Top News:
Mike DiGiovanna / Los Angeles Times:
It's a Dream Start for Rookie — After a restless night, Saunders shakes off the nerves to lead the Angels to a 7-4 victory over the Yankees as Izturis continues his hot streak. — NEW YORK — The butterflies began tap-dancing in his stomach long before rookie Joe Saunders stepped onto the Yankee Stadium mound Friday night.
Discussion:
Bronx Banter
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Richard Durrett / Dallas Morning News:
Rangers' Volquez steps into a comfort zone — Pitcher has worked on fastball command and feels more prepared — ARLINGTON - Rangers pitching coach Mark Connor had a straightforward message for 23-year-old Edinson Volquez when they worked in the bullpen Thursday.
Discussion:
Lone Star Ball
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D.C. Reeves / MLB.com:
Notes: Young back in the fold — Veteran signs Minor League deal with likely Sept. 1 callup — ARLINGTON — Eric Young, a key contributor to the 2004 Texas Rangers, was signed to a Minor League contract on Friday. — The 39-year old was released by the San Diego Padres on Aug. 1 to make room for the newly-acquired Todd Walker.
Howard Kussoy / MLB.com:
Benson makes his return at Fenway — Baltimore (51-65) at Boston (66-48), 1:25 p.m. ET — In the midst of a six-game road trip against the top two teams in the American League East, the Orioles need all the help they can get. — Looking to turn around Baltimore's 3-6 start to August …
Discussion:
The Joy of Sox
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Howard Kussoy / MLB.com:
Boston eyeing repeat win vs. Baltimore — Baltimore (51-65) at Boston (66-48), 1:25 p.m. ET — Snapping a season-high five-game losing streak with Friday night's win, the Red Sox showed how happy they are to return home after a horrific 1-5 road trip against two last-place teams.
Ian Browne / MLB.com:
Boomer busts five-game skid — Wells records career victory No. 228 and first of season — BOSTON — The uniquely passionate and large fandom that follows the Red Sox couldn't help but be in full-throttle, fret mode on the heels of the club's 1-5 road trip through last-place posts Tampa Bay and Kansas City.
Associated Press:
Padres-Astros Preview — A second-half surge last season helped the Houston Astros get into the postseason. The same formula may work this season as well. — Houston looks for its season-high fifth straight win when its continues a weekend series with the San Diego Padres on Saturday.
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ESPN:
Will Reds hold up down the stretch? — No offense to the fans in Cincinnati, Denver, Phoenix and the National League's other wild-card hot spots, but it would be a mistake to characterize their teams' little competition as a "race.'' — The Indy 500, Iditarod and Kentucky Derby are races.
Discussion:
Purple Row
Ben Shpigel / New York Times:
Mets Support Lo Duca as Gambling Stories Swirl — Paul Lo Duca signing autographs at R.F.K. Stadium. Lo Duca was acquired from the Marlins in December. — The Mets rode into town Friday with a 14-game division lead that is swelling at the same pace as the potential headache surrounding their All-Star catcher, Paul Lo Duca.
Discussion:
The Griddle
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Marty Noble / MLB.com:Notes: Beltran playing with sore knee
Discussion:
The Musings and Prophecies …
Conor Nicholl / MLB.com:
Mulder shaky in second rehab start — Left-hander allows four runs in four innings of work — MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Through two innings, Mark Mulder felt great. The next inning, though, yielded a far different outcome. — Making a rehab start for Triple-A Memphis on Friday night at AutoZone Park …
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Joe Strauss / St. Louis Post-Dispatch:
Mulder nets mixed results in minor league start — MEMPHIS — Lefthander Mark Mulder took another step in his seven-week rehab from shoulder stiffness Friday night at Auto Zone Park. The Cardinals will devote this weekend to determining whether it was a sideways shuffle or a step forward.
Paul Sullivan / Chicago Tribune:
Prior to DL? Velocity dip a concern — DENVER — Mark Prior's lost season grew dimmer Friday. — Instead of flying with the Cubs from Milwaukee to Denver, the club sent the right-hander to Chicago to have team physician Stephen Gryzlo examine his shoulder.
Discussion:
CubsNet.com
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Nick Cafardo / Boston Globe:
Without Varitek, young staff caught off guard — KANSAS CITY, Mo. — One thing is obvious: The Red Sox pitching staff really misses Jason Varitek. — Nobody is pointing fingers at Javy Lopez and Doug Mirabelli, but the small nuances of Varitek's game are lost inside the white lines.
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Sam Borden / NY Daily News:
Pavano in fan flap — Carl Pavano was involved in a verbal dispute with a fan at his rehab outing in Tampa on Thursday night, during which he made an off-color remark alluding to the fan's sexual orientation, according to sources. — The fan was heckling Pavano all night …
Michael Walsh / MLB.com:
Nats, Mets recognize Negro Leagues — Teams don uniforms of Homestead Grays and NY Cubans — WASHINGTON — With just two hours remaining before Friday night's game between the Nationals and Mets, neither New York's road gray jerseys nor Washington's home whites hung in the respective players' lockers.
Discussion:
District of Baseball
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Joe Capozzi / Palm Beach Post:
Girardi was to be fired — PHOENIX — Turns out there was a good reason Sunday for the Marlins to make preparations for an impromptu news conference: Owner Jeffrey Loria was going to announce that he had fired manager Joe Girardi. — But Loria was persuaded to change his mind …
Jeff Passan / Yahoo! Sports:
Tigers' passion play — CHICAGO - Jim Leyland is smoking a cigarette. — Wait. No. Every Jim Leyland story starts with him smoking a cigarette. Jim Leyland is not about cigarettes. He is about passion. So let's try again. — Jim Leyland is standing on the grass at U.S. Cellular Field.
Discussion:
TigerBlog
Pat Borzi / New York Times:
Liriano's Eagerness Leads to a Lesson in Honesty — The meeting, as Minnesota Twins Manager Ron Gardenhire described it, was not even close to a dialogue. — Pitcher Francisco Liriano sat in the visiting manager's office at Comerica Park in Detroit on Tuesday afternoon listening to Gardenhire …
