Top News:
Howard Ulman / Associated Press:
Rookie pitcher has lymphoma — BOSTON (AP) — Boston Red Sox rookie left-hander Jon Lester has a form of lymphoma and will start treatment in the coming week, the team announced Friday. — Enlarged lymph nodes were identified when Lester, 22, was tested to determine the cause of back pain …
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Dan Shaughnessy / Boston Globe:
Time to look ahead — to '07 — The first game of the 2007 Boston baseball season was played last night (a 6-4 win over the Blue Jays). — The Red Sox officially declared the end of their efforts to win in 2006 when they announced that David Wells had been traded to the Padres at 7:47 p.m., in the bottom of the second inning.
Jordan Bastian / MLB.com:
Jays looking for bounce-back victory — Toronto (69-65) at Boston (72-62), 7:05 p.m. ET — Toronto will try to move quickly past what took place Thursday night. A fluke play by Blue Jays right fielder Alex Rios cost Toronto a key opportunity to take the opener of the current four-game series against Boston.
Discussion:
The Joy of Sox
New York Post:
SOMEDAY, YANKEES WILL HAVE TO REPLACE IRREPLACEABLE — MO — THE BULLPEN door opened Wednesday night and so did a scary window into the Yankee future. Scott Proctor, not Mariano Rivera, emerged and a Yankees' lead disappeared. — It was yet another reminder that some time soon …
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Will Carroll / Baseball Prospectus:
Under The Knife — The Long Tail — Powered by The Long Tail, on to the injuries: — Mariano Rivera had an MRI. Yankees fans, exhale. Rivera has a small strain in a muscle near his elbow and will need some rest. The Yankees can handle this and it's certainly nothing to be overly concerned about.
Ken Gurnick / MLB.com:
Dodgers acquire Anderson from Nats — Loney, Kemp to be recalled when rosters expand Friday — LOS ANGELES — After announcing the promotions of infielder James Loney, outfielder Matt Kemp and catcher Einar Diaz, the Dodgers on Thursday attempted to further bolster their roster for September …
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Bill Ladson / MLB.com:Nats deal Anderson, Ward for prospects
Discussion:
Oleanders and Morning Glories
Tyler Kepner / New York Times:
With Respect, Leyland Argues His Point — Nothing, it would seem, could stop an ornery baseball manager from arguing with an umpire. Nothing, that is, except the voice of Kate Smith. — Detroit Tigers Manager Jim Leyland was ejected from yesterday's game after the second to last pitch of the top of the seventh inning.
Discussion:
Ben Maller's Sports …
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Ken Rosenthal / Fox Sports:
The best young tandem in baseball? Tough call — A scout last week asked me this question: — "Who would you take, the Mets' Jose Reyes and David Wright or the Phillies' Ryan Howard and Chase Utley?" — Without giving the topic much thought, I responded, "Howard and Utley."
Aaron / AaronGleeman.com:
The Nevin Trade — One of the Twins' biggest weaknesses this season has been the complete lack of production they've received from designated hitters. That spot in the lineup has batted a combined .264/.311/.371, which is good for a .682 OPS that ranks dead last among AL teams.
Troy E. Renck / Denver Post:
Tulowitzki, Iannetta up — Rockies trying something new at shortstop, catcher … Troy - I appreciate loyalty and giving a guy a chance, but what's the deal with Clint Hurdle and Clint Barmes? The minors are full of flashy-glove, no-bat guys. Their middle fielders are killing them at the plate.
Discussion:
MLB Trade Rumors
Yahoo! Sports:
Twins RHP Radke out indefinitely due to shoulder injury — BRONX, New York (Ticker) - The Minnesota Twins postseason hopes took a hit on Friday when it was announced Brad Radke could be out until late September with a right shoulder injury. — Radke was diagnosed with a stress fracture of the glenoid in his throwing shoulder.
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Will Carroll / Baseball Prospectus:
Under The Knife — Thank You — It's not a normal day in these parts. I'll admit to being both tired and excited, nervous and even a bit scared, but mostly just grateful. I'll be making my TV debut tonight at 5:30 p.m. Eastern as part of ESPN2's "The Fantasy Show" and I hope you'll watch, since you're a big reason I'm there.
Discussion:
Bronx Banter
Associated Press:
Phillies acquire former sausage-beater from Rangers — PHILADELPHIA — The Philadelphia Phillies acquired first baseman Randall Simon from the Texas Rangers for cash on Friday. — Simon, suspended for three games in 2003 after hitting one of the Milwaukee Brewers' sausage mascots with his bat …
MLB.com:
Tonight's Nationals-Diamondbacks game at RFK Stadium postponed due to rain — Tonight's Nationals-Diamondbacks game scheduled to begin at 7:05 p.m. at RFK Stadium in Washington, D.C., has been postponed due to rain. The game will be made up at 1:05 p.m. on Saturday, September 2 …
Associated Press:
Castilla called up by Rockies — LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Colorado Rockies recalled Vinny Castilla from their minor league affiliate at Colorado Springs on Friday, and he joined the team in Los Angeles for the start of a three-game series against the Dodgers.
Rocky Mountain News:
Etkin: Garner has overcome injuries to show potential — All statistics through Wednesday, Aug. 30 — Jim Johnson gave this compliment to low Single-A Asheville left fielder Cole Garner: "He's got as much power as anybody in the system." — That's not just an offhand remark …
Discussion:
Purple Row
Dallas Morning News:
Rangers chat wrap: Time to see the youngsters — Evan Grant: Here's our new promotion: We'll answer questions for the same amount of time that Robinson Tejeda spends on the mound in the first inning of his previous start. So, today, we'll be here for a very long time. Be gentle with me.
Discussion:
Lone Star Ball

