Top News:
Mark Newman / MLB.com:
Monster All-Star Final Vote is under way — Vote early and often for the last man on the All-Star roster — The sixth annual Monster All-Star Final Vote is under way now until 6 p.m. ET on Thursday exclusively at MLB.com, and the only certainty is that you are going to choose pitchers …
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Jim Street / MLB.com:
Ichiro, Putz selected for All-Star Game — It's seventh appearance for OF, first for Mariners closer — SEATTLE — After watching several All-Star Games on television, Mariners closer J.J. Putz finally gets to see one in person. — "I don't think it's going to sink in until I actually …
Discussion:
Caffeinated Confines
Tom Singer / MLB.com:
Experience rules AL All-Star roster — 18 of 20 position players have experience in Midsummer Classic — "Wanted: Cast of gung-ho characters to perpetuate American League rule. Experience required." — Had that been the ad posted for the 2007 AL All-Star team, plenty …
Discussion:
Bless You Boys
Spencer Fordin / MLB.com:
Roberts returns to All-Star Game — Recovered from injury, second baseman earns trip to SF — BALTIMORE — Brian Roberts is back in the All-Star Game and back from the devastating injury that sapped his power last season. Roberts, who dislocated his left elbow at the end of his last All-Star campaign …
Ctrosecrans / Cincinnati Reds:
Narron out, Mackanin in — Sources have told me Jerry Narron has been fired, Pete Mackanin will be the interim manager. More to come. — From the Reds:
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Yahoo! Sports:
Reds fire Narron; Mackanin to replace him — CINCINNATI (TICKER) — The Cincinnati Reds have fired manager Jerry Narron. — The announcement came hours after Cincinnati fell to to the St. Louis Cardinals, 11-7, dropping the Reds' record to a major league-worst 31-51.
Associated Press:
Reds fire manager Narron — CINCINNATI — Manager Jerry Narron was fired Sunday night by the Cincinnati Reds, who raised their payroll and their expectations in the offseason only to find themselves with the worst record in the major leagues. — The Reds became the second team to change managers Sunday.
MLB.com:
Reds replace Narron — Club to name Pete Mackanin interim manager tomorrow — CINCINNATI — At a press conference at noon Monday at Great American Ball Park, Cincinnati Reds president and chief executive officer Bob Castellini and executive vice president and general manager Wayne Krivsky …
Joe Kay / Associated Press:Struggling Reds fire Jerry Narron
Discussion:
Chad Gramling's Baseball Blog
Art Thiel / Seattle Post-Intelligencer:
Resignation is inexplicable, even for Hargrove … How does a man who offered those words so sincerely about his job and his craft lose the excitement in four months? — Especially when, at 12 games above .500 and in midseason contention, his team is proving wrong all who mocked his preseason sentiment?
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T.R. Sullivan / MLB.com:
Loe, Rangers shut down Red Sox — Righty combines with four relievers on seven-hitter — BOSTON — They went to Cleveland and Toronto and couldn't muster a winning record. They couldn't do it on road trips against Tampa Bay and Houston or Cincinnati and Pittsburgh.
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StatsGuru / Baseball Musings:
Efficient Baker — Scott Baker just finished the third inning, retiring all nine batters he's faced. The Tigers are putting the ball in play early tonight, as Baker has just one strikeout and has thrown just 25 pitches. Six of those were against ninth slot hitter Brandon Inge.
Discussion:
TigerBlog
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Associated Press:
Bonderman outduels Baker as Tigers win — DETROIT (AP) — Jeremy Bonderman began his All-Star campaign in style Sunday night. — Bonderman beat Scott Baker in an old-fashioned pitchers' duel, and Marcus Thames homered with two outs in the eighth inning to send the Detroit Tigers to a 1-0 victory over the Minnesota Twins.
Discussion:
Bless You Boys
Tyler Kepner / New York Times:
Clemens's Effect Isn't Measured by Numbers Alone — He has a University of Texas longhorn logo embroidered on the tongue of his spikes, and his personal logo stitched on his glove. He is also, perhaps, the only player in baseball who keeps an autographed ball with a congratulatory message from an umpire on a shelf in his locker.
Associated Press:
Padres' new acquisition Bradley on 15-day DL — LOS ANGELES — Milton Bradley is starting fresh with a new team in a familiar spot — the disabled list. — The 29-year-old outfielder was acquired by the San Diego Padres from Oakland for pitcher Andrew Brown on Friday.
Discussion:
Washington Post
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Paul Meyer / Pittsburgh Post-Gazette:
Pirates Notebook: Duke pulled from Tuesday start — Struggling left-hander has tendinitis in his elbow; Duffy goes on DL — Left-hander Zach Duke will not start the game Tuesday against Milwaukee and might not start again until July 17. — "Let's not put the cart before the horse," Pirates manager Jim Tracy cautioned yesterday.
Discussion:
The Parrot
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Steve Gilbert / MLB.com:
Notes: Owings learning to go long — Clark gets start vs. Giants; Jackson gets ugly gift from fan — SAN FRANCISCO — The third time through the order hasn't been the charm for D-backs starter Micah Owings. — The rookie right-hander has pitched very well this year, going 5-2 with a 3.79 ERA …
Discussion:
AZ Snakepit
