Top News:
Barry Svrluga / Washington Post:
Nats Go Extras, Exude Drama — Robinson Benches Soriano in Victory: Nationals 9, Mets 5 — NEW YORK, April 5 — They were not only out of it, there was a full-blown controversy, and it involved the man who had created so much tumult in spring training, one Alfonso Soriano, the Washington Nationals' new left fielder.
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Bill Ladson / MLB.com:
Robinson pulls Soriano from game — Nationals manager upset about left fielder's lack of hustle — NEW YORK — The Alfonso Soriano saga continued Wednesday night, as Nationals manager Frank Robinson's patience with the left fielder ran out against the Mets.
Mark Zuckerman / Washington Times:
Timely hitting a focus for Nats — NEW YORK — There was some good (12 hits, mostly solid pitching) and there was some bad (the lack of timely hitting, the lack of basic fundamentals). — And if not for the ugly (umpire Tim Tschida's incorrect out call on Alfonso Soriano's slide into the plate) …
Ian Browne / MLB.com:
Young guns strong-arm Rangers — Beckett settles down, gets first Sox win thanks to Papelbon — ARLINGTON — His adrenaline still heightened after pitch No. 109 baffled Michael Young for an inning-ending strikeout, Josh Beckett pumped his fist with vigor and hopped off the mound.
Discussion:
Boston Red Sox
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Boston Globe:
Lowe report cites drinking — Website details divorce deposition — ARLINGTON, Texas — Former Red Sox pitcher Derek Lowe said in a deposition during divorce proceedings that the Red Sox believed he had a drinking issue but that he disagreed, according to RonFineman.com …
Michael Silverman / Boston Herald:
Foulke puts team ahead of himself — ARLINGTON, Texas - For one game at least, Jonathan Papelbon became the Red Sox closer. — To the man who held the job the last two years, Keith Foulke, the decision was not only the right one but it was handled properly.
Discussion:
The Baseball Desert
Ken Gurnick / MLB.com:
Kent injured as Dodgers drop finale — Pitching struggles as four-run first inning goes for naught — LOS ANGELES — Starter Odalis Perez lost a five-run lead and the Dodgers went on to lose Jeff Kent, Olmedo Saenz and Wednesday night's finale to the Atlanta Braves, 9-8.
Discussion:
6-4-2
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Steve Henson / Los Angeles Times:
For Loney, It's Night to Remember — Rookie first baseman is thankful as he makes his debut for the Dodgers in a 5-4 victory over the Braves and gets his first hit. Garciaparra goes on DL. — James Loney sounded for all the world like Reese Witherspoon the night of the Academy Awards …
Discussion:
6-4-2
Tom Krasovic / San Diego Union-Tribune:
Baptism at Petco Park — Rainout is Padres' first since Qualcomm Stadium days in 1998; make-up scheduled July 1 — How fitting that when rain last night postponed a Padres home game for the first time since May 12, 1998, Shawn Estes was the team's scheduled pitcher. — Drought-stricken farmers should hire Estes.
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Mike Scarr / MLB.com:
Angels shut down by familiar face — Offense kept in check by former teammate Washburn — SEATTLE — Wednesday couldn't have turned out much better for Jarrod Washburn. — The left-hander hit his spots, caused batters to miss badly with his breaking pitches and otherwise commanded …
Discussion:
6-4-2
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Mike DiGiovanna / Los Angeles Times:
Mariners Cash In on Lackey — SEATTLE — It was a game that almost defied explanation for the Angels, who were supposed to ride their starting pitching, defense and bullpen to contention in the American League West but suffered major breakdowns in all three areas in Tuesday night's 10-8 loss to the Seattle Mariners in Safeco Field.
Kevin Goldstein / Baseball Prospectus:
Future Shock — 2006 Draft Notebook, Part One — The upcoming draft is even more wide open than it was when last we checked in. As more players continue to take steps backwards instead of forwards, the first round remains highly unstable—teams are struggling to find players they believe …
Discussion:
JinAZ On Baseball and the Reds
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Joe Cowley / Chicago Sun Times:
Guillen gets a tad upset with Iguchi — White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen did his best to make sure his initial conversation with second baseman Tadahito Iguchi did not get lost in translation. — But when he heard that Iguchi had snapped off a "no comment'' to the media …
Tyler Kepner / New York Times:
Yanks' Errors Prove Costly in Loss to A's — OAKLAND, Calif., April 5 - For the New York fans who stayed up to watch the Yankees game on Wednesday, it must have looked like a late-night slasher film. This was grisly. — An early four-run lead evaporated at the Coliseum on Wednesday …
Discussion:
Baseball Musings
Paul Sullivan / Chicago Tribune:
GM Jim Hendry has made some shrewd moves with the Cubs, outweighing mistakes, writes Paul Sullivan — Studs offset duds — CINCINNATI — Jim Hendry is an unapologetic throwback, the kind of front-office executive who still values his scouts' opinions over a computerized printout of every statistic imaginable.
Rick Hummel / St. Louis Post-Dispatch:
Thumbs Up! New Busch earns accolades — How does Busch Stadium play? — 1. The mound — "I like it. I was really comfortable, like I'd pitched here before. I think everybody on the staff is going to like it." Sidney Ponson — 2. The field — "I can't believe how good the field is. ...
Kelly Thesier / MLB.com:
Twins knock cover off ball vs. Jays — Hunter hits grand slam and drives in career-high six runs — TORONTO — All the offseason talk surrounding the Twins centered on whether or not they could rectify their anemic offense. — The club finished dead last in the American League in runs scored in 2005 …
Discussion:
Twinkie Town
Matthew Leach / MLB.com:
Notes: Schumaker in the mix — Eckstein fine day after collision; Rodriguez improving — PHILADELPHIA — Skip Schumaker's stock has risen considerably, while So Taguchi's has fallen only slightly. Larry Bigbie is unavailable, but John Rodriguez is merely limited.
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Rob Maaddi / Associated Press:LaRussa won't let Cardinals pitch around Rollins
Discussion:
In Walt We Trust
Dave Murray / Mets Guy in Michigan:
Let's help the Yankees find some new songs — Not only do the Yankees and their apologists in the media think they are entitled to all the best players, now they are apparently claiming the best songs, too. — Withness this tantrum from WFAN's Mike Francesa after new Mets closer Billy Wagner dared …
Richard Sandomir / New York Times:
On ESPN, Bonds Is Shaken, Not Perturbed — "Bonds on Bonds," the ESPN vanity series that made its debut last night, shows a Barry Bonds that few of us know: he weeps, he talks to his father at his gravesite, he mops up the mess from a busted aquarium pipe in his house, he wonders why he is not GQ's most-hated athlete.
Discussion:
Ben Maller
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