Top News:
Bill Ladson / MLB.com:
Soriano unaffected by unfamiliarity — Left fielder goes 1-for-2 in first National League All-Star action — PITTSBURGH — In his previous three All-Star Games, Nationals outfielder Alfonso Soriano knew everyone on the American League team, from the Yankees' Derek Jeter to Rangers shortstop Michael Young.
Discussion:
District of Baseball
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Richard Justice / Houston Chronicle:
Loss' lessons may pay off in October — PITTSBURGH — Phil Garner had positioned the National League to win its first — "I couldn't have scripted it any better," he said later. — Indeed. — This was a Garner game in substance and style. The go-ahead run scored during …
Associated Press:
AL no one's junior; Young's ninth-inning triple downs NL yet again — CBS SportsLine.com wire reports — PITTSBURGH — No matter who's on the mound, the National League can't find a way to close out an All-Star Game. — With the American League down to its final strike …
Jerry Crasnick / ESPN:
NL lineups aren't as deep … There are lots of surer bets than the American League beating the National League in a head-to-head matchup. — Try Phil Mickelson out-finessing Charles Barkley in a closest-to-the-pin contest. Or Takeru Kobayashi downing more all-beef wieners than Calista Flockhart.
Discussion:
Double Play Depth
Jeff Passan / Yahoo! Sports:
Selig promises to remedy blackouts — PITTSBURGH - Even the commissioner of baseball isn't immune to the sport's television blackout rules. — Bud Selig admitted Tuesday that he has been restricted from watching some games this season - and that he intends to change the policy that leaves …
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Mark Newman / MLB.com:
MLB, FOX reach seven-year extension — Network keeps World Series, will air LCS on rotating basis — PITTSBURGH — Joe Buck gets to keep the keys to the Porsche. — Standing next to the PNC Park batting cage a couple of hours before broadcasting another All-Star Game tonight to millions …
Murray Chass / New York Times:Future for the N.L. Is Looking as Dismal as the Past
Discussion:
Yankees 2000
Mike Berardino / Sun-Sentinel:
Uggla's focus is on HRs; second baseman given minicam to record Derby — PITTSBURGH — Dan Uggla has no experience as a videographer, but that didn't stop the Marlins second baseman from landing a freelance gig on All-Star Monday. — Upon hearing Uggla had shown up for his first All-Star …
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Steve Gilbert / MLB.com:
Uggla enjoys All-Star vacation — Second baseman has a blast, even though he doesn't play — PITTSBURGH — Dan Uggla didn't get into the game, but he enjoyed his All-Star experience to the hilt. — "It went about as good as it could go," he said. "Being around this whole experience speaks for itself.
Kevin Baxter / Miami Herald:
Uggla, Cabrera focus on fun — PITTSBURGH - Dan Uggla hitched a ride to the ballpark Tuesday. Well, actually, all the All-Stars did, riding down a red carpet over the Roberto Clemente Bridge in the back of a Chevy Avalanche. — But although Ivan Rodriguez brought his family and David Ortiz …
Discussion:
FishStripes
David Lennon / Newsday:
Reyes, Glavine settle for being All-Star spectators — The All-Star Game lost some of its sparkle for the Mets yesterday when Tom Glavine and Jose Reyes were forced to bow out. — Both still will attend the festivities in Pittsburgh. They just won't be playing.
Discussion:
www.transplantedmetsfan.com
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Associated Press:
Selig defends drug-testing program — PITTSBURGH (AP) — Bud Selig defended baseball's drug-testing program Tuesday and insisted the toughened policy is working, and later touched on recent scandals set off by Barry Bonds, Jose Canseco and Jason Grimsley. — "I really think steroid use has been minimized," the commissioner said.
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Chris De Luca / Chicago Sun Times:
Cora mishap with fungo bat KO's Zambrano — PITTSBURGH — A freak accident involving White Sox third base coach Joey Cora and Cubs All-Star Carlos Zambrano could send the right-hander to the disabled list for the first time since 2002. — Zambrano was the only Cubs representative …
NY Daily News:
Phil in blank — All-Star Confidential — PITTSBURGH - In their quest to land a power-hitting outfielder before the trading deadline, the Yankees are closely monitoring developments in Philadelphia, where GM Pat Gillick is seeking to dump the hefty contracts of Pat Burrell and Bobby Abreu.
Kevin Kernan / New York Post:
A-ROD AND BIG PAPI ARE FRIENDLY RIVALS — July 11, 2006 — NOTEBOOK PITTSBURGH - Yankees and Red Sox can be friends. — Alex Rodriguez was rooting for his Boston rival, David Ortiz, in last night's Home Run Derby at PNC Park, but that was not enough to carry Big Papi into the finals.
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Richard Sandomir / New York Times:
Cup Ratings Are Up, but Fans Deserve Better — The quadrennial visit of the World Cup must be viewed as a television success story. The final on Sunday attracted 16.9 million American viewers, and the star of stars, Zinédine Zidane of France, morphed from magician to the soccer equivalent …
Will Carroll / Baseball Prospectus:
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.
