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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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.
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Marty Noble / MLB.com:Notes: Beltran playing with sore knee
Discussion:
The Musings and Prophecies …
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.
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.
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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
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
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 …
Discussion:
Can't Stop The Bleeding
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.
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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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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
NY Daily News:
HoJo hangs on as hitting coach — WASHINGTON - Howard Johnson will resume his job as Triple-A Norfolk's hitting coach Monday, after completing a 10-day suspension, Mets special assistant Tony Bernazard said yesterday. — Johnson was sent home Aug. 4 after returning from his son's baseball tournament.
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 …
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
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 …
