Top News:
Dave van Dyck / Chicago Tribune:
Sox creep closer to Tigers with win — This one came as a bonus, like finding a nice big bone during baseball's Dog Days of August. — Beating the Tigers is really nothing new to the White Sox this season, considering their 8-3 head-to-head mismatch. Beating the Tigers with four unearned runs …
Discussion:
Exile in Wrigleyville
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Dave van Dyck / Chicago Tribune:Contreras notches 1st career shutout
Discussion:
Exile in Wrigleyville
NY Daily News:
MLB refused to gamble on Lo Duca tips — Major League Baseball apparently was concerned enough about reports of Paul Lo Duca's possible involvement with online gambling and bookmakers, according to sources, that it sent its security force through spring training this year with a beefed-up message: Be careful who you gamble with.
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David Lennon / Newsday:
With Floyd out, club eyes Green — STAFF CORRESPONDENT; Staff writer Ken Davidoff contributed to this notebook. — WASHINGTON - The Mets have asked about Arizona's Shawn Green, a baseball official confirmed Friday night, but any deal could be held up by the fact that the outfielder has a no-trade clause that includes New York.
Discussion:
SportsWorldNY
Jose De Jesus Ortiz / Houston Chronicle:
If 29 GMs pass on someone, it should be a sign — Giving Wilson chance to latch on with another team was the right call — Second-guessing is so easy, but it would be silly to blame the Astros for the Preston Wilson signing or the club's decision to designate the veteran outfielder for assignment Saturday.
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Ryan Mink / MLB.com:
Yanks' Cano stays hot since return — Second baseman clubs three-run homer for winning margin — NEW YORK — Yankees players and manager Joe Torre went out of their way to make sure they didn't insult Miguel Cairo. He did an adequate job filling in for Robinson Cano for about six weeks, they said.
Discussion:
Off the Facade
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Jason Diamos / New York Times:Rodriguez Says Errors Are Just Part of Game
Discussion:
New York Post
John Marshall / Associated Press:
Prior back on DL, could be done for the year — DENVER (AP) — The Chicago Cubs placed Mark Prior on the 15-day disabled list Saturday with shoulder tendinitis, a move that could mean an end to the right-hander's season. — Prior has been on the DL eight times in his four-year career in the majors, including three this season.
Discussion:
CubsNet.com
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Tony DeMarco / MLB.com:
Prior to be shut down to rest shoulder — Right-hander might miss remainder of season — DENVER — Mark Prior's season likely will end where it started — on the disabled list. — The Chicago Cubs announced on Saturday that Prior has been shut down for a minimum of three weeks due to tendinitis in his right shoulder.
Zachary Levine / MLB.com:
Michalak saves the day for Cincinnati — Newcomer tosses 6 2/3 solid innings as Reds hang on — PHILADELPHIA — When Chris Michalak woke up on Saturday, he was a 35-year-old Minor Leaguer in a hotel room in Charlotte, N.C. He'd bounced around 10 organizations and was without a whiff of the Majors in four years.
Discussion:
Cincinnati Reds
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Michael Lazarus / Fox Sports:
Rivera plummets in latest ranking the closers — People will look at this week's closer rankings, see Mariano Rivera at No. 14 and think we're nuts. — Do we think Rivera is just the 14th-best closer in baseball. Of course not. — But for the purpose of these rankings …
Alyson Footer / MLB.com:
Astros designate Wilson for assignment — Move made to make room for rookie right-hander Hirsh — HOUSTON — The Houston Astros were faced with a difficult decison on Saturday when they had to decide who to remove from the 25-man roster in order to open a spot for rookie right-hander Jason Hirsh.
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Nick Cafardo / Boston Globe:
Dealer's choices tend to pay — At 72, Lajoie is still a source of sage advice — Bill Lajoie is a veteran deal-maker who even at the ripe old age of 72 has managed to put his touch on two contenders in the same season. Which is why the architect of very good Tiger teams in the '80s …
Bill Shaikin / Los Angeles Times:
Billingsley in the Rotation 'Right Now' — The Dodgers' patience with rookie Chad Billingsley appears to be eroding. After the latest start in which he walked too many and taxed the bullpen again, Manager Grady Little said it was "in discussion" whether Billingsley would make his next start …
Arshad Mohammed / Washington Post:
Comcast To Raise Rates for Nationals — Comcast Corp. said yesterday that it would raise cable TV rates by $2 a month for its 1.6 million Washington-Baltimore area customers this fall because of the cost of carrying the network that broadcasts most of the Washington Nationals' baseball games.
Julian Benbow / Boston Globe:
Wells provides remedy — Five straight losses to teams that can barely string together five straight wins, and Red Sox Nation is gloom and doom, or better yet, ``sound and fury. Trade-deadline decisions are second-guessed. — Playoff hopes are dashed. — Postseason reservations are again made at the drawing board.
Discussion:
The Feeding the Monster Blog
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Evan Grant / Dallas Morning News:
Rangers' Wells may be out by foot — Injury could force right-hander to put off next scheduled start — ARLINGTON - Once again, the Rangers' rotation remains uncertain because of questions about Kip Wells' health. — Wells is scheduled to pitch Thursday at Detroit …
Joe Capozzi / Palm Beach Post:
Olsen loses edge on road — PHOENIX — Until Saturday, there was no place like the road for Marlins pitcher Scott Olsen. — For no apparent reason, Olsen had been enjoying a 5-1 record this season when not starting at home, where he is 4-4. — But in one ugly inning Saturday night at Chase Field …
Murray Chass / New York Times:
Dodgers Take the Lead Out West, for Now — WHEN the Los Angeles Dodgers supplanted San Diego in first place in the National League West on Thursday, they completed a remarkable cycle. Their climb to the top meant they had been in every one of the five places in the division standings since the All-Star Game.
David Lennon / Newsday:
The Mets' $oriano in 2007? — WASHINGTON — The Mets repeatedly tried to trade for Alfonso Soriano during his final two years in Texas, but they refused to give up Jose Reyes, Scott Kazmir or Lastings Milledge. — Once this season is over, however, all Soriano will cost the Mets is money …
