Top News:
Larry Stone / Seattle Times:
M's set to sign Ichiro to 5-year deal — SAN FRANCISCO — One of the Mariners' biggest concerns this season is about to be resolved. — The club is on the verge of locking up Ichiro, their All-Star outfielder whose contract was set to expire after the season, to a five-year contract extension, The Seattle Times has learned.
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ESPN:
Reports: Ichiro, M's on verge of 5-year extension — The Mariners' turnaround may have changed the mind of the team's biggest star. — Multiple media reports in Seattle are reporting that Ichiro Suzuki and the Mariners are on the verge of a five-year contract extension.
ESPN:
Report: Polanco hopeful he'll play in All-Star Game — SAN FRANCISCO — Will Placido Polanco be starting tonight for the American League All-Star team? Depends on who you ask. — The Detroit Free Press reported Tuesday that Polanco, who missed the Tigers' final game of the first half with a back injury …
Discussion:
Viva El Birdos
TheStarterWife / Ladies:
MLB All-Star Game Excitement B-I-N-G-O Style — Need a little bit more excitement and entertainment for your All-Star game party? — Well we here at Ladies believe that even the most casual of fan should be able to have some fun watching the Midsummer Classic, so we've whipped up some All-Star Bingo Cards!
Sports Illustrated:
Selig will follow Bonds in HR chase — SAN FRANCISCO — The oh-so-obvious dance of discomfort between soon-to-be all-time home run champ Barry Bonds and baseball commissioner Bud Selig continues. — And it will continue, right up until the record. — Baseball's greatest power hitter …
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Ronald Blum / Associated Press:
Selig on Bonds chase: I 'have a day job' — SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Bud Selig still hasn't made out his lineup card for Barry Bonds. — With Bonds only five home runs from breaking Hank Aaron's career mark, the commissioner was adamant Tuesday that he hadn't decided whether to attend the record-breaker.
Discussion:
Rumors and Rants
Maury Brown / The Biz of Baseball:
Selig to Be there When Bonds Passes Aaron — According to Jon Heyman of SI.com, Commissioner Selig has decided that he will be where ever it is that Barry Bonds pass Henry Aaron on the all-time home run list. As Heyman reports (http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/ 2007/writers/jon_heyman/07/10/ daily.scoop/? …
Steve Henson / Yahoo! Sports:
All-Star notes: La Russa wants larger roster — SAN FRANCISCO - Their dugouts are stocked with baseball's best players, yet All-Star Game managers Jim Leyland of the American League and Tony La Russa of the National League couldn't help but pine for a few players who aren't here.
Discussion:
MetsBlog.com
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Barry M. Bloom / MLB.com:
Vlad captures first Derby crown — Angels slugger bests Blue Jays' Rios in final round — SAN FRANCISCO — It was State Farm Home Run Derby night at AT&T Park on Monday and Vladimir Guerrero was the finest of Major League Baseball's slugging stars. — The Angels right fielder outdueled Alex Rios …
Discussion:
TigerBlog
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Mark Zuckerman / Washington Times:
Young must be dealt before deadline — When word came down last week that Nick Johnson still was feeling pain in his right hip and needed to visit a specialist in New York, Washington Nationals fans might have had two reactions: — {bullet} Compassion for Johnson, who continues to face …
Joe Sheehan / Baseball Prospectus:
Prospectus Today — So Wang He's Right, and Mr. Roberts … Given that it's Free Week, I guess I can put my intended catch-up Unfiltered posts into this space. For the next four days, we'll be running everything here at Baseball Prospectus free, giving non-subscribers a taste of what they can get for about a dime a day.
Bryan Smith / Baseball Prospectus:
Future Shock — Risers and Fallers, National League … Continuing from Friday's piece, we move on to the prospects of the prospects in the National League. — Arizona Diamondbacks — Great Leap Forward: It took a year longer than expected, but Justin Upton is living up to the promise …
Discussion:
MetsBlog.com
Christina Kahrl / Baseball Prospectus:
Transaction Analysis Special — Free Talent All-Stars … Picking All-Stars—whether by fan ballot, journalistic conceit, or individual manager's favoritism—has always been somewhat hit or miss. The standards are invariably slippery, and the insane tokenism requirement that places …
Anthony McCarron / NY Daily News:
Where will A-Rod land? — News takes look at which could be next A-team — He's pulled off a successful switch to third base, won an MVP and is now taking aim at a hallowed home run record owned by Roger Maris. But Alex Rodriguez's tenure in the Bronx also is pockmarked with boos, poor Octobers and racy tabloid tales.
