Top News:
Deadspin:
So ... We've Got Some Affidavit Names — Everyone's guessing about who the blacked-out names in the Jason Grimsley report are, and it has been a fun parlor game so far. But we all knew eventually the names would get out. And we've been digging around ... and some sources have given us some names.
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Will Carroll / Baseball Prospectus:
Under The Knife — Grimsley — When I heard the Jason Grimsley story on Tuesday afternoon, the first thing that came to mind was...no, the first is unprintable. The second thing that came to mind was "good people are going to get sucked into this." Logic escapes the performance-enhancement zone with perfect consistency.
Jayson Stark / ESPN:
Grimsley mess offers a stern wake-up call … Before Tuesday, Jason Grimsley's biggest claims to fame were: (A) he's the guy who once crawled through the drop ceiling at the new Comiskey Park (now called U.S. Cellular Field) to rescue Albert Belle's corked bat, and (B) he was once traded …
Mark Purdy / Mercury News:
Bonds still a big player, but hardly the only one — For the past year, Barry Bonds has been the scapegoat. That is what his defenders say. Some are his fellow major leaguers. Others describe themselves as baseball fans. — Why, these people ask, are so many fingers pointing at Bonds …
Boston Globe:
Rain keeps pouring it on — Sox likely to play makeup in Sept. — Yankee Stadium was a picture of gray serenity after daylong showers postponed last night's Yankees-Red Sox game. (AP Photo) — NEW YORK — Along with the injuries, the Manny Moments, and the save total next to Jonathan Papelbon's name …
Discussion:
Bronx Banter
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Jeff Horrigan / Boston Herald:Opportunity knocks: Rainout helps banged-up Sox
Discussion:
The Joy of Sox
Tony Massarotti / Boston Herald:Young arms thrown into fire: No time for kid gloves
Discussion:
SawxBlog
Adam Rubin / NY Daily News:
Built to last — Milledge lends hand as Tom tops Dodgers — LOS ANGELES - Lastings Milledge's right arm was in the spotlight once again last night. But it wasn't for high-fiving Dodger fans at Chavez Ravine. — The rookie sensation gunned down Nomar Garciaparra in the eighth inning …
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Sports Illustrated:
A personality to Last — Mets rookie Milledge shouldn't tone down his act — Lastings Milledge had better not turn into Nuke LaLoosh. — The Mets took off on a three-city swing on Sunday, promising to win some games and bring their rookie back an official major leaguer. Which could be good.
Tyler Kepner / New York Times:
With Sheffield Still Injured, Cabrera Makes a Case to Stay — Like most people, Johnny Damon had one major impression of Melky Cabrera before the season. Damon, the Yankees' center fielder, remembered Cabrera breaking the wrong way on a liner by Trot Nixon at Fenway Park last July, turning it into an inside-the-park home run.
Discussion:
Bronx Banter
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Ken Gurnick / MLB.com:
Notes: Gagne shut down for a few days — Closer experiences soreness in elbow, MRI shows no damage — LOS ANGELES — An MRI on Eric Gagne's elbow Wednesday revealed swelling around the ulnar nerve but no structural damage. He has not yet been placed on the disabled list.
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Ben Bolch / Los Angeles Times:
Gagne Has MRI as Elbow Stiffens — A precautionary MRI exam on Eric Gagne's right elbow Wednesday revealed some swelling around the ulnar nerve but no structural damage, and the Dodgers closer said he hoped to return within a few days. — Gagne said he experienced some stiffness in the elbow …
Jon Cooper / MLB.com:
Ortiz outduels Smoltz in finale — Washington takes series in Atlanta behind solid pitching — ATLANTA — It was a night of improbabilities for the Washington Nationals. — The Nationals not only beat John Smoltz, who hadn't lost to this franchise since 1994, they did so behind …
Discussion:
Capitol Punishment
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Fox Sports:
Tigers, Dodgers big winners so far in draft — On Tuesday, the first 18 rounds of baseball's annual June draft went down. — As is the case each year there some surprises, some disappointments and some pleasing twists of fate. To get a better handle on which teams fared best and which fared worst …
Baseball Prospectus:
Prospectus Notebook — Braves, Marlins — ATLANTA BRAVES — Braves-haters know the story all too well. Injuries strike, the bullpen underperforms, Travis Smith somehow gets a start, yet Atlanta is still hovering at the fringes of the NL East race. Why?
Bryan Smith / Sports Illustrated:
Draft winners & losers (cont.) — Best One-Two Punch: Mike Rizzo earns praise every year for his drafts, and this one is no different as his Arizona Diamondbacks collected yet another solid group of players. The class is led by Max Scherzer, just four months removed from sitting alone atop the Royals' (and others) draft board.
Cody Johnson / Baseball America:
2006 Draft: Atlanta Braves — TOTAL PICKS: — 54 (College: 6, High School: 23, Juco: 24, Other: 0) — Position Players: 17 Pitchers: 37 — Players signed indicated in Bold — Round — Overall — Team — Player — Position — Bonus
Kevin T. Czerwinski / MLB.com:
'Don't Count' draftee Matthews out — Prep pitcher chosen by Cardinals with 1,502nd and final pick — NEW YORK — Charles Matthews had a pretty good idea he'd be selected sometime during the latter half of the 2006 First-Year Player Draft. So much so, that he didn't even bother to listen on MLB.com.
Bill Center / San Diego Union-Tribune:
Peavy will test tender shoulder today — MILWAUKEE - Today is an important day for Jake Peavy and the Padres. — Peavy is scheduled for a between-starts bullpen session. — If he completes the session without problems, Peavy may have turned the corner on the shoulder tendinitis that has bothered the right-handed ace for a month.
Discussion:
Gaslamp Ball
