Top News:
Bill Ladson / MLB.com:
Notes: Soriano's top feat is off the field — Slugger grateful to have won over the Washington fans — WASHINGTON — Left fielder Alfonso Soriano finds himself in a 2-for-25 slump that has dropped his batting average to .285, but he's not worried about it. He believes he will get out of it because he is comfortable at the plate.
Discussion:
Washington Post
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Associated Press:
Syd Thrift, former baseball executive, dies at 77 — BALTIMORE (AP) — Syd Thrift, a former general manger of the Pittsburgh Pirates who spent nearly a half century in baseball, died at 77. — He underwent knee replacement surgery Monday in Milford, Del., and died that night …
Todd Jacobson / Free Lance-Star:
Potomac will stay; is Norfolk on tap? — WASHINGTON—The Nationals announced a four-year working agreement that will keep its advanced Single-A team in Woodbridge yesterday. — General manager Jim Bowden would like to move the rest of the team's minor league affiliates closer to Washington as well.
Dan Connolly / Baltimore Sun:Former Orioles VP Thrift dies at 77
Discussion:
Can't Stop The Bleeding
Scott Merkin / MLB.com:
Guillen: Blame me for shortcomings — Manager takes heat for champs' second-half struggles — CHICAGO — When Ozzie Guillen unleashed his now famous verbal tirade in the direction of Magglio Ordonez late last April, there was no mistaking the intent of Guillen's venom or the point …
Discussion:
Beck's Blog
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Mark Gonzales / Chicago Tribune:
Pierzynski, Garcia keep Sox battery powered — Freddy Garcia remains under contract through 2007, but he's showing he has plenty of value if the White Sox decide to trade him. — Garcia reaffirmed his knack as a big-game pitcher Tuesday night with eight innings of one-hit ball …
Discussion:
Exile in Wrigleyville
Melissa Isaacson / Chicago Tribune:
Million thanks perfect tonic for Reinsdorf — Fan's continuing joy, gratitude for '05 lift owner's mood amid White Sox slide — Jerry Reinsdorf opens another letter and says he still can't quite get over it. — He tells you of the letter-writer's history, a fan who first ripped him in July …
Discussion:
Exile in Wrigleyville
Joe Frisaro / MLB.com:
Notes: Johnson likely done for year — Rookie of the Year candidate has strain in his right forearm — NEW YORK — Marlins rookie Josh Johnson has a right forearm strain, and in all likelihood, the right-hander will not pitch again this season. — Johnson, who has the fourth-best ERA …
Discussion:
The Griddle
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Juan C. Rodriguez / Sun-Sentinel:
Strain halts Johnson's year — · Starter Josh Johnson's fabulous rookie season likely is over. — Johnson returned to South Florida on Tuesday to have his right forearm examined. An MRI revealed a strained ulnar collateral ligament but no tear. The ulnar collateral is the ligament …
Juan C. Rodriguez / Sun-Sentinel:
Marlins bullpen foiled again — · Tuesday's pre-game banter centered on a day-after, division-clinching Mets lineup devoid of regulars. — By game's end, it was the unavailability of a Marlins regular that contributed to another late-inning loss. — With closer Joe Borowski unavailable …
Discussion:
FishStripes
Jerry Crasnick / ESPN:
Homer-happy Dodgers show anything's possible … LOS ANGELES — The Los Angeles Dodgers' clubhouse is typically as animated as one of those wooden local radio ads that manager Grady Little does for Jiffy Lube. It's a businesslike place after victories, and so quiet after defeats you can hear the dirty laundry hit the floor.
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Peter Gammons / ESPN:
'One of the luckiest people on the earth' — The first clue that my cell towers were intact came right around the trading deadline, approximately a month after my aneurysm. By that time, I had been transferred from the Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston to the Rehabilitation Hospital of the Cape and the Islands.
Tom Verducci / Sports Illustrated:
A-Rod Agonistes — Despite his extraordinary numbers, New York fans are quick to discount his contributions. And when things go wrong for A-Rod, even his teammates find him hard to motivate and harder to understand — "Joe wants to see you." — Alex Rodriguez still was weak …
Howard Kussoy / MLB.com:
Sox expecting Twins — Minnesota (88-61) at Boston (81-69), Tuesday, 7:05 p.m. ET — For the first time in four years, the Red Sox played the Yankees in a September series that was not overloaded with hype. With little chance that the weekend's games between the two rivals held any playoff implications …
Discussion:
The Joy of Sox
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Mike Berardino / Sun-Sentinel:
Rookie of year? Marlins have flock — Dontrelle Willis rarely throws his weight around. — However, when it comes to National League Rookie of the Year balloting, he sounds ready to make an exception. — "I'm a pretty easygoing guy ... but it would be really hard for me not to see the Rookie …
Scott Miller / CBS SportsLine.com:
Dodgers' bats seize late victory — in rare fashion — LOS ANGELES — The scorecard looks like somebody knocked over an ink bottle. The NL West race looks like a candy grab after somebody flung an Easter basket. The car horns blasting off in the distance here at midnight sound like the postseason has already started.
Anthony Castrovince / MLB.com:
Tribe eyeing move to Cactus League — Team confirms report on deal to train in Goodyear, Ariz. — CLEVELAND — In their efforts to improve their outdated Spring Training setup, the Indians might head west. — Cleveland vice president of public relations Bob DiBiasio confirmed a report …
Discussion:
Tribe Report
