Top News:
Jeff Todd / MLB Rumors:
Red Sox Made Extension Offer To Pedroia — 10:07pm: The Red Sox made a formal extension offer to Pedroia over the All-Star break, tweets Gordon Edes of ESPNBoston.com. He quotes the source as saying that the “ball is in their court,” apparently referring to Pedroia and his advisers.
Discussion:
NESN.com, Full Count and Boston Globe
RELATED:
Alex Speier / Full Count:
Why the Red Sox are interested in Bud Norris (and starters like him)
Why the Red Sox are interested in Bud Norris (and starters like him)
Discussion:
NESN.com, MLB Rumors, Over the Monster and MLB Daily Dish
Rob Bradford / Full Count:
Red Sox not willing to give top prospects for Matt Garza
Red Sox not willing to give top prospects for Matt Garza
Discussion:
Over the Monster, NESN.com, Lone Star Ball, MLB Rumors, Trade Deadline 2013, The Crawfish Boxes, MLB Daily Dish and Fox Sports
Canadian Press:
Miller hits first two career homers as Mariners top Astros — HOUSTON — Rookie Brad Miller hit his first two major league homers and drove in five runs, and the Seattle Mariners overcame rookie Brandon Barnes' cycle for the Astros in a 10-7 win over Houston on Friday night.
Discussion:
Lookout Landing
RELATED:
Sports Illustrated:
Astros OF Brandon Barnes hits for cycle against Mariners — Rookie Brandon Barnes is the first Astro to hit for the cycle since Luke Scott did it back in 2006. — HOUSTON (AP) Houston rookie outfielder Brandon Barnes has hit for the cycle against the Seattle Mariners.
Discussion:
The Crawfish Boxes
Maggie Wiggin / Metsblog:
Final Score: Phillies 13 Mets 8 — The Least You Should Know: — Jeremy Hefner was rocked for 8 runs on 10 hits and was knocked out of the game with no outs in the the third. The defense did him no favors, but he wasn't fooling the Phillies at all. — Burke and Edgin combined …
Discussion:
The Good Phight
RELATED:
Dylan Hernandez / Los Angeles Times:
Dodgers' Yasiel Puig faces $12-million lawsuit filed by man in Cuba — Dodgers rookie Yasiel Puig is being sued by a man who alleges the outfielder made false accusations against him. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times / July 14, 2013) — WASHINGTON - Yasiel Puig is being sued …
Discussion:
SI Wire and HardballTalk
Jonathan Mayo / MLB.com:
Plenty of prospects could be moved by Deadline — Here's a look at who contending teams could offer to swing a trade to get help now — As play resumes in Major League Baseball following the All-Star break, there were 16 teams at or above .500. All of them, if not more, are at least somewhat in contention for a postseason spot.
Associated Press:
Chad Gaudin Delivers as Giants Beat Diamondbacks — SAN FRANCISCO — Chad Gaudin struck out eight in seven scoreless innings to build on his impressive monthlong stretch, All-Star Buster Posey hit an RBI double, and the San Francisco Giants beat the first-place Arizona Diamondbacks 2-0 on Friday night.
Discussion:
McCovey Chronicles and Canadian Press
Associated Press:
Westbrook's Pitching, Hitting Lead Cardinals — ST. LOUIS — Jake Westbrook pitched 6 1-3 innings of two-run ball and contributed three hits, All-Star Matt Carpenter continued his strong season with three hits and three RBIs, and the St. Louis Cardinals beat the San Diego Padres 9-6 on Friday night.
Discussion:
Gaslamp Ball
Patrick Saunders / Denver Post:
Rockies fall to Cubs as Chicago's Jeff Samardzija shackles offense — A drought of Dust Bowl proportions has enveloped the Rockies. — Returning from the all-star break to open a critical 10-game homestand loaded with expectations, the Rockies' bats were nearly silent Friday night.
Discussion:
Purple Row
Canadian Press:
Francisco and Gomez go deep as Brewers blank Marlins — MILWAUKEE — Juan Francisco and Carlos Gomez each hit home runs and Kyle Lohse blanked Miami for six innings as the Milwaukee Brewers started the second half of the season with a 2-0 victory over the Marlins on Friday night.
Discussion:
Fish Stripes
Associated Press:
Ethier, Ramirez homer as Dodgers beat Nationals — WASHINGTON — Andre Ethier homered off Rafael Soriano to lead off the ninth inning, and the Los Angeles Dodgers resumed play after the All-Star break Friday night with a 3-2 win over the Washington Nationals.
Discussion:
Federal Baseball and ESPN
Associated Press:
Phillips Drives in 3, Reds Beat Pirates 5-3 — CINCINNATI — Brandon Phillips drove in three runs with a bases-loaded double on Friday night, and Mike Leake got the better of left-hander Francisco Liriano for the third time this season, leading the Cincinnati Reds to a 5-3 victory …
Discussion:
Bucs Dugout and Associated Press
Rhett Bollinger / MLB.com:
Trade Deadline looming, Morneau, Perkins want to stay — MINNEAPOLIS — With the All-Star Game in the rearview mirror, the July 31 Trade Deadline looms for the Twins, who are expected to be sellers after losing 12 of 15 entering the break. — First baseman Justin Morneau and closer Glen Perkins …
Steve Adams / MLB Rumors:
Garza Trade From Cubs To Rangers No Longer Imminent — For a while earlier today, it looked like the top available starting pitcher on the trade market could pack his bags for Texas. The Cubs and Rangers reached the point of exchanging medical information on six players who were apparently ready …
Discussion:
The Strike Zone
RELATED: