Top News:
Associated Press:
Padres-Giants Preview — The San Francisco Giants have surged their way back into first place in the National League West thanks to their longest winning streak of the season. — They try to keep it going and extend their lead when they wrap up a four-game series with the San Diego Padres at AT&T Park.
Discussion:
Ducksnorts
RELATED ITEMS:
Lyle Spencer / MLB.com:
Hensley hoping to sink Giants — San Diego (50-47) at San Francisco (51-47), 1:05 p.m. PT — Looking to lift the Padres' spirits, Clay Hensley takes his sinking fastball to the mound Sunday against the Giants' deep, dangerous lineup. The tenacious Texan will face right-hander Jamey Wright in the series finale at AT&T Park.
Associated Press:Schmidt wins first game in more than six weeks, Giants top Pads
Discussion:
The Griddle
Alan Schwarz / New York Times:Projecting Pitching Prowess: More Alchemy Than Art
Discussion:
Honest Wagner
CBS SportsLine.com:
Boston's rookie lefty right at home in return to Seattle — Boston Herald — SEATTLE — Thus far, Boston rookie Jon Lester has passed every conceivable test. — He pitched well after a near five-hour rain delay in his major league debut. He pitched through self-imposed jams, limiting damage.
Discussion:
SawxBlog
RELATED ITEMS:
Karen Guregian / Boston Herald:
Hometown's abuzz on Lester's return — SEATTLE - When it comes to producing athletic superstars, Bellarmine Preparatory School in Tacoma may not be in the same league as Junipero Serra High in San Mateo, Calif. — Really now, how does any school compete with the likes of Junipero alums Tom Brady, Lynn Swann and Barry Bonds?
David Heuschkel / Hartford Courant:
Lester Trying To Treat This As Just Another Start — SEATTLE — It won't be anything like his major league debut at Fenway Park, sitting in the clubhouse an extra five hours because of a rain delay. — This one is in Jon Lester's backyard. He will have a sizable cheering section today …
Discussion:
MLB.com
Ian Browne / MLB.com:
Lester to meet Mariners in finale — Boston (59-37) at Seattle (46-51), 4:05 p.m. ET — It wasn't all that long ago that Jon Lester was just another resident of Tacoma, Wash., who happened to idolize Ken Griffey Jr. and the Seattle Mariners. Griffey is as long gone from Seattle …
Tyler Kepner / New York Times:
Rodriguez Is All Smiles as His Mistakes Mount — TORONTO, July 22 — The video board at Rogers Center is 33 feet high and 110 feet wide. Each time he struck out Saturday, Alex Rodriguez turned his head toward it to watch the replay as he walked back to the dugout.
Discussion:
Bronx Banter
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Sam Borden / NY Daily News:Torre: Alex woes unlike Knobby's throws
Discussion:
Can't Stop The Bleeding
Kat O'Brien / Dallas Star-Telegram:
Deal with it: This trading deadline could be a dud — There's so much talk right now about who might go where, and which team is after who, and who's on or off the trading block. And it's all fascinating stuff, but I'm getting the feeling the actual action might not match the buildup.
Discussion:
MLB Trade Rumors
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New York Post:
BEST BAD TRADE THEY EVER MADE — KAZMIR RIPOFF SPURRED AMAZIN' TRANSFORMATION — July 23, 2006 — HERE is a warning to Mets fans: You aren't going to like this column. Your anger will not be enabled here. Your frustrations will find no friend in the coming 900 words.
Discussion:
...getting paid to watch
Jon Paul Morosi / USA Today:
Encyclopedic memory helps Dombrowski build winners — DETROIT — Baseball people talk about tools. Plus bat. Power arm. Hard slider. — Hammer curve. The words form the language of an industry that speculates on the aptitude, mental makeup and performance of real people.
Discussion:
Baseball Musings
Nick Cafardo / Boston Globe:
Teams may make power play — Peña could interest those looking ahead — The tools that attracted Red Sox general manager Theo Epstein and his staff to Wily Mo Peña are the same tools that have teams that are out of contention eyeing Peña now.
Phil Rogers / Chicago Tribune:
Gibbons forces GM into action — A week ago we wrote about how some critical comments by general manager J.P. Ricciardi had alienated some Toronto veterans. But it was manager John Gibbons, not Ricciardi, who insisted on sacking Shea Hillenbrand after a childish stunt by Hillenbrand.
Troy E. Renck / Denver Post:
Win-now mentality must wait — The Rockies are a team given to an easy smile and enormous faith. But the way they have played the past two weeks has caused them to entertain doubt. They are not sure they can win the National League West or even finish with a .500 record. — And yet, there's no panic.
Discussion:
Honest Wagner
Dejan Kovacevic / Pittsburgh Post-Gazette:
Pirates Notebook: Theft rate not so grand — MIAMI — The Pirates are not a fast team, to be generous, but neither are their ankles anchored to first base upon arrival. — Which makes it seem puzzling, perhaps, that their totals of 30 stolen bases and 42 attempts each ranks last in the National League.
Ken Belson / New York Times:
The House That Steinbrenner Is Building — IT'S another June evening in baseball and the Boston Red Sox are visiting New York for the latest showdown with their archenemy, the Yankees. As it is at every meeting between the teams, the stadium is packed and crackling with energy.
