Top News:
Ken Davidoff / greenwichtime.com:
Torre to players: Be yourself — The Yankees' 5-4 victory over the Mets Saturday featured a stunning comeback, but also a number of unsightly plays. Joe Torre, while not wanting to forget the former, also wanted to address the latter, so he held a team meeting yesterday.
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Mark Feinsand / MLB.com:
Notes: Chacon heads to 15-day DL — Torre holds pregame meeting; Durazo signed to Minor deal — NEW YORK — Shawn Chacon has not showed as much progress recovering from the hematoma on his left leg as the Yankees thought he would, so the right-hander was placed on the 15-day DL following Sunday's game.
Tyler Kepner / New York Times:
The Mets May Be Climbing Out of the Back Seat — It is hard to say, for sure, if the Mets have caught up with the Yankees. The Mets, after all, have not reached the playoffs since the Yankees beat them in the 2000 World Series. The Yankees get there every year.
Discussion:
Off the Facade
Anthony McCarron / NY Daily News:
Wagner saves face & series — Mets ride off with Subway win — After blowing a four-run lead against the Yankees on Saturday afternoon, Billy Wagner went to the movies. He and his wife saw "The Da Vinci Code" and also spent part of the evening talking about how Wagner had been through bad days on the mound before and rebounded.
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Mike Kiley / Chicago Sun Times:
Wood sore, but not concerned — Kerry Wood bristled Sunday when asked about the possibility that he wouldn't start as scheduled Tuesday at Florida. — Even though Cubs manager Dusty Baker and pitching coach Larry Rothschild were the ones who said the chance existed that Wood could be scratched …
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Mark Gonzales / Chicago Tribune:Jaw inspiring — Cubs get off canvas, salvage series finale
Discussion:
Exile in Wrigleyville
John Hickey / Seattle Post-Intelligencer:
Hernandez bears down after pep talk — Even after giving up a couple of walks and a couple of runs in the third inning Sunday, Felix Hernandez was in a position to coast. — After all, the Mariners had scored eight runs in the second inning, giving Hernandez an 8-3 lead.
Discussion:
Nice Guys Finish Third
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Evan Grant / Dallas Morning News:
Kinsler's return to Rangers delayed — Hamstring issue will keep second baseman in minors — HOUSTON - The return of rookie second baseman Ian Kinsler's has been put off for at least another day. — Kinsler was scratched from the lineup before Triple-A Oklahoma's game at Salt Lake City …
Discussion:
Lone Star Ball
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Bill Shaikin / Los Angeles Times:
Alfonzo Is Released; Bulger Is Called Up — The Angels released infielder Edgardo Alfonzo on Saturday, closing the ledger on one of the most unproductive expenditures in franchise history. — The club compounded the ineffective free-agent signing of outfielder Steve Finley …
Discussion:
Halo Herald
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Los Angeles Times:
Wood Struggling With Angels' Double-A Team — In a season in which so many of the Angels' prospects have struggled in the major leagues, perhaps the club's most touted prospect is struggling in double A. — Shortstop Brandon Wood, who led the minor leagues by hitting 43 home runs last season …
Discussion:
6-4-2
Sid Hartman / Minneapolis Star Tribune:
Selig: Twins would be gone if vote failed — The Legislature's passage of a stadium bill prevented the team from departing Minnesota, and the baseball commissioner was thrilled by the vote. — A lot of people didn't believe Minnesota eventually would lose the Twins if a new stadium …
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Stan Grossfeld / Boston Globe:
Thought processor — Rodriguez among many athletes who swear by Fannin and his mental visualization system — The Streak is now more than a decade old, but few know about it, and Alex Rodriguez isn't talking about it. — For the last 1,560 or so games, the Yankees star has received help …
Jeff Passan / Yahoo! Sports:
A monkey off Theo's back — The most expensive gorilla suit in the world hangs in the window of Ace Ticket in Brookline, Mass. — When Jim Holzman plunked down $11,000 for it at a January charity event in Boston, he was buying publicity for his broker business, sure, but more than that …
Discussion:
Blogging Baseball
Steven Goldman / Baseball Prospectus:
You Could Look It Up — Bonds is Ruthless — One question that has come up repeatedly in the mainstream media's handling of Barry Bonds' pursuit of Babe Ruth's place on the all-time home run list is "Why isn't Bonds as popular as Ruth was?" Variations on this theme include …
Discussion:
Viva El Birdos
Rick Hummel / St. Louis Post-Dispatch:
Tony La Russa on Ozzie Smith: 'He's not welcome' — KANSAS CITY — Cardinals manager Tony La Russa, after reading a story in Sunday's Post-Dispatch that, in part, reiterated Hall of Famer Ozzie Smith's disinclination to participate in club-related field activities as long as La Russa was manager …
Discussion:
Viva El Birdos, Cardinals Diaspora, Reverend Redbird, Can't Stop The Bleeding and Baseball Musings
Craig Brown / Royals Authority:
Dear Mr. Glass: — Did you happen to see any of the baseball this weekend at the Stadium? I ask because I know you spend much of your time in Bentonville, and rarely make it to Kansas City to actually watch the team you own in person. And since I took in the games, I just wanted to fill …
Discussion:
The Detroit Tiger Weblog
Kevin Goldstein / Baseball Prospectus:
Future Shock — Nick Adenhart, RHP, Low Class A Cedar Rapids (Angels) — Angels scouting director Eddie Bane ... super-genius! Adenhart was one of the top high school pitchers going into the 2004 draft season, but he needed Tommy John surgery before the draft and teams stayed away from him …
Karen Guregian / Boston Herald:
Sox, whys and videotape: Feel-good viewing for Schilling — PHILADELPHIA - Orioles hitters weren't dazzled by his pitches Tuesday night. Nor were Yankees batters the least bit baffled by anything Curt Schilling hurled their way in the previous start. — The Sox ace has fallen into a rut.
Discussion:
The Joy of Sox
