustin Parkes / Baseball Prospectus:
Divide and Conquer, AL East — A Bouquet of Bats (The Yankees in Westeros) — As a fan of a team in the American League East that isn't the New York Yankees it pains me to admit that there's something mythical about the most winning team in baseball history.
Associated Press:
Strasburg Allows 1 Hit Over 6 in Rehab Start — HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — Stephen Strasburg allowed one hit over six shutout innings Thursday night for Double-A Harrisburg in what was expected to be his final minor league rehab start before he returns to the Washington Nationals.
Discussion:
Federal Baseball
Matthew Cerrone / MetsBlog.com:
Mets plan to sell small blocks of team to family members — According to Adam Rubin of ESPN New York, “Sources familiar with the organization's plans said Fred Wilpon and family will sell small blocks of the team to multiple family members and friends that add up to roughly the same …
Discussion:
ESPN and Amazin' Avenue
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