Top News:
Marty Noble / MLB.com:
Homers hurt Zambrano in loss to Friars — Righty allows five runs in four innings in series finale — SAN DIEGO — The Mets had 'em right where they wanted. The Padres had taken the bait and loaded the bases. What folly! Such flawed strategizing. Somebody should have known better.
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Ian Browne / MLB.com:
Notes: Delcarmen no stranger to Sox — Righty with Massachusetts roots back with big-league club — TORONTO — Their bullpen a bit taxed after a Friday marathon and a Saturday blowout, the Red Sox got a fresh arm Sunday with the arrival of hard-throwing Manny Delcarmen, who was recalled from Triple-A Pawtucket.
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Chris Snow / Boston Globe:
Sign given on Crisp return — Middle of May is target date — Jason Varitek, who wasn't happy with his swing yesterday, tried to get on base via a bunt in the fifth. He was erased easily. The Red Sox captain did single and score in the ninth, however. (Reuters Photo)
Discussion:
Boston Red Sox
Sam Mellinger / Kansas City Star:The Hall will get the ball — Mientkiewicz ends feud with Red Sox
Discussion:
The Metropolitans
Jim Street / MLB.com:
D-Backs unable to catch Dodgers — Clark, Estrada collect eighth-inning RBIs; Hudson 2-for-5 — LOS ANGELES — A crimp in his style, not a cramp in his calf, kept Diamondbacks right-hander Russ Ortiz winless this season on Sunday afternoon. — The veteran right-hander threw 63 pitches and only 29 of them were strikes.
Discussion:
AZ Snakepit
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Barry Svrluga / Washington Post:
Nationals' Fortunes Change Quickly — Majewski Gives Up Homer in Loss: Braves 3, Nationals 1 — Gary Majewski was pumping fastballs to Wilson Betemit, pitches popping up at 93 and 94 mph on the scoreboard at RFK Stadium. It is, by all accounts, his best pitch, a sinking fastball that stays down and away from a left-handed hitter.
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Jeff Seidel / MLB.com:
Braves edge Nats in finale — Betemit's long ball lifts Atlanta to come-from-behind win — WASHINGTON — Atlanta didn't do much offensively for most of Sunday's series finale with Washington. The Nationals, on the other hand, kept getting hits off Braves pitchers, who repeatedly found themselves trying to get out of trouble.
Discussion:
Talking Chop
Bob Raissman / NY Daily News:
Amid 'kitchen' heat, Keith sorry — Keith Hernandez apologized yesterday for inappropriate comments he made Saturday night about San Diego's massage therapist Kelly Calabrese. — After Mike Piazza's second-inning home run Saturday, SportsNet New York's camera focused on Calabrese …
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Richard Durrett / Dallas Morning News:
Shoes make Mench worth mentioning — Outfielder has driven in 12 since change of footwear to larger size — ARLINGTON - It's gotta be the shoes. — At least that's what hitting coach Brook Jacoby said is the main reason outfielder Kevin Mench is starting to pound the ball and collect RBIs in bunches.
Discussion:
Baseball Musings
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Jan Hubbard / Dallas Star-Telegram:
Sweep complete behind 'April Ace' — ARLINGTON - Is it too early to proclaim the Rangers have a new ace? — Well...yes. — But of all the moves made by first-year GM Jon Daniels, there is little doubt that the best thus far is acquiring left-handed pitcher John Koronka …
Discussion:
Lone Star Ball
The DCenters:
The Spit Take — Two days out, and the Eskandarian spit take is still the topic of conversation around MLS. The video of Eskandarian spitting the Red Bull is now up (HT - OffWing) and more people are having their say on the topic (Here's the LA Times' Grahame Jones on the issue …
Will Carroll / Baseball Prospectus:
Under The Knife — Break Out the Grill — Lance Berkman suggested that the recent explosion of numbers confirms what many of us knew; pitchers were benefiting from steroids more than hitters were. The problem with this theory is that you have to accept two facts: that hitters benefited …
Discussion:
6-4-2
Troy E. Renck / Denver Post:
Helton close to leaving hospital — Rockies cautiously optimistic about results — Rockies first baseman Todd Helton is expected to be released from a hospital today, with team officials hoping to learn a diagnosis of his severe abdominal pain tonight or Tuesday.
Discussion:
Purple Row
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MLB.com:
Brandon Phillips of the Cincinnati Reds named Bank of America Presents the National League Player of the Week — Cincinnati Reds second baseman Brandon Phillips, who led the league with 17 RBI, has been named Bank of America Presents the National League Player of the Week for April 17-23, 2006.
Discussion:
Church of Baseball
David Nakamura / Washington Post:
City Officials Leery of Nats Bidder's Silence — During a luncheon address before more than 200 business leaders last week, D.C. Mayor Anthony A. Williams noted that he had never met the Theodore N. Lerner family of Bethesda, which is seeking to buy the Washington Nationals.
Discussion:
Just A Nats Fan
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Jamey Newberg / MLB.com:
Going Deep: Bukvich's long journey — Rangers prospect working through Minors despite uncertainty — Ryan Bukvich was an impact prospect, an 11th-round pick who didn't pitch during his senior year at the University of Mississippi because he was academically ineligible.
John Hickey / Seattle Post-Intelligencer:
Another awful April: Tigers sweep, send M's to 9th home loss of month — The Mariners are 7-13 and looking for answers. — Eddie Guardado might be as close as any of his teammates to getting to the heart of Seattle's horrid start. — "It's like we're cursed," Guardado said.
Dan Shaughnessy / Boston Globe:
Pieces with a bit of an edge — Picked-up pieces while working on my mock draft . . . - At what point, precisely, did the 2005-06 Celtics season become a success story? The Celtics went 33-49 and they've been applauded madly all around town. The Bruins went 29-37-8-8 and their name is mud.
Discussion:
Dan Shaughnessy Watch
Chris Constancio / Hardball Times:
Minor Matters: Breaking down hot starts — We are about two weeks into the minor league regular season, so let's break down some of the most impressive starts among prospects in the upper minor leagues. — Lastings Milledge — New York Mets — Milledge was recently rated THT's #15 prospect …
