Top News:
David Lennon / Newsday:
Mulder masters meek Mets — With help from Izzy in 9th, Cards lefthander wins duel with Trachsel — ST. LOUIS — For eight innings, Mark Mulder toyed with the Mets as if he were controlling them by puppet strings. They fished for his floating changeup, bounced into double plays …
Discussion:
Amazin' Avenue, the metropolitans, Archie Bunker's Army, Can't Stop The Bleeding and Get Up, Baby!
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Associated Press:
Pujols on Bonds: 'He's probably made some mistakes' — ST. LOUIS — Albert Pujols defended Barry Bonds on Wednesday, saying he respects the accomplishments of the San Francisco Giants' slugger. — Pujols was in the St. Louis lineup after a nasty slip and fall and felt good enough to discuss …
Ann Killion / Mercury News:
Oakland is hoping to spoil Bonds' party — HOUSTON - The Giants might claim territorial rights to San Jose. But, this weekend, the A's could grab territorial rights to Barry Bonds and his little slice of baseball history. — And that, friends, is the Giants' worst nightmare.
Discussion:
obsessivegiantscompulsive
Jack Curry / New York Times:
Pitcher's Suspension Is Expected for Using Bonds as a Bull's-Eye — HOUSTON, May 17 — Russ Springer threw four too-close-for-comfort pitches to Barry Bonds on Tuesday night before pinning a 92-mile-an-hour fastball on his right shoulder. For those dangerous pitches, Springer is expected …
Discussion:
Mike's Mets
David Heuschkel / Hartford Courant:
Closure For The Cowboy — Millar Homers, Sox Streak Ends — BALTIMORE — The cord has been finally cut, perhaps. ... OK, maybe. — Sooner or later, the Orioles were going to beat the Red Sox and Kevin Millar would contribute - which is what he did Wednesday night in a 4-3 victory …
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Childs Walker / Baltimore Sun:
Perlozzo weighs pitching moves … Orioles manager Sam Perlozzo said his team's pitching struggles can't continue without ramifications to the makeup of his staff. — "I think eventually you'll come to a time where you're going to have to say, 'That's it, guys, jobs are in jeopardy,' " Perlozzo said.
Discussion:
Camden Chat
Jeff Zrebiec / Baltimore Sun:
O's drop another to streaking Sox — When the Orioles' four-run fifth inning off Boston starter Curt Schilling was finally over last night, the home team's fans, seemingly silenced in their ballpark by the Red Sox for so long, stood and cheered. A lead against Boston here was reason enough to celebrate.
Bill Ladson / MLB.com:
Nats held to one hit by Cubs pitchers — Washington blanked for the second straight night — CHICAGO — After getting shut out the night before, the Nationals were hoping to avoid a repeat, but after the first two innings, it appeared that Washington was not going to win Wednesday's ball game against the Cubs.
Discussion:
Capitol Punishment
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Ben Valentine / Sportszilla and the Jabber Jocks:
START THE MAN — If people read my baseball posts here at Sportszilla, they will realize at least five things about what I think. — First, John Patterson is the second coming. — Second, Chien Ming Wang isn't. — Third, Barry Bonds might be a cheating louse, but I don't care.
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Barry M. Bloom / MLB.com:
Nationals sale gets owners' approval — NEW YORK — The sale of the Washington Nationals to a group headed by Ted Lerner and his son Mark Lerner was approved unanimously at Thursday morning's quarterly owners' meeting, ending Major League Baseball's four-year role in owning and operating the franchise …
Discussion:
District of Baseball
Will Carroll / Baseball Prospectus:
Under The Knife — Comes a Little Chaos, and a Little Rain — Rain sucks. I've been under clouds here in Indianapolis for what seems like the entire month and in May, that's a problem. We'll try and get 33 cars qualified on Saturday in what should be a mad dash while Joe …
Kat O'Brien / Dallas Star-Telegram:
RANGERS NOTES — Blalock swinging hot bat — NEW YORK — Third baseman Hank Blalock continues to have one of the best seasons of any major leaguer. He entered Wednesday batting .345 (seventh in the American League) with 33 RBI (tied for sixth in the AL), and nearly as many walks (16) as strikeouts (18).
Discussion:
Lone Star Ball
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Sports Illustrated:
Thursday's MLB Transactions — MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL-Announced the unanimous approval of the sale of the Washington Nationals to a group led by Theodore N. Lerner. — American League — CLEVELAND INDIANS-Sent RHP Danny Graves outright to Buffalo of the IL.
Discussion:
Bucs Dugout
Matthew Cerrone / Metsblog.com:
News: Bannister Hurt Again — Hope its something minor. We really need him in our rotation now. — Re: News: Bannister Hurt Again — This is unbelievable. I realize that this horse has probably been beaten to death several times over, but still... the presumption during Spring Training …
Discussion:
www.transplantedmetsfan.com
Ryan Quinn / MLB.com:
Notes: Big Hurt returns to action — Oakland lineup beginning to get back to full strength — OAKLAND — The A's have an injury list longer than a grocery list for a soccer mom on her way to Super Wal-Mart. — But slowly the A's are getting, well, a quarter of the way back to full strength.
Discussion:
Catfish Stew
Carrie Muskat / MLB.com:
Notes: Ramirez sits with mild strain — Cubs third baseman likely to return for weekend series — CHICAGO — Cubs third baseman Aramis Ramirez was sidelined on Thursday with a mild strain in his lower back, but he is expected to play this weekend in the Interleague series against the White Sox.
Discussion:
Bleed Cubbie Blue
Joe Lapointe / New York Times:
Damon Says Injured Foot Has 'Little Crack' in Bone — Johnny Damon said yesterday that he had "a little crack in one of the bones" of his sore right foot. But the injury did not prevent him from continuing to lead off and play center field for the Yankees in the third game of their four …
