Top News:
Tim Dierkes / MLB Rumors:
Cubs Designate Carlos Marmol; Release Ian Stewart — The Cubs finally pulled the plug on longtime reliever Carlos Marmol today, announcing they've designated him for assigment. The team also announced the suspension of third baseman Ian Stewart was settled and upheld, and he was granted his unconditional release.
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Chicago Sun Times and Bleed Cubbie Blue
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ESPN:
Cubs designate Carlos Marmol — The Chicago Cubs designated beleaguered relief pitcher Carlos Marmol for assignment, likely ending Marmol's time with the only team he's played for since entering the big leagues in 2006. — “This is probably the best thing for both Carlos and the Cubs,” …
Discussion:
baseballmusings.com
Jon Heyman / CBSSports.com:
Frustrated Stewart working out way with Cubs to leave team — Third baseman Ian Stewart and the Cubs are on the verge of working out an arrangement for Stewart to leave the organization, two weeks after he expressed frustration with his situation via a couple revealing tweets, people familiar with the situation said.
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Jared Diamond / Wall Street Journal:
Why Wright Is Right Again — Mets third baseman David Wright enters this week's series at the Chicago White Sox enjoying his strongest offensive surge of the season. — After tying a franchise record with four extra-base hits Sunday, Wright raised his batting average to .309, going 24 for 54 (.444) over his past 13 games.
Discussion:
Metsblog and Amazin' Avenue
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Bill Madden / NY Daily News:
Zack Wheeler, along with Matt Harvey, has ability to pump life into dreary Mets team
Zack Wheeler, along with Matt Harvey, has ability to pump life into dreary Mets team
Discussion:
Metsblog, Faith and Fear in Flushing, New Jersey Online and Amazin' Avenue
Kristie Ackert / NY Daily News:
Mets rookie Zack Wheeler ready for encore in second start as he faces Chicago White Sox
Mets rookie Zack Wheeler ready for encore in second start as he faces Chicago White Sox
Discussion:
ESPN
Tom Haudricourt / JSOnline:
Repeated delays in return leave Corey Hart frustrated — Corey Hart says the timetable given to him — By Tom Haudricourt of the Journal Sentinel — Corey Hart doesn't want to hear about timetables anymore. They just don't mean anything at this point.
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Tim Dierkes / MLB Rumors:
Latest On Corey Hart
Todd Zolecki / MLB.com:
Halladay feeling good after long tossing — SAN DIEGO — Phillies right-hander Roy Halladay has been tossing a baseball about 60 feet for a few days now, and he said he's feeling good so far. — “Tossing,” he said Monday at Petco Park. “That's the key word.” — Throwing, he said, is something entirely different.
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CBSSports.com and HardballTalk
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Fox Sports:
Sources: NL West pursuing Nolasco — Not surprisingly, the heaviest action on Marlins right-hander Ricky Nolasco is coming from the hotly contested NL West. — Four of the five teams in the West — the Giants, Dodgers, Padres and Rockies — have expressed interest in Nolasco, according to major-league sources.
Discussion:
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Jason Parks / Baseball Prospectus:
Prospects Will Break Your Heart — The Mid-Season Top 50 Prospects — Before you dive into the list, a few explanations about the construction that might prove beneficial. Prospects currently playing at the major-league level were not eligible for this list.
Discussion:
Metsblog, The Crawfish Boxes, Pinstriped Bible, Over the Monster, The Good Phight, Purple Row, Lookout Landing and Bluebird Banter
Gregor Chisholm / MLB.com:
Reyes to return from disabled list Wednesday — ST. PETERSBURG — Jose Reyes is set to rejoin the Blue Jays in time for their series finale against Tampa Bay on Wednesday afternoon. — Toronto announced late Monday night that Reyes will be activated prior to Wednesday's game.
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Jayson Stark / ESPN:
Trade deadline preview — An early look at potential buyers and sellers, players most likely to be traded — We want you to remember something important as we approach the 2013 edition of the baseball trading deadline, coming soon to a Rumor Central destination near you: — You never know.
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True Blue LA and NY Daily News
Thomas Harding / MLB.com:
Rockies' Oswalt ready to regain form, forget 2012 — Veteran happy for opportunity, mentoring and possible coaching future — WASHINGTON — Suitable offers weren't coming, but Roy Oswalt found the old pop on his fastball while throwing to junior college baseball players in Mississippi.
ESPN:
21 athletes pose nude in Body Issue — Colin Kaepernick, Matt Harvey and more will bare all on July 12 — Force, Wall and Kaepernick are among the athletes in 2013's Body Issue. — IF A BREAKOUT wasn't enough to make sports fans take notice of Matt Harvey, Colin Kaepernick and Kenneth Faried …
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DC Sports Bog, Sporting News Feed RSS, New Jersey Online and Metsblog