Top News:
Gordon Edes / Boston Globe:
Japan trip appeals to Papelbon, not team — ANAHEIM, Calif. — Jonathan Papelbon has been asked by Major League Baseball to be a member of the team of major league players traveling to Japan to play a series of exhibitions in November. Papelbon said yesterday he wants to go, but the club would prefer he take a pass.
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Jeff Horrigan / Boston Herald:
Sore knee sends Manny for an MRI — ANAHEIM, Calif. - Manny Ramirez' return to the Red Sox lineup last night was a brief one and the team may now be without him for an extended period of time due to a sore right knee. — Ramirez, who was restricted to a pinch-hitting appearance in Tuesday's loss …
Discussion:
Ben Maller's Sports …
David Heuschkel / Hartford Courant:
Mirabelli: One Game At A Time — ANAHEIM, Calif. — The last time the Red Sox were surrounded by this much negativity was in the 2004 ALCS after the Yankees pounded them 19-8 to take a 3-0 lead. — As one of the holdovers from the team that rallied to win the series …
Discussion:
The Joy of Sox
Tony Massarotti / Boston Herald:
Manny's still easy target - But he's not to blame — ANAHEIM, Calif. - He is human, despite our perception of him, and so you cannot help but wonder: How many times is Manny Ramirez left shaking his head? How many runs must he knock in and how many home runs must he hit before we start …
Jeff Horrigan / Boston Herald:Sox' prayers answered — Losing streak ends with win over Halos
Discussion:
The Soxaholix
Chris Girandola / MLB.com:
Mets show Cards who's boss — Three big offensive innings help Trachsel to win No. 13 — NEW YORK — The Cardinals came into New York playing second fiddle to the Mets in the National League standings, but this series presented an opportunity for the Redbirds to send a message to the National League's best.
Discussion:
Red Hot Mama
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Chris Needham / Capitol Punishment:
Stack 'Em Up — It's been a few months since I've done one of these, so let's see how our batters compare position by position to their friends around the league. — All stats are by players at that respective position and don't necessarily reflect their total stats. 40 AB minimum
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Barry Svrluga / Washington Post:'Frustrated' Nationals Irk Bowden
Discussion:
MLB.com, Federal Baseball, District of Baseball, Nationals Baseball Fan and William F. Yurasko
Ken Gurnick / MLB.com:
Ejections mar Dodgers' loss to Padres — Little tossed for first time in LA; Penny, Lugo also thrown out — SAN DIEGO — For the Dodgers, baseball has become as complicated as 1-2-3. — One is the number of games left of their National League West lead after they were swept by the Padres …
Discussion:
6-4-2
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Amanda Branam / MLB.com:
Williams looks to finish off sweep of LA — San Diego (64-62) vs. Los Angeles (66-60), 7:05 p.m. PT — From first place to a team fading fast to a team back in the hunt, the Padres have had a little of everything through the first nine games of their 10-game homestand.
Steve Henson / Los Angeles Times:
Dodgers Feeling Ejected — Lugo, Little and Penny are thrown out, but most of the damage is already done, as the Padres complete a sweep with 7-2 victory and cut lead to one game. — SAN DIEGO — All it lacked was music and a circle of chairs. — A scene as childish as it was surreal played …
Paul Hagen / Philly.com:
WILD HORSES — Myers, Howard, Rollins help close gap in race — CHICAGO - Even before the first pitch was thrown and the sun began to set on the ancient bricks and ivy of Wrigley Field and the azure expanse of Lake Michigan several blocks beyond the bleachers in right …
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Dan Shaughnessy / Boston Globe:
Some advice: Don't look now — ANAHEIM, Calif. — Going into last night's game, the Red Sox had lost six straight, the most since Joe "The Nutty Professor" Kerrigan manned Boston's Southbound Train in 2001. — The 2006 Sox had lost 10 1/2 games in the standings since July 4.
Bill Center / San Diego Union-Tribune:
Park out at least a month after intestinal surgery — Padres pitcher Chan Ho Park will miss at least the next four weeks of the season after undergoing surgery yesterday to halt the bleeding in his small intestine. — "We're looking at four weeks at the earliest before he can return …
Discussion:
Ducksnorts
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Pat Borzi / New York Times:
Wang Finds His Sinker Against Mariners — Jason Giambi was greeted in the dugout after scoring on Robinson Canó's single in the first inning. The hit also drove in Bobby Abreu. — Only one other player, Octavio Dotel, was in the Yankees' clubhouse Wednesday afternoon …
Discussion:
Pinstripe Alley
David Andriesen / Seattle Post-Intelligencer:
Mariners Notebook: A lesson in patience — Young Mariners hitters learning to see more pitches — If it seems like the Yankees are up to bat every time you look at the television this week, it's not your imagination. They spend a lot of time at the plate.
Discussion:
U.S.S. Mariner
Troy E. Renck / Denver Post:
Lack of key hits puts heat on Espy — Milwaukee - In the end, the Rockies' playoff hopes will likely RIP because of RISP. — Colorado has hit .244 with runners in scoring position since May 1, second-worst in baseball. No team has a lower average (.227) after the seventh inning.
Peter Botte / NY Daily News:
Pedro's boot not kicked yet — Pedro Martinez temporarily gave his fashionable footwear the boot yesterday to play catch with bullpen coach Guy Conti in the outfield grass. — But the Mets' ace revealed that doctors have told him he'll have to keep his strained right calf immobilized for at least another week.
