Top News:
Lisa Gray / The Dugout:
Starting Over — Well, we surely DO need to start over. — If I said we've been sucking, it's because it's the nicest way I could think to say it. We started out just great - had the best ever April in franchise history, then proceded to just suck - except for Lance and Roy - and Mike Lamb, who picked it up after May.
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Chris Duncan / Associated Press:
Astros fire Gaetti, promote Berry from minors — HOUSTON (AP) — The Houston Astros shook up their slumping offense Wednesday night by firing hitting coach Gary Gaetti. — The Astros have the second-worst batting average in the National League and their run totals (408) ranks 23rd in the majors.
Alyson Footer / MLB.com:
Gaetti relieved of duties by Astros — Houston hires Berry to serve as interim hitting coach — HOUSTON — Tim Purpura sent two very powerful messages to Astros' hitters on Wednesday, and judging from the weight of both transactions, the general manager is not amused by what has taken place on the field this season.
Discussion:
Viva El Birdos
Dallas Morning News:
This Rangers edition needs additions — It wasn't so much the moment when Michael Young drilled the triple into right-center field that would win the All-Star Game for the American League on Tuesday night. — It was a minute or two later when, the inning over, Young ran down the dugout steps …
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Kat O'Brien / Dallas Star-Telegram:
Title thoughts — Tied for first, Rangers aim to win AL West — Just 2 1/2 games separate the first-place Rangers and Oakland Athletics from the last-place Seattle Mariners in the American League West. What the Rangers need to do — and keep doing — to help their chances of winning the AL West for the first time since 1999:
Discussion:
Lone Star Ball
Joe Strauss / St. Louis Post-Dispatch:
Ponson will be cut loose — Rebuffed in attempts to trade Sidney Ponson, the Cardinals are expected to officially part ways today with the pitcher. — Ponson, designated for assignment Friday hours after making a quality start in a loss against the Houston Astros, is due to clear release waivers this afternoon, according to sources.
Discussion:
Baseball Musings
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Tony Massarotti / Boston Herald:
Sox knee-d to keep Manny happy — If you are the Red Sox, you ultimately have one decision. Either you tick off Manny Ramirez or you tick off Major League Baseball, and we all know that it has been quite some time since Bud Selig knocked in a run. — The Red Sox will open the second half …
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Nick Cafardo / Boston Globe:
Ramírez expected to start — GM: It's 'status quo' with outfielder's knee — Manny Ramírez hit 24 home runs in the first half of the season, part of the reason he was named an All-Star for the 10th time in his career. (AP Photo) — Manny Ramírez …
Discussion:
Basegirl
Tyler Kepner / New York Times:
Failure? The Possibility Exists — It may be a fallacy, this notion that the Yankees have a mandate to win a championship every season. For five years, they have not done it. And what has changed? — Joe Torre is still the manager. Brian Cashman is still the general manager.
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Anthony McCarron / NY Daily News:
Five questions Yanks must answer in 2nd half — Joe Torre described the Yankee first half as filled with "a lot of work, with all the injuries." — But with his team facing a three-game deficit against the Red Sox, a host of Central Division teams sniffing for the AL wild card …
Roger Rubin / NY Daily News:
On Letterman, Mets' David has Wright stuff — David Wright became a baseball star in the first half of this season. During the All-Star break he went supernova. — Wright capped his break, in which he finished second in the Home Run Derby, started in his first All-Star Game and hit …
Discussion:
Metsblog.com
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Mark Hale / New York Post:TOAST OF TOWN — DAVID HAS 'LATE NIGHT' VISIT WITH DAVE
Discussion:
Chicks Dig The Pitchers' Duel
Jin Az / On Baseball and the Reds:
Reds Blogger Roundtable, July '06 — I was fortunate enough to receive an invitation to attend the Reds' Bloggers' Mid-Season Roundtable discussion on Monday night. There were eight participants, and each of us has been allocated one section of the chat log to post on our blogs. I got section VII.
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Todd Lighty / Chicago Tribune:
Big Hurt sues 2 of Sox's doctors — Claims foot fracture missed in diagnosis — Former White Sox slugger Frank Thomas alleges in a lawsuit he filed Wednesday that two of the team's doctors failed to detect he had broken his foot in 2004—an injury that subsequently led to his departure from Chicago.
Discussion:
BBTF's Baseball Primer …
ESPN:
Report: Ex-friend told feds Bonds used steroids — Barry Bonds' former best friend and business associate told investigators that the San Francisco Giants slugger used steroids and suffered "roid rages," his lawyer told The New York Times. — Steve Hoskins also told investigators …
Discussion:
Baseball Musings
Paul Katcher / ESPN:
Your jersey is talking — Tuesday's All-Star Game in Pittsburgh allows for two rare happenings: actual baseball talent in Pittsburgh and a chance for fans of different major league teams to congregate since they last saw each other at Tampa-area strip clubs during spring training.
Barry Svrluga / Washington Post:
Nationals Are Ready For Their Makeover — Team Weighing Moves Before Trade Deadline — The group of Washington Nationals who leave tonight for Pittsburgh and the post-all-star break portion of their season are little more than a ragtag bunch who have, by their manager's estimation, underachieved.
Fox Sports:
Ten burning questions for second half — It's July, time for the All-Star break, and the first half of the 2006 season is over and done with. Now, it's time to get down to business. — As is the case with any other season, this year's MLB model figures to provide us with another engaging stretch drive …
Boston Globe:
Fenway for free — A sneak peek into how teens find the cheapest way to see Sox — There was a little blood spilled sneaking into Fenway Park to see the great Pedro Martínez pitch against his old pals last month. — ``It was worth it," says Josh Earle, a 16-year-old from Roslindale …
Rocky Mountain News:
Rockies overview, July 13 — WHAT WENT RIGHT — Jason Jennings, Aaron Cook and Jeff Francis became a legitimate 1-2-3 foundation for the rotation and got support from Josh Fogg and Byung-Hyun Kim. The five have given the Rockies stability never before seen at altitude, having started 83 of 87 games in the first half.
Discussion:
Purple Row
