Top News:
T.R. Sullivan / MLB.com:
Laird, Teixeira spark Rangers — Catcher, first baseman combine for eight of Texas' 10 runs — CHICAGO — Gerald Laird, the Rangers' once and future starting catcher, is making a compelling case for getting the job right now. — Manager Buck Showalter knows that the numbers are getting harder …
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Evan Grant / Dallas Morning News:
Rangers' Mench gets another break — Showalter is trying to manage outfielder's streaky nature — CHICAGO - Kevin Mench continues to puzzle the Rangers. He has taken streakiness to new levels this season. — Mench, who sat out Saturday's game, went the first 41 at-bats of the season without an RBI …
Discussion:
Lone Star Ball
Kat O'Brien / Dallas Star-Telegram:
Bauer providing steady relief — CHICAGO — Right-hander Rick Bauer was barely, if at all, in the plans for the Rangers on Opening Day. — He was reassigned to minor league camp March 18, with about two weeks left in spring training. Yet, Bauer has become one of the more trusted relievers in the Rangers' bullpen.
R.B. Fallstrom / Associated Press:
Pujols out indefinitely with muscle strain — ST. LOUIS (AP) — This is a much larger challenge for the St. Louis Cardinals: Albert Pujols will be out indefinitely with a strained muscle on his right side. — Pujols, last year's NL MVP and this season's major league leader in home runs and RBIs …
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Joe Strauss / St. Louis Post-Dispatch:
Cardinals lose Pujols — First baseman Albert Pujols will be re-evaluated Sunday, but the Cardinals believe he could miss "significant" time after suffering a strained right oblique muscle in Saturday's second inning against the Chicago Cubs. — Pujols, the NL's reigning Most Valuable Player …
Paul Sullivan / Chicago Tribune:
Trade winds blow in Maddux's direction — ST. LOUIS — Greg Maddux has been around long enough to know that with the Cubs far from contention, his name is bound to surface in trade rumors. — The Los Angeles Dodgers reportedly are interested in adding Maddux to their rotation by July 31 …
Discussion:
Bleed Cubbie Blue
Mike Kiley / Chicago Sun Times:
Miller comeback gets a setback — ST. LOUIS — Right-hander Wade Miller had hoped to be close to joining the Cubs by at least the middle of June. But now it looks questionable whether he can make it to the big leagues this month. — Miller has been shut down the last week after being set back in his right shoulder rehab.
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Patrick Saunders / Denver Post:
Barmes not part of roster moves — Considering Rockies shortstop Clint Barmes entered Saturday night's game against Florida in a 13-for-104 slump, it would not have been a big surprise to find him apartment shopping in Colorado Springs today. — But instead of getting sent to the Triple-A Sky Sox …
Discussion:
Purple Row
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Matthew Borenstein / MLB.com:
Notes: S. Kim and Smith set free — Coaching staff, front office evaluate needed changes — DENVER — The Rockies recalled right-handed relief pitcher Scott Dohmann and infielder Omar Quintanilla from Triple-A Colorado Springs and designated right-handed pitcher Sun-Woo Kim and infielder Jason Smith …
Associated Press:
Orioles Avert Sweep — BALTIMORE (AP) — Javy Lopez hit two of Baltimore's four home runs, Rodrigo Lopez won his third straight start, and the Orioles beat the New York Yankees 11-4 Sunday to avert a three-game sweep. — Javy Lopez led off the second inning with a homer and hit a three-run drive in the fifth to make it 10-0.
Discussion:
Bronx Banter
NY Daily News:
After 1st, Randy rolls — BALTIMORE - Randy Johnson continues to have problems in the first inning but that was about the only thing he struggled with yesterday. — Johnson allowed just one hit after the opening frame and pitched into the eighth inning in his second straight strong outing.
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Joe Lapointe / New York Times:Replacement Yankees Are Winning Like the Real Thing
Discussion:
Bronx Banter
Ian Browne / MLB.com:
Clement set to face rookie in series finale — Boston (32-21) at Detroit (37-19), 1:05 p.m. ET — The Red Sox will not be able to capitalize on familiarity as a recipe for success on Sunday afternoon in the rubber match of this three-game series against the Tigers.
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Jason Beck / MLB.com:Notes: Mound meeting a Leyland no-no
Discussion:
detroittigertales.blogspot.com
Jon Heyman / Newsday:
Griffey could be most likely big name for Yanks — Bobby Abreu and Pat Burrell are available, Alfonso Soriano can be had and Reggie Sanders probably can be, too. But the Yankees also have their eye on Ken Griffey Jr. and Adam Dunn, should either become available.
Discussion:
Red Hot Mama
Alyson Footer / MLB.com:
Back injury sidelines Oswalt — Houston right-hander's immediate future unclear — HOUSTON — Roy Oswalt woke up with a sore back last Friday and figured he'd slept on it wrong. Unfortunately for the right-hander and his Astros teammates, the problem will require more than a quick-fix massage …
Mike DiGiovanna / Los Angeles Times:
Romero Continues to Struggle — CLEVELAND — Saturday's game was well out of reach when Angels reliever J.C. Romero walked the first two batters in the eighth inning, prompting Manager Mike Scioscia to practically sprint to the mound. — Scioscia didn't issue Romero his walking papers.
Lboros / Viva El Birdos:
strained oblique grief counseling and Game 56 Open Thread: June 4, 2006 — it's like i keep saying: you can beat the cardinals this year, but you still can't beat . . . . . . . um . . . . . . . .(cough). — the official word on albert's injury is "right oblique strain"; prognosis is 2 to 6 weeks on the shelf, maybe longer.
