Top News:
Jan Hubbard / Dallas Star-Telegram:
Coco given a setup role — CLEVELAND — If there is any consolation for Francisco Cordero, it is in the record that he did not break. — When Cordero blew his fifth save of the month Wednesday, he established a major league record for April. But he did not break the one-month record of seven …
Discussion:
Lone Star Ball
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Evan Grant / Dallas Morning News:
Otsuka in, Coco out as Rangers' closer — The Rangers have tried letting Francisco Cordero work out his problems on the mound while remaining the team's closer. Now, they'll try to let him work them out in a different role. — A club source confirmed Thursday that the Rangers will move Cordero …
David Lennon / Newsday:
DL possible for Bannister — ATLANTA - The Mets have their rotation set for this weekend's series against the Braves at Turner Field, but because Brian Bannister pulled up lame Wednesday in San Francisco, the pitching situation appears cloudy beyond then. — Bannister was diagnosed …
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Ben Shpigel / New York Times:
Mets Seek Better Results in Their House of Horrors — ATLANTA, April 27 — By this time in past seasons, the Mets have needed a telescope to discern how far the Braves were ahead of them in the National League East standings. But as the teams open a three-game series Friday night at Turner Field …
Discussion:
Hot Foot
David O'Brien / Atlanta Journal-Constitution:Trying to regroup at home
Discussion:
The Eddie Kranepool Society
Chris Needham / Capitol Punishment:
Hanged By His Own Testimony — This blurb from Ladson needs very little commentary. It pretty much stands on its own. After the lessons of last season, and Bowden's constant preaching about the need for "Pitching, pitching, pitching," the son of a bitch has run out of pitchers already.
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Barry Svrluga / Washington Post:
Rookie Gets No Support — O'Connor Falls In Nationals Debut: Cardinals 6, Nationals 2 — ST. LOUIS, April 27 — When the ball came out of Ryan Zimmerman's hand, just before it skipped in front of Nick Johnson's glove, the ensuing events were predictable.
Ken Rosenthal / Fox Sports:
Moving Willis by deadline makes sense — Marlins owner Jeffrey Loria keeps denying that the team might trade left-hander Dontrelle Willis, growing increasingly outraged by each new round of speculation. — What Loria can't deny is the sheer logic of moving Willis at the July 31 non-waiver deadline …
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Joe Capozzi / Palm Beach Post:
Loria tries to snuff out Willis, Cabrera rumors — The owner adamantly insists his two star Marlins are not going anywhere. — Marlins owner Jeffrey Loria is a soft-spoken man, but when the topic turned to the future of his marquee players, Dontrelle Willis and Miguel Cabrera …
Associated Press:
DuPuy: Nats decision likely in days — NEW YORK — Commissioner Bud Selig is likely to pick a new owner for the Washington Nationals within a few days and the team probably will change hands in June, Major League Baseball's No. 2 official said Thursday. — Bob DuPuy, MLB's president …
Discussion:
The Griddle
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Kristie Ackert / NY Daily News:
Single step for Matsui — Key hit helps lift doldrums, Yanks — Within an inning, Hideki Matsui's season seemed to pick up some momentum last night at the plate and in the field. The Yankees' left fielder did not smash out of his hitting slump, but he got a break.
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David Lennon / Newsday:
Nady has become popular choice — Everybody loves Xavier. That's hard to believe for someone who was traded for Mike Cameron, the most popular player in the Mets' clubhouse during his two-year stay. But Xavier Nady has made an immediate impact since coming from the Padres in that early November swap …
mdn.mainichi-msn.co.jp:
Shinjo leaves the ballpark for a quiet life of nude modelling — "I've decided to take my uniform off at the end of this season." — With these words, Nippon Ham Fighters outfielder Tsuyoshi Shinjo announced his plans to end one of the more unconventional careers in Japanese professional baseball.
Josh Bacott / insidestl.com:
Baseball Jersey Wearing 101 — I'm about 95% sure that someone's already written something on this topic, but it doesn't change the fact that it needs to be done. — Normally, if I have any fear that someone has already beaten a subject to death, I'd look to avoid it and fill the space …
Washington Post:
Live Discussions … | Search Archives — washingtonpost.com > Live Discussions — Thomas Boswell — Washington Post sports columnist Thomas Boswell was online Friday, April 28, at 11 a.m. ET to take your questions and comments about the Washington Nationals, Major League Baseball and his recent columns.
Discussion:
Oleanders and Morning Glories
Gordon Edes / Boston Globe:
They need to clear their heads after this beating — CLEVELAND — Now that we have incontrovertible proof Josh Beckett will not go undefeated in his first season with the Red Sox — the next thing you know, Jonathan Papelbon is going to blow a save in 2006 — we interrupt the requisite gnashing …
Ben Jacobs / Hardball Times:
What's up with the NL Central? — The neat thing about April is that you can find all sorts of goofy looking baseball statistics or situations. For instance, take a look at the NL Central winning percentages. If you prorated those winning percentages over 162 games, here's what the win totals would look like for the six teams:



