Top News:
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 …
RELATED ITEMS:
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
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 …
RELATED ITEMS:
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.
Mark Sheldon / MLB.com:
Freel finishes off Astros — Reds complete first sweep in Houston since 1999 — HOUSTON — If the Reds manage to stay in contention late into the season, this was the kind of day that could be regarded as one of the key reasons. — In a game against the Astros that was tied four times …
RELATED ITEMS:
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 …
Michael Gluskin / MLB.com:
Small gives up big hits in Yanks' loss — Right-hander allows three of Orioles' four home runs — BALTIMORE — Aaron Small limited the damage in the first inning and gave up a solo homer in the second, but he couldn't escape the third. — The Orioles pounded Small in the early innings …
Discussion:
Cursed To First
RELATED ITEMS:
Joe Lapointe / New York Times:
Replacement Yankees Are Winning Like the Real Thing
Replacement Yankees Are Winning Like the Real Thing
Discussion:
Bronx Banter
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
RELATED ITEMS:
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 …
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.
Discussion:
The Cub Reporter
RELATED ITEMS:
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
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
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.
Discussion:
The Joy of Sox
RELATED ITEMS: