Top News:
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.
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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.
Barry Svrluga / Washington Post:
Patterson Toils With Tightness In His Forearm — NEW YORK, April 5 — Nationals right-hander John Patterson said his performance Wednesday night "was not the way I wanted to start the season," a logical reaction to his four-inning, four-run performance against the New York Mets in a game the Nationals eventually won, 9-5 in 10 innings.
Ben Shpigel / New York Times:
The Bullpen Can't Save Bannister's Great Start — He walked onto his college baseball team, making it because of a devastating curveball that turned hitters' knees into sawdust. But the Mets drafted Brian Bannister — in the seventh round, no less — because they saw a major league pitcher …
Mark Zuckerman / Washington Times:
Homers propel Nats to first win — NEW YORK — Anyone who watched the Washington Nationals on a regular basis in 2005 came to accept a simple truth about the team: Something out of the ordinary was going to happen. Every day. — That theme is alive and well in 2006 after only two games.
Basil / Federal Baseball:
Silent Lucidity? Not Quite! — I don't know what's more exhilarating: that Queensryche frontman Geoff Tate sang the national anthem before tonight's game at Shea Stadium or that the Nats stole one in breathtaking fashion, rallying from a four-run deficit after being no-hit into the sixth inning …
Mark Zuckerman / Washington Times:
Team payroll ranks 20th in majors — NEW YORK — The Washington Nationals opened the season with a payroll of $63,267,500, more than a $14?million increase from 2005 but still among the bottom half of major league clubs. — The Nationals rank 20th among baseball's 30 teams in Opening Day payrolls …
Discussion:
The Nationals Interest
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) …
Dan Shaughnessy / Boston Globe:
Torch-passing can't wait — ARLINGTON, Texas — Talk about your short leashes. It looks like Keith Foulke lost his job on the basis of a garbage-time ninth inning Opening Day. — The conventional thinking was that the Red Sox would let Foulkie pitch himself out of the closer role by mid-May.
Discussion:
Over the Monster
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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
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
Mike Kiley / Chicago Sun Times:
Baker hopes home remedy cures the starters' woes — CINCINNATI — In two games, Cubs manager Dusty Baker already has had to call on dependable left-hander Scott Eyre to pitch 2-2/3 innings. Eyre has done well, allowing one unearned run on one hit and two walks, but Baker knows the pattern can't continue.
Discussion:
Bleed Cubbie Blue
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Dave Sheinin / Washington Post:
New Orleans Is Ready to Play Ball — Nationals' Farm Team Will Open the Season Tonight Amid the Devastation — NEW ORLEANS, April 5 — Returning to New Orleans these days after any period of time away is an exercise in separating the Still-Here from the Still-Gone from the Gone-Forever.
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
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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.
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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 …
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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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
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
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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