Top News:
Barry Svrluga / Washington Post:
A National Celebration — Chico and Young Combine to Make This Fourth of July One to Remember: Nationals 6, Cubs 0 — The Washington Nationals could be scoring runs by the bushel or shriveled up in a drought, and Matt Chico would betray none of it on his 24-year-old face.
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Michael Phillips / MLB.com:
Notes: Slumping Church gets some rest — Escobar targets post-break return; Acta to mix up rotation — WASHINGTON — Ryan Church was kept out of Wednesday's lineup by manager Manny Acta, who is trying to get the outfielder out of a hitting slump. Church hit just .239 in the month of June.
Discussion:
Oleanders and Morning Glories
Barry Svrluga / Washington Post:
Acta Eagerly Awaits Return Of Escobar — By now, Manager Manny Acta expected that Alex Escobar might have provided not only a right-handed power hitter off the Washington Nationals' bench, but perhaps even an everyday outfielder to rejuvenate a flagging offense.
Discussion:
dcprosportsreport.com
Mark Zuckerman / Washington Times:
For Nats, a grand holiday — As Dmitri Young prepared to step toward the plate with the bases loaded in the fifth inning yesterday at RFK Stadium, Washington Nationals manager Manny Acta turned to his cleanup hitter with some last-minute advice. — "Just lift the ball," Acta said.
Discussion:
We've Got Heart
Tyler Kepner / New York Times:
Two Final Pitches Leave Mussina Taking the Blame — Mike Mussina has pitched long enough to know the nuances of each loss, and he usually shows his feelings. He reacts differently depending on what happened, whether the umpire squeezed him, or his teammates let him down, or the other team simply hammered him.
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John Harper / NY Daily News:
Santana's a money pitcher fit for the Bombers' bucks — As Johan Santana's pitch count reached 74 by the fourth inning yesterday, the Yankees no doubt had visions of forcing the Twins ace out of the game early and winning a third straight game. — After Santana had buckled down and pitched …
Discussion:
Twins Geek
Bob Klapisch / NorthJersey.com:Bombers let Santana, Twins off the hook
Discussion:
MLB Trade Rumors
David / Newsday:
Mets call up Alomar Jr. as backup plan at catcher — DENVER - Jason Vargas' uninspiring performance in Tuesday's rout, coupled with the fact that Paul Lo Duca's appeal hearing is scheduled for tomorrow, prompted the Mets to purchase the contract of Sandy Alomar Jr. from Triple-A New Orleans …
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CBS SportsLine.com:
Mets report: Notes, quotes — The Sports Xchange —C Paul Lo Duca's appeal hearing on his two-game suspension will be held Friday. If the suspension isn't overturned, he must serve it immediately and would miss one or two games of the Houston series.
Discussion:
MetsBlog.com
Peter Abraham / The LoHud Yankees Blog:
Game 83: Twins at Yankees — Here is the lineup: — YANKEES — Damon CF — Cabrera LF — Jeter SS — Matsui DH — Posada C — Abreu RF — Cano 2B — Phillips 1B — Cairo 3B — Igawa LHP — Pregame chatter: Alex Rodriguez (left hamstring) is out of the starting lineup for the first time this season.
Janie McCauley / Associated Press:
Bonds to sit out Home Run Derby — CINCINNATI (AP) — Barry Bonds will sit out of the Home Run Derby on Monday night, opting to rest his tired body before Tuesday night's All-Star game. — "Nope," Bonds said Thursday when asked about the Derby. "Especially when you're 42.
Discussion:
The Biz of Baseball
Joe Frisaro / MLB.com:
Johnson headed to disabled list — Right-hander exits after five scoreless innings vs. Padres — SAN DIEGO — Sailing along through five stellar innings on Wednesday, Josh Johnson's night came to a close while throwing warmup pitches before the sixth inning.
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Mike Nichols / MetsBlog.com:
Vote: MetsBlog's All-Time Mets 25-Man Roster — Recently a reader of MetsBlog sent in his All-Time Mets 25-Man Roster. So, that got us here at MetsBlog thinking, which players would our readers elect to be a part of the All-Time Mets 25-Man Roster. — Over the next 10 weeks …
Discussion:
Mets Heads
Steve Popper / NorthJersey.com:
Beltran seeing Stars — DENVER — When David Wright was selected to the National League All-Star team last year, it signified a public relations coming-out party, jetting from David Letterman to the home run derby. But for Carlos Beltran, the invitation meant business.
Discussion:
MetsBlog.com
Troy E. Renck / Denver Post:
The Rockies love beating N.Y. — Hot bats help sweep other team from the Big Apple — The sound began at 6:21 p.m., piercing a sunlit evening straight from a postcard. Either somebody had wrecked their car into the backstop or the Rockies were hitting.
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Arnie Stapleton / Associated Press:Rockies finish rare sweep of NY teams
Discussion:
Mets Geek, New York Post, Archie Bunker's Army, The Musings and Prophecies …, Mets Today and New York Times
J.J. Cooper / Baseball America:
BAPR Plus: July 5 — There may be few days that minor league general managers look forward to more eagerly than the fourth of July. Fireworks and a guaranteed sellout. So there also are few things more disappointing for a minor league GM than a fourth of July rainout, which happened for 10 teams last night.
Discussion:
Lone Star Ball
Dan Fox / Baseball Prospectus:
Searching for the Gyroball — "Hmm. How should I answer that question? I knew this question was coming today. And I was preparing some optional answers for this particular question. Should I say, 'I have that ball?' Or I could say, 'Which particular ball are you referring to?'
