Stroke is all Wright  —  David blasts way to 2nd in Derby  —  PITTSBURGH - David Wright practiced on Sunday morning, accepting Paul Lo Duca's offer to pitch and getting Xavier Nady to crouch behind the plate to provide a target at Shea.  And when Wright arrived at the Home Run Derby …

Major League Baseball sees indictment coming for Bonds  —  NEW YORK (AFP) - Several senior figures in Major League Baseball expect Barry Bonds will be indicted by a San Francisco grand jury investigating the record-setting slugger, a US newspaper reported.  —  The New York Daily News …

A-ROD KNOWS YANKS WON'T WIN WILD-CARD  —  July 11, 2006 — PITTSBURGH - The challenge of the second half is clear.  Alex Rodriguez sees it.  —  The Yankees must beat Boston or go home.  —  "The wild card will not come out of the East.  Period," Rodriguez told The Post yesterday at the American League All-Stars' press conference.

MLB and Fox to Announce 7-Year Television Rights Extension  —  Yesterday, my article for Baseball Prospectus went into how MLB media revenues impact the overall health and wellbeing of Major League Baseball.  A key element of that discussion - and one that has been a looming topic …

Nats' New Owners Hoping Changes Lure Fans to RFK  —  Faced with sluggish attendance and a last-place team, the incoming owners of the Washington Nationals said yesterday they will reduce the price of 2,000 upper-deck seats, some to as low as $3 each, and cut the cost of some refreshments in an effort to attract more fans.

Count gimmick out  —  Playing game for home field is lame  —  PITTSBURGH - They'll be playing tonight's All-Star Game without the DH, which supposedly should give the NL a little extra advantage, if only because David Ortiz will have to flash some leather at first base for the first few innings.

Why so many home runs?  —  PITTSBURGH — Major League Baseball insists its steroid-testing policy is the most stringent in sports.  Federal agents, with the raid of an infamous Bay Area laboratory and a former pitcher's home, let baseball fans know they're cracking down on the use of illegal performance-enhancing drugs, too.

Under The Knife  —  Which Limp?  —  friendly  —  Contact  —  By the time you read this, I'll be in Pittsburgh.  Brad Wochomurka and I will be covering the All-Star Game for Baseball Prospectus Radio and, like last year, we'll talk with as many players as possible.

Klesko, Castilla could be on way out  —  Padres eye trading veterans for hitters  —  The Padres are looking to trade Ryan Klesko in August, and to trade for a third baseman and possibly a relief pitcher later this month, General Manager Kevin Towers said yesterday.

Kazmir soaking it all in  —  Young lefty basking in All-Star week celebration  —  PITTSBURGH — Scott Kazmir's first All-Star experience couldn't have started out any better.  —  Following Sunday's game against the Yankees, shortstop Alex Rodriguez asked the Devil Rays ace if he wanted …

POWER PLAYS  —  MINAYA, CASHMAN MUST NOT REPEAT BAD DEALS OF THE PAST  —  "With great power comes great responsibility."  - Uncle Ben to Peter Parker (Spider-Man)  —  THE most important players, right now, for the Mets and Yankees carry Blackberrys.  The statistic to watch is cell minutes used.

Baker at the break  —  After a difficult 2005 season, Dusty Baker returned to his California home from a Hawaiian vacation with a new mantra he hoped to carry into 2006:  —  "No worries."  —  But the first half of '06 has produced one headache after another, and now Baker's uncertain job status threatens …

White Sox Pursuing Jason Schmidt?  —  Of couple of ESPN columnists seem to have independently arrived at the same trade rumor in their blogs in recent days.  Buster Olney's source is a "talent evaluator" while Jayson Stark got word from "an executive who has heard this talk."