Top News:
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 …
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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 …
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.
Jeff Horrigan / Boston Herald:Sox' prayers answered — Losing streak ends with win over Halos
Discussion:
The Soxaholix
Sports Illustrated:
Rebuilding the Reds (cont.) — 2. Mike Arbuckle, Phillies assistant GM — The longtime executive is red-hot with recent drafts, having selected Chase Utley, Ryan Howard and Cole Hamels. — 3. Mike Radcliff, Twins scouting director — The feeling was he couldn't go wrong with Joe Mauer …
Discussion:
Baby Bombers
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Ben Shpigel / New York Times:It's Vintage Trachsel: Poor Outing, Ugly Victory
Discussion:
Mike's Mets
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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Associated Press:
Notes: Thome expected to miss Twins series; ex-Phils groundskeeper sues team — DETROIT —Jim Thome is expected to miss the Chicago White Sox's key weekend series with the Minnesota Twins because of a strained hamstring. — Thome was hurt during Wednesday night's win in Detroit …
Discussion:
South Side Sox
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Associated Press:
Ex-groundskeeper sues Phillies — PHILADELPHIA (AP) — A former longtime groundskeeper for the Philadelphia Phillies filed an age discrimination lawsuit against the team, claiming he was repeatedly degraded by a younger supervisor. — Mark "Frog" Carfagno filed the complaint in federal court on Wednesday, his 53rd birthday.
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.
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Ian Browne / MLB.com:
Red Sox hope Beckett can right ship — Boston (70-56) at Los Angeles (67-60), 10:05 p.m. ET — Finally, the Red Sox can show up and just try to win a game, without the burden of ending a losing streak. — The Red Sox snapped their six-game skid Wednesday night and hand the ball …
Discussion:
The Joy of Sox
Carrie Muskat / MLB.com:
Notes: Cedeno reacquainted with short — Izturis' hamstring pain moves versatile infielder off second base — CHICAGO — Ronny Cedeno has had to dig his old shortstop glove out from the back of his locker. He's re-learning the position. — "I can tell how much difference there is," …
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Paul Sullivan / Chicago Tribune:Marmol's pitch count too high, Baker says
Discussion:
The Cub Reporter
Baseball America:
Stock Skips His Way To USC — Across America this month, millions of teenagers were preparing for their final year of high school, brushing up on their calculus and narrowing their list of colleges to attend a year from now. — Robert Stock is a year ahead of them.
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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Will Carroll / Baseball Prospectus:
Under The Knife — Sushi — I wish I could go the rest of my career without talking about steroids, amphetamines, groupies, divorces, cheaters, and jerks. I can't, but I notice one thing, over and over: it's all fair game until it's your guy. People ask how Giants fans can defend Barry Bonds …
Discussion:
WasWatching.com
Larry Stone / Seattle Times:
Snelling shows a healthy attitude — Chris Snelling is a Yoda man. — Always has been, from his early days in the minor leagues, when he affixed a picture of the Jedi master to his glove and would write "Yoda" on all his bats, to this very day, when he carries a Yoda stuffed doll with him as a good-luck talisman.
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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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
MLB.com:
Indians, Mariners complete trade — The Indians today acquired LHP Shawn Nottingham from the Seattle Mariners to complete the July 26th trade that sent 1B Ben Broussard to Seattle in exchange for OF Shin-Soo Choo and a player to be named. — Nottingham, 21, has spent the entire 2006 minor league season …
Discussion:
Let's Go Tribe
Mark Gonzales / Chicago Tribune:
White Sox limping forward — 'Must' win over Tigers spoiled by hamstring injury to Thome — DETROIT — Overcoming 10 stranded runners and the loss of Jim Thome gave the White Sox some temporary satisfaction Wednesday night. — Thanks to the power resurgence of Joe Crede and timely pitching …
