Top News:
Gordon Edes / Boston Globe:
Sox flex their muscles in Miami — Ramírez, Ortiz provide power in rout of Marlins — MIAMI — Dolphin Stadium, which by name alone reminds the Marlins of their secondary status here to the football team, is not exactly waterfront property. It's almost as close to the Everglades as it is to the Atlantic Ocean.
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Gordon Edes / Boston Globe:
Mirabelli unaware of error of his ways — MIAMI — Catcher Doug Mirabelli, whose throwing error on Hanley Ramirez's first-inning stolen base ended the team's major-league record of consecutive errorless games at 17, was asked if the streak had reached the point where no player wanted to be the one to end it.
Ian Browne / MLB.com:
Lester set to face Johnson in finale — Boston (49-29) at Florida (35-42), 1:05 p.m. ET — As entertaining as it was to watch Curt Schilling face Tom Glavine at Fenway Park earlier this week, Sunday's Red Sox-Marlins contest offers the opposite kind of intrigue.
Discussion:
The Joy of Sox
Kevin Fiorenzo / MLB.com:
Johnson goes for his fourth straight win — Boston (49-29) at Florida (35-42), 1:05 p.m. ET — The Marlins have a shot at taking two out of three from the Red Sox on Sunday, but they'll have do it with a beat up roster. — In the first inning of Saturday's 11-5 loss to Boston …
Discussion:
The Joy of Sox
Juan C. Rodriguez / Sun-Sentinel:Moehler's sore foot worsens, lands him on DL
Discussion:
FishStripes
Baseball America:
International Signing Season Set To Open — As the July 2 start date for international free agent signings approached, word continued to spread through the scouting community that clubs were ready to spend significant amounts once again in Latin America for premium talent.
Discussion:
BBTF's Baseball Primer …
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Enrique Rojas / ESPN:
Catcher Montero is top available prospect … Since 1965, major-league teams have relied on the amateur draft to find players who they hope will become stars in the near future. — But the richest and cheapest source of talent can be found in the international market, especially in Latin America, and not in North American schools.
Mr. Faded Glory / High and Tight:
Tomorrow's All-Stars, Today — I've been watching shop.mlb.com for the past week or so, because they always tend to jump the gun on upcoming sales items (who could forget this little nugget of goodness): — (and if you really believe the MLB bulls**t that this was actually a "hoax" you need your head examined)
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Deadspin:
Sucking Some Of The Suspense Out Of The All-Star Selections — Some fantastic work is being done by the fellas at High and Tight. They've been keeping an eye on shop.mlb.com, because they have a tendency to foreshadow things a little bit with their jersey sales.
Discussion:
Mack Avenue Tigers
Associated Press:
Giants-Padres Preview — The San Diego Padres think that starter Chris Young deserves a spot on the All-Star team. The way he's been pitching, he just might end up there. — Young tries for his fifth straight victory when the Padres wrap up a four-game series with the San Francisco Giants Sunday at Petco Park.
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Amanda Branam / MLB.com:
Padres send sizzling Young into finale — San Francisco (41-40) at San Diego (43-38), 1:05 p.m. PT — After playing 19 innings over two games Saturday, the Padres and Giants go at it yet again Sunday afternoon. — The series finale will conclude with Chris Young facing Giants right-hander Matt Morris.
Troy E. Renck / Denver Post:
Don't sell farm for one plum — Seattle - They are delightful delusions of supremacy. — For the better part of a decade, Rockies fans have watched their team struggle to be competitive. Now, with their team panting down first-place San Diego's neck, they want upgrades.
Discussion:
Purple Row
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Kat O'Brien / Dallas Star-Telegram:
First half of season 'fun' for rookie upstart Kinsler — ARLINGTON — Rangers second baseman Ian Kinsler wrapped up the first half of his rookie season Saturday. Aside from the dislocated thumb that put him on the disabled list for six weeks, he couldn't complain about his year to date.
Discussion:
Lone Star Ball
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Joe Strauss / St. Louis Post-Dispatch:
Tough loss to KC may spur shake-up — The "we're-still-in-first-place" Cardinals encountered another (false) bottom Saturday night against the going-nowhere Kansas City Royals. — What might have passed for inspiration instead became another installment of a division leader's six-week slide.
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Jerry Crowe / Los Angeles Times:
Gagne Sure He'll Return — The Dodgers and Eric Gagne were not on the same page Saturday, such as when Manager Grady Little told reporters that the club was uncertain of Gagne's whereabouts although, unbeknown to Little, Gagne had slipped into the clubhouse.
Discussion:
6-4-2
Pat Borzi / Yahoo! Sports:
Meeting of the minds — When Twins lefthander Johan Santana pitches, hitters usually are in for a rough day. The 2004 A.L. Cy Young Award winner and last year's major league strikeouts leader is on pace for another big season. — On June 13 at the Metrodome, Santana matched …
