Top News:
Jeff Horrigan / Boston Herald:
Pena lives a dream in debut: Bad back lands Lester on DL — OAKLAND, Calif. - Growing up in Haverhill and starring at Northeastern, Carlos Pena always dreamed of the day he would pull on a Red Sox jersey. — The dream was fulfilled last night, when the veteran first baseman was called …
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Gordon Edes / Boston Globe:
Ortiz returning for tests — He cites heart problem again; Red Sox get routed by Oakland — OAKLAND, Calif. — A season slipping away took another crushing turn last night, even before a ragtag team of Red Sox was beaten, 9-0, by the Oakland Athletics. — About 20 minutes before the first pitch …
Discussion:
Surviving Grady, The Sports Frog, Keep Your Sox On In Brooklyn, The Soxaholix and Bronx Banter
Tony Massarotti / Boston Herald:
Boston slugger Ortiz sent home for more heart tests — OAKLAND, Calif. - Slightly more than a week after being admitted to Mass. General Hospital with an irregular heartbeat, Red Sox designated hitter David Ortiz suffered a recurrence of the problem last night and will return to Boston today for additional testing.
David Heuschkel / Hartford Courant:
Ortiz The Big Concern — Heading Home As Precaution — OAKLAND, Calif. — Just when you think it couldn't get any worse for the Red Sox, guess what? It has. — Nothing has come easy on this West Coast trip, and the team continued a nosedive Monday night with a 9-0 loss to the Athletics at McAfee Coliseum.
Associated Press:
Ortiz leaves BoSox, returns to Boston with irregular heartbeat — CBS SportsLine.com wire reports — OAKLAND, Calif. — Red Sox slugger David Ortiz was scheduled to leave the team Tuesday and return to Boston to be examined again for an irregular heartbeat.
David Heuschkel / Hartford Courant:
Looking For More Power — Pena Called Up From Pawtucket, Starts At First Base — OAKLAND, Calif. — The Red Sox took out an insurance policy Monday. At least that's what Carlos Pena was in the Yankees' system. — The Red Sox, who signed Pena to a minor league contract two weeks ago …
Associated Press:
'A significant accident' — Authorities confirm Pavano car crash story — WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — New York Yankees pitcher Carl Pavano crashed his 2006 Porsche into a tractor trailer in August, causing $30,000 in damages to his car, according to a West Palm Beach police report.
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Bill Ladson / MLB.com:
Nationals' Escobar out for season — Outfielder expected to be ready for start of Spring Training — WASHINGTON — Nationals center fielder Alex Escobar had an MRI on his right shoulder on Monday and it revealed that he has a tear in his right labrum and will have surgery within the next seven to 10 days.
Discussion:
Nationals Baseball Fan
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Tom Krasovic / San Diego Union-Tribune:
Aching Webb stumps Padres — PHOENIX - The Padres needed a big game from their offense last night. They didn't get it and suffered another defeat in a rival's ballpark where they seldom win. — Padres newcomer Russell Branyan hit two solo home runs, including one that went an estimated 456 feet …
Discussion:
Gaslamp Ball
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Benjamin Kabak / Double Play Depth:
Report: MLB, Players Union agree to eliminate draft pick compensation — Every June, the 30 Major League Baseball clubs gather for an amateur draft of American high school seniors and college juniors or seniors. While numerous baseball officials have advocated for a world-wide draft …
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Tyler Kepner / New York Times:
A Whiff of Futility, and Rodriguez Can't Breathe Easy — Alex Rodriguez went 10 years without striking out four times in a game. Then he did it last month in Toronto, and again Friday night in Anaheim. Naturally, Rodriguez's inner competitor did not take this well.
Discussion:
The Feeding the Monster Blog
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Evan Grant / Dallas Morning News:
Rangers: from so close to so long — Season of opportunity dashed by intangibles and inconsistency — ANALYSIS: Sunday afternoon showers sent the Rangers scrambling for cover. They went deep, deep, deep under cover. — Less than 24 hours after falling nine games behind Oakland in the AL West …
Discussion:
Can't Stop The Bleeding
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John Perrotto / Beaver County Times & Allegheny Times:
Randa, Burnitz possibly GM's last mistakes — Jeromy Burnitz and Joe Randa represent all that went wrong with what might have been Dave Littlefield's final off-season as the Pittsburgh Pirates' general manager. — Littlefield gave Burntiz a one-year contract with a mutual option for 2007 …
Genaro C. Armas / Associated Press:
Columbus, Ga. 2, Kawaguchi City, Japan 1 — SOUTH WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. (AP) — With his team clinging to a one-run lead and pitcher Kyle Carter in a jam, Columbus, Ga. manager Randy Morris visited the mound to give his ace a pep talk. — A Little League World Series championship hung in the balance.
Troy E. Renck / Denver Post:
Melting pot of on-field success — The Amazins are New York's one, big happy family … New York - At 11:30 a.m. at Shea Stadium recently, approximately an hour before first pitch, nearly half of the New York Mets were hanging around their lockers. — Jose Reyes was sorting through mail with a smile.
Baseball America:
1. Philip Hughes, rhp, Double-A Trenton (Yankees) … IN THE TEAM PHOTO … THE NOT-SO-HOT SHEET … BLAST FROM THE PAST … HELIUM WATCH
Jim Molony / MLB.com:
Little action upon roster deadline — With Rowand lost for season, Phillies consider adding Pierre — This might be the calm before Thursday's deadline storm, but with two days to go until the deadline for teams to add players who will be eligible for postseason play, there was little action on the waiver wire front.
Marc Stein / ESPN:
Sources: Nelson to return to Warriors as coach … Don Nelson will be named as the new coach of the Golden State Warriors this week after the Warriors agreed to terms on a buyout with Mike Montgomery. — Sources close to the situation told ESPN.com that things are "all lined up" for Nelson …

