Top News:
USA Today:
Heat on Giambi as Selig leans toward suspension — Baseball Commissioner Bud Selig is heading toward suspending Jason Giambi next week if the New York Yankees slugger does not cooperate with former senator George Mitchell's investigation on steroid use, according to a high-ranking MLB official.
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ESPN:
Report: Selig close to suspending Yankees' Giambi — Bud Selig told Jason Giambi that he better cooperate with former Sen. George Mitchell's investigation of steroid use or else. The else might be coming. — A high-ranking MLB official told USA Today on Wednesday that the commissioner …
Paul Sullivan / Chicago Tribune:
Barrett will catch more bench time — Piniella believes rest should 'help' catcher — Cubs catcher Michael Barrett's playing time will be reduced in the coming weeks, even though Henry Blanco is at least two weeks from returning from the disabled list. — "It has been a tough couple of weeks …
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Paul Sullivan / Chicago Tribune:
Cubs send Murton down, lefty called up — Matt Murton was sent to Triple-A Iowa on Wednesday to work on his overall game, returning to the minors for the first time since being called up in July 2005. — The Cubs were displeased that Murton has struggled at the plate and in the field while playing sporadically in right field.
Discussion:
GoatRiders of the Apocalypse
Peter Botte / NY Daily News:
Posada power — Homer continues catcher's hit parade — ALEX RODRIGUEZ can opt out, or so everyone has heard about 252 million times. Mariano Rivera is unsigned beyond this season. And so is Joe Torre. — But how many Yankees have been more indispensable in what could be their pinstriped swan songs than Jorge Posada?
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Caleb Breakey / MLB.com:
Yankees win eighth in a row — A-Rod, Posada, Matsui all go yard to give Mussina the win — NEW YORK — Look out Boston and Detroit, the Yankees are hot on your tail. — Backed by a brilliant Mike Mussina, the Yankees steamrolled over the Diamondbacks on Wednesday night to win …
Discussion:
Lady At The Bat
Dejan Kovacevic / Pittsburgh Post-Gazette:
Pirates Notebook: Wilson feels 'one day' led to benching — Quite obviously, Jack Wilson is being benched. — Just as obviously, he is not exactly beaming about it. — Although Wilson said nothing inflammatory after learning Pirates manager Jim Tracy would go with Jose Castillo …
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Dejan Kovacevic / Pittsburgh Post-Gazette:
Castillo's passion, performance carry Pirates — New shortstop supports Snell's gem in 8-1 rout of Texas — Pirates pitcher Ian Snell puts down a sacrifice bunt to set up a run in the second inning against the Rangers. — A few hours before the Pirates took the field at PNC Park …
Amalie Benjamin / Boston Globe:
Rocky horror — Things turn ugly for Sox in latest loss — He was sitting and waiting as the media walked into the Fenway Park interview room minutes after a 12-2 Red Sox' loss to the Rockies last night, his hands folded, his blue button-down shirt crisp, and his manner all but screaming his desire to get this done, fast.
Discussion:
The Soxaholix
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Michael Silverman / Boston Herald:
Sox keep losing ground: Ugly effort lets torrid Yankees creep closer — That nip in the mid-June air last night was an unnecessary reminder that there is no such thing as a sure thing in New England. — What holds true with the weather also applies to baseball, and there was no better proof …
Discussion:
Peter's Red Sox Forever
Fluto Shinzawa / Boston Globe:Pedroia sits — As Terry Francona entered the Fenway Park media room …
Discussion:
Yanksfan vs Soxfan
Curt Schilling / 38 Pitches:
6/13/07 vs. Colorado — Not sure how to start or finish this one. Pitch by pitch would most likely be as painful to read as it was to experience. — At the end of the second inning I'd faced 13 batters, thrown close to 50 pitches, and I didn't feel physically bad at all.
Joe Kay / Associated Press:
Angels' Lackey first to 10 wins — CINCINNATI (AP) — Vladimir Guerrero knew the end would come soon. — The star right fielder was relegated to cheering for teammates while the Los Angeles Angels extended their impressive surge the past week, waiting to break out of his deep slump.
Discussion:
6-4-2
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John Klima / MLB.com:
Notes: Mets eager to stop scuffling — Players call on bats to take charge with Yanks looming — LOS ANGELES — When they arrived in Los Angeles for their three-game series with the Dodgers, the Mets were optimistic that their slump through the start of June was an anomaly …
David Gassko / Hardball Times:
D-Fence! — While no one doubts the importance of defense, it still is an area that we often forget when evaluating players. Plenty has been made of Alex Rodriguez's hot start with the bat and David Wright's struggles at the plate, but no one has talked about A-Rod's difficulties in the field …
Discussion:
Sabernomics
Alyson Footer / MLB.com:
Wheeler shoves Sampson in dugout — Reliever says altercation just product of his frustration — HOUSTON — Chris Sampson referred to Dan Wheeler as a "big brother" several times during his postgame meeting with the media, downplaying any issues that may have stemmed from a brief altercation between …
Discussion:
The Crawfish Boxes
