Top News:
Adam Rubin / NY Daily News:
Pelfrey may get chance — Mike Pelfrey's major-league debut may come this weekend against the Marlins - whether or not Pedro Martinez overcomes hip inflammation and can make a start before the All-Star break. Because of a rainout during the season's opening home stand …
Discussion:
Mike's Mets
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Tyler Kepner / New York Times:
Rodriguez's Two Homers Quiet Mets and Win Over the Fans — In the broad view, Alex Rodriguez spends the regular season killing time. It is not enough to simply lead the Yankees to the playoffs, as he did last season. The fans at Yankee Stadium quickly forgot that after Rodriguez failed in the postseason.
Discussion:
Bronx Banter
Anthony McCarron / NY Daily News:
Mets must lean on other stars — Hip hampers cranky Pedro — Pedro Martinez answered a few innocuous questions from reporters about making the National League All-Star team last night, but when talk turned to his ailing right hip, the Met righty snapped, "I got no comment," and walked away.
Discussion:
Baseball Musings
Ben Shpigel / New York Times:
Mets' A.L. Nightmare Is Over, for Now — The Mets will wake up today in a place where pitchers bat and No. 8 hitters do not bat .280. No more Yankees or Red Sox, bleacher creatures or Green Monsters. — Their world, the National League, has teams like the Pirates and the Cubs, and the Mets are thankful to be playing them soon.
Discussion:
Metsblog.com
Paul Sullivan / Chicago Tribune:
9th-inning knockout — Pierzynski gets revenge with HR off Dempster — It was a tale of two seasons in one precious moment, played out in brilliant sunshine on a windy summer afternoon in a city where baseball is secondary only to breathing. — In one corner stood the Cubs …
Discussion:
Exile in Wrigleyville
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Paul Sullivan / Chicago Tribune: Can you spell Uribe? — Not without RBI; shortstop drives in 5 as Sox win 12th of 14
Andrew Seligman / Associated Press:Cubs club Buehrle, White Sox 15-11
Discussion:
Can't Stop The Bleeding
Scott Miller / CBS SportsLine.com:
Weekend Buzz: Hometown Pirates get boost from ballot stuffers — The Weekend Buzz while you were aiming the fireworks AWAY from the children ... 1. Pittsburgh, city by the Bay: Every so often one of those cool stories comes along that makes you stand at attention and salute.
Discussion:
FIRE JOE MORGAN
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Alan Robinson / Associated Press:Littlefield not writing off Bucs' season despite midseason record
Discussion:
Honest Wagner
Derrick Goold / St. Louis Post-Dispatch:
Cards Notebook: Ponson up Thursday — The perception is that pitcher Sidney Ponson toes a fine line as a Cardinals starter, having already been moved to the bullpen once this year, only to emerge with his finest performance of the season when pressed into action.
Discussion:
St. Louis Cardinals Blog
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Contra Costa Times:
A's All-Stars as elusive as hits — THE AMERICAN LEAGUE All-Star team was announced Sunday. Stop us if you've heard this one before — the A's offense got shut out. — So profound is the team's inability to put bat on ball at this point that manager Ken Macha couldn't even feign indignance.
Discussion:
Baseball Musings
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Mike Kiley / Chicago Sun Times:
Williamson positive he's not negative about Dusty — Cubs reliever Scott Williamson strongly denied implying anything negative about manager Dusty Baker during a radio interview Sunday morning. — Williamson had told WSCR-AM (670) that playing time can be sporadic on Baker's Cubs …
Discussion:
CubsNet.com
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tacomarainiers.com:
Jones to Replace Choo on All-Star Team — Outfielder Adam Jones will be replacing outfielder Shin-Soo Choo on the 2006 PCL All-Star Team. Choo, who was originally selected to be the Rainiers representative, was recently called up to Seattle to replace the injured Jeremy Reed.
Kevin Baxter / Miami Herald:
Uggla, Cabrera named reserves — Two Marlins — rookie second baseman Dan Uggla and veteran third baseman Miguel Cabrera — were chosen as reserves for next week's All-Star Game. — kbaxter@MiamiHerald.com — When Marlins manager Joe Girardi called Dan Uggla into his office early Sunday afternoon …
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Baseball America:
Weekend Dish — Royals righthander Billy Buckner felt like he had to be perfect at high Class A High Desert—arguably one of the best hitter's parks in the minors. But he always looked at pitching in such an environment as a plus to his development down the line.
USA Today:
Braves' new world not so happy — Outfielder Jeff Francoeur's first memory of the Atlanta Braves goes back to 1991. Then 7, the Atlanta native had filled his bedroom walls with newspaper stories from the team's march to the World Series. — These days, the Atlanta right fielder …
Kevin Baxter / Miami Herald:
Moehler to have an MRI on foot — Right-hander Brian Moehler will undergo an MRI on his sore right foot today and is hoping he'll be able to come off the disabled list shortly after next week's All-Star break. — ''The X-rays were negative. There's no stress fracture,'' said Moehler …
Richard Durrett / Dallas Morning News:
Eaton on target for late-July return — ARLINGTON - Adam Eaton has a calendar of his planned rehab starts for July sitting in his locker. He's quick to point out July 21, the day planned for his final rehab start. — "That means five days later, I could be back in the rotation," Eaton said.
Discussion:
Lone Star Ball
Murray Chass / New York Times:
No-Hitter Requires a Complete Game — THERE are as many no-hitters in the front office of the Los Angeles Angels as there have been in the major leagues for more than four seasons. — Bill Stoneman, the general manager of the Angels, pitched two no-hitters for Montreal, one in 1969 and the other in 1972.
Thomas Boswell / Washington Post:
Finally, Bowden Gets To Deal With a Full Deck — For the past 20 months, Nats General Manager Jim Bowden has made what seem like a vast number of trades, free agent signings and draft picks. The impression among Washington fans is that Bowden deserves to be a controversial figure …
Discussion:
Oleanders and Morning Glories, fredericksburg.com, Nats Triple Play, District of Baseball, Ben Maller and MLB.com
