Top News:
Ronald Blum / Associated Press:
Sheffield willing to shift to first — NEW YORK (AP) — Gary Sheffield embraced Bobby Abreu's arrival with the New York Yankees, saying he would shift to first base if needed. — "I gave him a hug. I wanted him to feel welcome," Sheffield said Tuesday after Abreu reported to the Yankees …
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Dan Shaughnessy / Boston Globe:
This hit-maker is off the charts — David Ortiz has elevated the fan experience to a new level. He has taken New England sports fans to a place where no others have been. He has put them in a state of mind where they expect a game-winning home run. And he has delivered. — Does anyone know how hard this is?
Discussion:
Dan Shaughnessy Watch
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Gordon Edes / Boston Globe:
Walk and roll — Ortiz trots out oldie but goodie: game-ending HR — John W. Henry thought he'd said everything he wanted to say about David Ortiz once before, under similarly inspiring circumstances. But on second thought . . . ``So," Henry said on a Fenway Park elevator that could not muffle the chants of ``MVP!
Redsock / The Joy of Sox:
David Ortiz in Walkoff Situations — David Ortiz gets another game-winning hit at Fenway Park and we hear it everywhere — he did it again, it's more surprising when he doesn't win the game, is he human? — but is it true? Does Ortiz excel over and above his usual performance in walk-off situations?
Discussion:
striketwo.net
Dejan Kovacevic / Pittsburgh Post-Gazette:
Pirates give up five players, get Nady, Chacon — Team saves $5.4 million, but what about first base? — Post-Gazette — The Pirates had been determined to peddle away as many veteran, pending free agents as possible by Major League Baseball's trading deadline, and they certainly achieved that.
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Ben Shpigel / New York Times:Sánchez Injured, and Mets Trade Nady to Fill Void
Discussion:
The Eddie Kranepool Society
ESPN:
Report: Varitek to have surgery on injured knee — BOSTON — Boston Red Sox catcher Jason Varitek will have arthroscopic surgery for cartilage damage in the left knee he injured in Monday night's game, The Boston Globe reported. — The club gave no indication Monday how long Varitek …
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Gordon Edes / Extra Bases:Surgery for 'Tek — The Boston Globe has learned from team sources …
Discussion:
Basegirl
Bernie Wilson / Associated Press:
Padres get Todd Walker to help out at third — SAN DIEGO (AP) — Todd Walker is about to find out how good of a third baseman he is. — And the San Diego Padres got through the non-waiver trade deadline Monday without parting with any relievers — specifically setup man Scott Linebrink …
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Jerry Crasnick / ESPN:
Limited trade opportunities in August … Baseball's non-waiver deadline has passed, and it's time for general managers Brian Cashman, Jon Daniels and Wayne Krivsky to put down their cell phones, enjoy a hot meal and re-introduce themselves to their families. — Pretty good theater, huh?
Discussion:
Lone Star Ball
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Phil Rogers / Chicago Tribune:
Getting shortstop a huge steal — Greg Maddux? I hate to see him go. More to the point, so does everyone in the Cubs organization and anyone in Chicago lucky enough to have encountered him. — The man's not an aging right-hander; he's a national treasure.
Ken Rosenthal / Fox Sports:
Trade deadline losers — Fans often like to play general manager, thinking the job is easy. It isn't, but the listlessness of certain teams at the non-waiver deadline will give fresh impetus to all those wanna-be GMs. — Orioles — It took effort to beat out the Red Sox for the top spot, it really did.
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Thomas Boswell / Washington Post:
The Left Fielder Stays in the Picture — In the end, the Nationals chose to believe Alfonso Soriano's words and, in a sense, trust his smile. Instead of worrying that they might look like saps in a few months, the Nats took a chance on laying the groundwork for a beautiful friendship.
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Andrew Marchand / New York Post:
TRASH-TALK:CASHMAN RIPS RUSSO — Yankee GM Brian Cashman lambasted WFAN talk show host Chris Russo yesterday in a loud exchange that was ignited by Russo branding the newly acquired Cory Lidle as "not a good pitcher." — By the end of the heated 15-minute interview, Russo apologized for upsetting Cashman.
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Tyler Kepner / New York Times:Waiting Game Works to Yankees' Advantage
Discussion:
Ben Maller's Sports …
Tim Marchman / New York Sun:
Crafty Mets Steal the Pirates' Family Jewels — Let's give Omar Minaya some credit for quick thinking. Late Sunday night he learned that setup man Duaner Sanchez had been involved in an auto accident and that his shoulder was badly injured. He managed to keep the news from leaking …
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Joe Strauss / St. Louis Post-Dispatch:
Cards land Sosa near deadline — The Cardinals created a ripple rather than a splash eight minutes before Major League Baseball's non-waiver trade deadline at 3 p.m. Monday. — After seeking an impact bat for the past month, the NL Central leaders at 2:52 p.m. traded for Atlanta Braves …
Discussion:
Viva El Birdos
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Jeff Blair / Globe and Mail:Blue Jays stand pat; Maddux a Dodger
Discussion:
Batter's Box Interactive …
Jayson Stark / ESPN:
McLane fails to do the right thing for Rocket … It was a deal that would have wiped all the other deals off the back page, the front page and all the pages in between. — It was a deal that would have changed history — and pennant races. — It was a deal that didn't happen this weekend …
Discussion:
FIRE JOE MORGAN, Lone Star Ball, SportsJustice, It's Mets For Me and 3,079 Miles to Fenway …
George King / New York Post:
BRIAN CASHES IN YET AGAIN — RHODES BLASTS 'SCAB' LIDLE — New Yankee starter Cory Lidle saying there were some Phillies who didn't expect to win ticked off former teammate and fellow pitcher Arthur Rhodes, who unloaded on Lidle to The Post yesterday. — In a conference call …
Sports Illustrated:
Major League Baseball suspends seven minor leaguers for violating drug policy — NEW YORK (AP) -Major League Baseball suspended seven minor leaguers on Tuesday for violating the drug prevention and treatment program. — Cole Flowers of the Atlanta Braves and Kengshill Pujols …
Baseball America:
1. Alex Gordon, 3b, Royals (Double-A Wichita) … IN THE TEAM PHOTO … THE NOT-SO-HOT SHEET … BLAST FROM THE PAST … HELIUM WATCH
