Top News:
Bill Ladson / MLB.com:
Notes: Vidro a second baseman first — Manager asks veteran to give Johnson a breather — WASHINGTON — After Saturday's 8-5 victory over the Brewers, manager Frank Robinson approached second baseman Jose Vidro about starting at first base on Sunday afternoon in order to give Nick Johnson the day off.
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Ken Wright / Washington Times:
Nats' bullpen is big relief — All season the Washington Nationals have asked their inexperienced bullpen to rescue the club's suspect starters — a daunting task, to be sure, for a group of young relievers. — More and more, that bullpen has shown signs it can do an effective job.
Steven Goff / Washington Post:
Soriano Reaches 40-40 Mark — In Win, National Joins 3 Others: Nationals 8, Brewers 5 — When the long-awaited moment arrived, when steal No. 40 and baseball history were secured, Alfonso Soriano dusted himself off, twisted the second base bag loose and raised it to the roaring crowd at RFK Stadium.
Discussion:
Oleanders and Morning Glories, Federal Baseball, District of Baseball and William F. Yurasko
Tyler Kepner / New York Times:
Boston's Consolation Prize Is End of Jeter's Streak — The Boston Red Sox never recovered from a five-game sweep by the Yankees at Fenway Park in August. The Yankees' lead was too wide, and the Red Sox' luck was too bad. But if this is the month for moral victories, the Red Sox scored one at Yankee Stadium this weekend.
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Ryan Mink / MLB.com:
Yankees set to battle Jays — New York (90-58) at Toronto (79-70), 7:07 p.m. ET — After losing three of four games against the Red Sox, including both ends of a Sunday doubleheader, the Yankees will cross the border still in search of their ninth consecutive division crown.
Discussion:
Pride of the Yankees
ESPN:
Cards' Isringhausen done for season with hip injury — ST. LOUIS — Cardinals closer Jason Isringhausen will miss the rest of the season because of a bad left hip. — "This certainly is a significant, serious situation at this point," Cardinals team physician George Paletta said, according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
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NY Daily News:
Pete's signs of his sorry times — Boy, is Pete Rose sorry. — Baseball's disgraced all-time hit king may have hit an all-time low by signing balls with this shocking inscription: "I'm sorry I bet on baseball - Pete Rose." — Thanks to a New Jersey auction house, you, too, can share in Rose's sorrow.
Dan Connolly / Baltimore Sun:
Defeatist attitude rankles O's Mora … Third baseman Melvin Mora recoiled in the far corner of the Orioles' clubhouse before a recent game. — He wasn't flitting about, no longer being the silly, goofy effervescent Mora that has been standard issue during much of his time in Baltimore.
Discussion:
Oriole Magic
Jack Curry / New York Times:
With Nothing to Celebrate, the Mets Feel Martínez's Pain — The sheets of plastic that were hung above the Mets' lockers in anticipation of a raucous celebration were removed without being doused. The dozens of bottles of Champagne became extra luggage.
Discussion:
Metsblog.com
David O'Brien / Atlanta Journal-Constitution:
At-bats are good medicine for LaRoche — First baseman is subject of ESPN report on attention deficit disorder — Adam LaRoche isn't sure how much his improved hitting can be linked to taking medication for attention deficit disorder, but producers of an ESPN program decided to pronounce it the direct cause.
Discussion:
Sabernomics
Jason Beck / MLB.com:
Tigers deny Polanco done for year — GM Dombrowski says second baseman on track for return — DETROIT — President/general manager Dave Dombrowski said on Sunday night that Placido Polanco remains on track for a possible return this season, despite comments from Polanco on Sunday afternoon …
Fox Sports:
White Sox need sweep to stay in race — Here's your weekly look forward to what's in store for baseball fans over the next seven days. — Series of the Week (with team's most recent Power Ranking in parentheses): Tigers (3) at White Sox (6) — This is the series that will be getting …
Discussion:
Cutoff Man
Associated Press:
Chelsea edges Liverpool in Premier League — LONDON (AP) — Didier Drogba spun and scored on a rising 20-yard shot late in the first half Sunday, leading Chelsea past Liverpool 1-0 in an English Premier League game attended by Tiger Woods. — The Ivory Coast striker settled a long ball …
Discussion:
Idiots Write About Sports
Marty Noble / MLB.com:
Martinez still upset a day after return — Mets ace eager to put Friday's difficult start behind him — PITTSBURGH — Whatever concern about Pedro Martinez exists within the Mets has not yet taken a defined shape. He says he's fine and prefers to make his next start after four days off.
Discussion:
Metsquire
Deadspin:
Ozzie Guillen Would Like To Be Drunk, If You Don't Mind — The White Sox lost to the A's on Friday night, but that wasn't what had Ozzie Guilled in a bad mood. John Garland was shelled, the White Sox only managed 3 hits all night, and they lost ground in the AL wild card race.
Discussion:
TwinsGeek.com
Associated Press:
Cubs' Lee likely out for season to tend to daughter — CHICAGO — Cubs first baseman Derrek Lee could be out for the rest of the season because of his 3-year-old daughter's illness. — Lee had missed the last two games before he said Sunday he was taking a leave of absence to be with his wife and child.
Discussion:
The Cub Reporter
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