Top News:
Jayson Stark / ESPN:
'Winning' clearly on Clemens' mind … There has never been a team in history that had a seven-time Cy Young award-winner drop by in June to rescue its season. So only your friendly neighborhood psychics know what kind of impact Roger Clemens is going to have on the 2006 Astros.
Discussion:
Nice Guys Finish Third
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Baseball Prospectus:
Prospectus Notebook — Astros, Blue Jays — HOUSTON ASTROS — There are 13 outfielders in baseball with at least 150 plate appearances and a negative VORP. Many of those names aren't surprising: Juan Pierre is in the "top" five, along with defense-first fourth-outfielder types like Jay Payton and Joey Gathright.
Discussion:
Bluebird Banter
Tony Massarotti / Boston Herald:Best pitch just not good enough to catch Roger
Discussion:
Boston Sports Media Watch
David Heuschkel / Hartford Courant:
Pena To Miss At Least 6 Weeks — TORONTO — Wily Mo Pena, who was placed on the disabled list Sunday with a left wrist sprain, will have surgery today to remove the hamate bone and is expected to miss six to eight weeks. — "That bone doesn't serve a whole lot of a purpose, except when the …
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Jeff Horrigan / Boston Herald:Wrist surgery may sideline Pena two months
Discussion:
The Joy of Sox
Ken Gurnick / MLB.com:
Notes: Guzman gets Major shot — Prospect gets opportunity with Kent landing on DL — LOS ANGELES — The Dodger youth movement was accelerated a little more Thursday when 38-year-old Jeff Kent was placed on the 15-day disabled list with a sprained wrist and replaced by 21-year-old Joel Guzman …
John Hickey / Seattle Post-Intelligencer:
Mariners Notebook: Sexson says injury could linger — First baseman moves to DH, drops to five hole — ARLINGTON, Texas — After not starting Tuesday to give his right heel a rest, Richie Sexson was back in the lineup Wednesday. — Two things were different, however. — First, he wasn't at first base.
Discussion:
Lookout Landing
Baseball America:
Cubs Seek Nevin To Fill Void — Despite all his winter wheeling and dealing, Jim Hendry never thought to create a back-up plan at first base. Derrek Lee, coming off a career season, had not played less than 155 games in six years. As Derrek Lee went down with a wrist injury, so did the Cubs, losing 26 of their next 37 games.
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Amanda Branam / MLB.com:
Padres go with Park in Pittsburgh — San Diego (28-25) at Pittsburgh (18-34), Friday, 4:05 p.m. PT — Playing on the road seems to sit well with the Padres. So does playing against the National League Central. — The Padres will head out for a seven-game road trip that begins Friday …
Discussion:
Ducksnorts
Associated Press:
Sheffield sent back to New York — DETROIT — Yankees outfielder Gary Sheffield traveled to New York early Wednesday for further evaluation of his sore left wrist. — Manager Joe Torre said Sheffield left Detroit after trainer Gene Monahan was able to schedule an appointment with hand specialist …
Discussion:
Can't Stop The Bleeding
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Jim Baumbach / On the Yankees beat:Winning ways — Amazing they got this game in.
Discussion:
WasWatching.com
Fox Sports:
Top 10 players who could lose their jobs — The 2006 baseball season is beginning its third month, and patience for the underachievers is running thin. — With that in mind, let's turn our attention to those regulars who are in grave danger of losing their jobs.
Associated Press:
Angels' Colon tosses four shutout innings in Class A — CBS SportsLine.com wire reports — RANCHO CUCAMONGA, Calif. — Bartolo Colon pitched four shutout innings Thursday for Class A Rancho Cucamonga of the California League in his first rehab start, and figures to make one more outing …
Discussion:
Halo Herald
Corey Brock / MLB.com:
Sherrill's persistence paying off — Mariners southpaw making solid showing in bullpen — SEATTLE — The worst job that George Sherrill ever held was working at a United Parcel Service facility in Nashville, where he spent very long days loading and unloading trucks. — "It stunk," Sherrill recalled.
Mark Gonzales / Chicago Tribune:
Ozuna honing his skills in center — CLEVELAND — White Sox utility player Pablo Ozuna started working out in center field before Thursday night's game at Cleveland. — The move was made in preparation for some upcoming games against left-handed starters once center fielder Brian Anderson begins …
Discussion:
Exile in Wrigleyville
Mark Bowman / MLB.com:
Notes: Chipper looking for power surge — Veteran hoping to pick up his homer pace after slow start — ATLANTA — When Chipper Jones came off the disabled list on April 25, he homered in his second at-bat and gave an indication that the two weeks he had missed with a sprained right knee and ankle hadn't affected his swing.
Discussion:
Talking Chop
Tracy Ringolsby / Rocky Mountain News:
Rockies: Hey, we aren't the angels — 'Christian-based code of conduct' disputed — SAN DIEGO - Colorado Rockies players and management say the team enjoys a healthy, positive attitude in its clubhouse but is anything but a bunch of choirboys. — "We look for players with character and ability …
Joe Capozzi / Palm Beach Post:
Uggla's play shows pronounced gains — Never mind the.313 batting average, 63 hits and impressive.985 fielding percentage. — For rookie second baseman Dan Uggla, success in the major leagues can best be measured by listening to how flawlessly broadcasters pronounce his name. — UH-gluh.
Jim Baumbach / On the Yankees beat:
Injuries abound — It's almost as if you blink around here and somebody has an injury setback of some sort. Johnny Damon was not in the lineup tonight because his right foot now hurts in more areas other than just below his right toe, and Gary Sheffield was scratched toward the end …
Discussion:
Bronx Banter
Bill Ladson / MLB.com:
Zimmerman living up to expectations — Comparisons to great third basemen seeming more valid — It was Nationals general manager Jim Bowden who proclaimed last year that third baseman Ryan Zimmerman was Brooks Robinson, Mike Schmidt and Scott Rolen rolled into one.
Discussion:
THE BELTWAY BOYS

